HOUSE CLEANING TECHNICIAN TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
The IICRC House Cleaning Technician (HCT) training and certification program is a comprehensive overview of best practices in cleaning, taking a deep dive into the science behind the cleaning. This course is designed to provide a competitive advantage for the house cleaning professional who wants to elevate their business to meet the expectations of their customers. Those who complete this course and pass the certification examination will be certified professionals who understand the value and methodology of proper cleaning.
Sponsored by ISSA Residential
Presented by IICRC-approved
Instructor Bruce Vance, Institute for Service Excellence (ISE)
Upcoming HCT Training & Certification Classes
The HCT class is offered in person or virtual. Online seating is limited to 25 participants.
- Online classes will be over two days – from 10 am – 6 pm EST.
- In person classes will continue 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. standard class time.
2024 Classes
Class Registration Fee
- ISSA Members: $350/person
- IICRC Members: $350/person
- Non-Members: $550/person
- Additional Attendees: $250/person (Contact the Education Team at [email protected] for details on registering multiple attendees.)
Group Pricing
Contact the Education Team at [email protected] for details on group pricing.
The class registration fee includes the two-day class, study guide and materials.
(Please Note: There is an additional fee of $80 for the actual certification test that is administered through the IICRC. You must have a company name to take the HCT exam from the IICRC.)
IICRC Certification Examination
- 160 multiple choice and matching questions (may include math word problems)
- $80 examination fee due at time of test
Recertify Your HCT Certification
Congratulations on receiving your House Cleaning Technician (HCT) Certification. To keep your certification up-to-date, you will be required to take continuing education. For complete details, on recertification, contact Diana Aviles at the IICRC at [email protected].
Purchase the HCT Manual
The House Cleaning Technician (HCT) training and certification program is a comprehensive overview of best practices in cleaning. This manual is the basis for the class and covers the material covered in the class and is available purchase separately for $149.
Why Get Your House Cleaning Technician Certification?
Grow Your Residential Cleaning Company and Avoid Costly Mistakes by Utilizing the ISSA Residential HCT Seminar
Bruce Vance is an IICRC-approved instructor and a veteran of the residential cleaning industry, and shares his knowledge, expertise, and business skills in a two-day educational opportunity offered by ISSA Residential.
Why did you take the HCT?
Getting your HCT certification can set your business apart from the competition. Hear why other HCT attendees value their HCT certification.
“For many years, we thought we knew it all, but after all we learned in this course, we quickly realized that we could have made some very costly mistakes. In fact, we had made costly mistakes over the years due to the lack of knowledge of cleansers, surfaces, processes, equipment, and the science of cleaning. I highly recommend this HCT course for your management staff and your house cleaners. It’s a great investment in your company and it makes your technicians feel like they are true professionals… because after this course, they are. I just can’t say enough about how beneficial this course has been to myself, my techs and our clients!”
Marlo McKelvey Kanipe, Deserved Comfort House Cleaning
“This is not an easy class because ours is not an easy job! This class will prepare you to care for a wide variety of surfaces, fixtures, furnishings, and high-end collectibles. It will teach you professionalism, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards. The Covid-19 pandemic made customers realize the importance and value proper cleaning and disinfection services bring to their homes. Client demand for trained and educated residential cleaners is at an all-time high: it is more important now than ever to increase your skills.”
Amber Starling, Good Witch Cleaning Services, LLC
Hear from more attendees why believe they the HCT is important for their business.
About the Class
The House Cleaning Technician (HCT) training and certification program is a comprehensive overview of best practices in cleaning. This course is designed specifically for the HCT who wants to meet the expectations of this more educated marketplace of homeowners. Those who complete this course and pass the certification examination will be certified professionals who understand the value and methodology of proper cleaning.
The material presented in this course has been researched and peer reviewed; it presents the cleaning industry’s best practices. HCT Certification classes must be taught by IICRC-approved instructors and through an IICRC-approved school, such as ISE – the Institute for Service Excellence. It is this third party validation through IICRC that ISSA Residential believes will make House Cleaning Technician certification a “must have” for those cleaning companies who want to be viewed as the industry’s leading professionals in the future. ISSA Residential will utilize IICRC-approved schools and instructors to present the classes. The HCT course takes approximately 14 hours over the course of two (2) days to deliver. An opportunity to take the HCT Certification Examination immediately follows the conclusion of the instruction; an additional payment of $80 to IICRC/CleanTrust must be made at the time the technician attends to take the certification examination.
An Important Distinction: Certification versus Training
The HCT Certification validates an individual’s body of knowledge regarding the proper and safe removal of soil (cleaning), sanitizing, and disinfecting. These outcomes can be effectively accomplished through a variety of techniques, cleaning procedures, and solo/team cleaning models. The certification course makes no recommendations of procedures or products and will not interfere with your existing cleaning procedure or technician model, though it may inform revisions toward greater effectiveness, improved productivity, and even increased revenue.
The Development of a Professional Certification for House/Residential Cleaning
In 2007, at the urging of Past President David Kiser of Champagne Services, ISSA Residential began to explore the process of developing an industry-wide certification for the residential cleaning technician in conjunction with IICRC, the industry’s leading technical certification organization which also verifies certifications for the carpet cleaning industry, water damage and remediation, and others. In 2009, IICRC approved the House Cleaning Technician certification concept, for which the Institute for Service Excellence then developed the first curriculum and manual which was approved by IICRC.
What is Covered in the Two Day Class?
DAY ONE
The Role of a Certified House Cleaning Technician
- Your Legal Obligation to “Care, Custody, and Control”
Definition of “Cleaning” and “Clean”
Impact and dangers of soil and contaminants
The Science of Cleaning
- Chemistry of Cleaning, pH scale, Solvents, Sanitizers
Materials and Surfaces
- Stone, wood, clay tile, vinyl, carpet, concrete, glass, stainless, and more
Contents and Furnishings
- Caring for soft goods and textiles, window treatments and rugs, furniture finishes, appliances, electronics, collectibles
DAY TWO
Methods and Productivity
- Value of time, motion and ergonomics
- The right tools, organization and systems
- SOP’s and checking your work
Tools and Equipment
- From aprons, brushes, scrapers and vacuums
- Pumice stone to spray bottles
- What’s in your caddy?
Safety
- Slip/fall hazards, ergonomics, ladder and electrical
- Blood-borne pathogens, volatile chemicals, MSDS
Health
- Microbes and pathogens
- Hygienic cleaning, breaking the chain of infection and hand-washing
Appearance
- How appearance affects performance
- Organizational skills for success
- How appearance determines value
Environment
- What is the environment?
- How does it affect us?
- Who regulates?
- Who is responsible?