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What to Expect When Taking the IICRC Carpet Cleaning Technician Exam

IICRC stands for Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Carpet Cleaning Technician, S100, is a designation that a carpet cleaner needs to prove that he or she is compiling with the most prevalent standards in the carpet cleaning industry. It has become increasingly important for a professional who is performing carpet cleaning services to have the “CCT” designation. There are some new carpets manufactured where the certification is not only suggested, but required. In other words, if you are cleaning carpets that require you to have the certification and you are not certified then the warranty on the carpet is void and you become liable.

I took my first class about 19 years ago and took my first test soon after. The material and the test have evolved greatly since that time. A new addition arrives this year. The CCT community has been working diligently on the new material for the past few years and it looks better than ever before.

These are some items you should know about the test:

Get the manual from your Instructor prior to attending the class (if possible). Read a few pages everyday. Usually the highlighted parts in the manual are extremely important to know and will probably be seen on your test. The test has a total of 160 multiple choice questions. The correct answer is not always the only right answer, but rather the best answer. Currently the answers need to be filled in on a Scan-tron sheet with a #2 pencil. There is no time limit for you to complete the test. You need to get 75% to pass. It may take up to six weeks to get your results and they are mailed directly to you. It is also available in Spanish if you request to take it Spanish when registering. The certification you get is a personal certification and stays with you regardless of who you work for. The cost of the test is currently $50. Cash, personal check, business check and credit cards are accepted. Checks need to be made to the IICRC.

Although I can’t tell you the questions on the test, I can give you a good example of what you will see on the test. Answering the questions below will also help you in figuring out how well you’ll perform on the test.

IICRC Test Examples:

1) Which of the following fibers are protein based: (A) Olefin (B) Wool and Silk (C) Polyester (D) Cotton and Jute

2) The temperature at which a dry solvent will ignite is called: (A) Explosion (B) Ignite (C) Flash point (D) Emulsion

3) When the primary backing and the secondary backing separate, what is it called? (A) Messed up (B) Delamination (C) Separation (D) Fluffing

4) What percentage of soil is insoluble in water? (A) 43 to 45% (B) 74 to 79% (C) 22 to 26% (D) Varieties

5) Where should you empty your waste tank? (A) Storm drain (B) Street (C) Sanitary sewer (D) Your fresh water tank

6) TACT is an acronym for what? (A) Time Act Clean Truck (B) Time Agitation Chemical Temperature (C) Tufted carpet (D) 4th generation carpet

7) The process of drying is called? (A) Wicking (B) Capillary Action (C) A and B above (D) None of the above

The purpose of the test is to make sure that a technician learns as much as possible to do his/her job well. If you need carpet cleaning supplies or just want to talk, you are welcome to contact me. I would be happy to help you in your endeavor to learn. You can also find answers to these questions there under Articles Tab and then Test Answers.