National Clothesline

In an effort to make certification easier for drycleaners, the International Fabricare Institute has made some big changes to the testing process for its three individual professional accreditations.

Beginning this year, those who wish to become a Certified Environmental Dry Cleaner (CED), Certified Professional Dry Cleaner (CPD), or Certified Professional Wet Cleaner (CPW), will have more than 1,000 LaserGrade Testing Centers from which to choose.

The computer-based exam locations are distributed across the US, Canada and internationally; they are located in airports, community colleges and other offices.

Previously, cleaners only had a choice of 26 different testing sites altogether.

Gaining certification is one way to gain points for IFI’s Award of Excellence program. In fact, those who have obtained all three accreditations earn a cleaner Certified Garment Care Professional (CGCP) status and an additional two bonus points.

As another part of its plan to make the process more convenient, IFI has made it so that certification schedule test dates can now be set at any point within a two-week window, as opposed to a single date, and those who seek certification can take more than one exam in a given period if they so desire.

“Our members are busy, and their free time is a valuable commodity,” IFI Senior Vice President Mary Scalco noted. “This makes our certification exams more convenient and accessible and is a better fit with today ’s lifestyles.”

In another change from tradition, IFI will conduct its second period of examinations in August, approximately two months earlier than the normal time frame of the past. IFI moved the dates up in response to member feedback on which times would work best for them.

The next testing period will take place from Aug. 5-19; the application deadline for registration is Friday, June 30.

To find a specific LaserGrade testing site in your vicinity, go online to www.lasergrade.com and click on the link titled “Find a Testing Center.” Under the “Testing Candidates” drop-down menu, enter your zip code and run a search.

Those who have travel plans during the testing period in August can check the zip codes of where they plan to be at that time. Chances are that a testing center will be located nearby.

The cost for each exam is $375 plus a $35 facility charge; however, IFI members only pay $275 plus the facility charge.

To sign up, download a candidate’s handbook and application at the web site for the Professional Testing Corporation: www.ptcny.com. Click on “Test Information” and then scroll down to the IFI area.

Cleaners can also receive an application through the mail by contacting PTC directly at (212) 356-0660 and requesting one.

All applications and fees must be submitted directly to PTC, who will notify IFI of the applicants ’ registrations so they can send out study materials to help applicants prepare for the exams.

PTC will send an eligibility notice to candidates five weeks prior to the testing dates. Upon receiving the eligibility notice, cleaners should call LaserGrade at (800) 211-2754 to set up the testing center, date and time. Cleaners must bring the notice and an ID with them to the testing center on the day of the test.

Once the testing process is complete, PTC will grade each exam and send the results out within six weeks from the final day of the testing period.

Those who successfully pass will subsequently receive the appropriate certificate(s) from IFI.

Those seeking CED certification will have to be able to demonstrate knowledge regarding environmentally appropriate ways of operating drycleaning equipment, disposing of hazardous wastes, and industry-related EPA and OSHA regulations.

In order to become a CPD, cleaners must demonstrate their knowledge regarding professional drycleaning and the implements of prescribed drycleaning standards for physical plant facilities and safe equipment operations.

Finally, cleaners seeking to earn the CPW accreditation must have the proper knowledge of professional wetcleaning practices, fibers and fabrics, and customer service as it relates to the new technology.

For more information, contact IFI’s Susan Bale at (800) 638-2627, Ext. 1603 or visit www.ifi.org and click on the “Certification” link.