As I said yesterday nothing improves curb appeal more than a clean appearance and that applies to a business as much as a home, maybe more.
Businesses rely on public perception to keep and improve their business. A run down dirty outward appearance of a business location can mean the difference for a new customer not to stop by or from even going into a business. For this reason businesses are more likely to want regular routinely scheduled cleaning done to their property and that means possible business for you.
Repeat business is 75-90% of any businesses income. If you do not have good repeat business and a plan to find new customers you will soon have no work to do and be out of business!
Even if a business owner or manager that you go to speak with already has someone doing work for them, leave a business card with a quote, making sure it has a time limit on it. You never know when something will come up, the other company may not be able to meet their obligation, or may do something to anger the owner enough to try someone else. If you had never stopped by and left them your information you may miss the opportunity.
Since most jobs are gotten from word of mouth or from prior contacts, not putting in the time to scout out new prospects can mean death to the growth of your business. As I have mentioned before you should spend at least 20% of your effort (time and money) to find new business.
The only difference with commercial work vs. home owners is many times they want this work to be done during off hours, meaning when they are closed in the evenings, over night or on the weekends. Since many businesses are now open nearly 24 hours a day you usually can find a time that is slow enough to allow you to work or where you can block off areas to clean so not to restrict your clients own business while you do yours. Of course special care must be taken when working close to the public with proper signage, that proper safety measures are taken and to be sure you carry enough liability insurance.
It is also good business practice to have prepared information packs for the prospective business customer that includes; copies of your business license for the area you are in, certifications, insurance binders, bonds, references and any other information that will make the client feel comfortable going into a contract with you and allowing you to do business with them. Many chain locations have corporate restrictions in regards to hiring local companies. If you want to do business in this area it may also be good for you to contact the company at the corporate level first to see if they have their own certification process you must apply to before you can be considered to do work for them at the local level.
Good luck in finding those contract jobs.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Flat Work – Cleaning Concrete for the Home Owner
One great up sell when you are cleaning a customers home, gutters or roof, besides decks and their other wood accents, is to clean the concrete areas as well. Areas such as sidewalks, driveways, curbs, flower or garden trim edgings as well as pool decks and patios.
The best way to clean these flat surfaces is with a specialty circular cleaning machine. And although many contractors use water alone with this kind of equipment, application of even a small amount of specific concrete cleaner will make the job come out that much nicer in less time. Our "Concrete Cleaner" contains an organic solvent designed to dissolve and remove grease, oil, black tire marks and embedded dirt. And of course with all pressure washing using hot water will improve the cleaning and shorten the amount of time as well. Hotter water allows the surfactants and other components in the cleaners to work their best.
But even if you do not have rotary equipment you can get good results with a regular pressure washer. Just be sure to use the correct size nozzle, proper concentration of cleaner, all with the lowest setting possible for your machine to remove the dirt and follow your local ordinances in regards to the water run off or need for reclamation equipment.
Our "Concrete Cleaner" is organic, bio-degradable, is USDA approved and classified as a non toxic pollutant under the Clean Water Act.
Another problem that may come up when cleaning concrete, brick or rock surfaces is red rust deposits from hard water in areas where iron is in high concentrations. This red coloration can be a headache and many companies actually etch the top of a surface off to remove this color which in time can cause major damage. We have another solution. You can use our "Wood Brightener" to remove those rust stains from even white decorative gravel in flower beds.
"Wood Brightener" contains a mild Oxalic Acid which when used at the proper mixture of 2 pounds of cleaner per 5 gallons of water it will remove the rust color safely from the rocks in and around flower beds. You can spray on with a hand pump and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes and then rinse well with water. Repeated applications maybe needed if buildup is sever and has been on the rock surfaces for a long time. Repeating the application is safer for plantings rather than increasing the solution strength or dwell time.
Nothing improves the curb appeal of a home more than having a clean bright appearance.
The best way to clean these flat surfaces is with a specialty circular cleaning machine. And although many contractors use water alone with this kind of equipment, application of even a small amount of specific concrete cleaner will make the job come out that much nicer in less time. Our "Concrete Cleaner" contains an organic solvent designed to dissolve and remove grease, oil, black tire marks and embedded dirt. And of course with all pressure washing using hot water will improve the cleaning and shorten the amount of time as well. Hotter water allows the surfactants and other components in the cleaners to work their best.
But even if you do not have rotary equipment you can get good results with a regular pressure washer. Just be sure to use the correct size nozzle, proper concentration of cleaner, all with the lowest setting possible for your machine to remove the dirt and follow your local ordinances in regards to the water run off or need for reclamation equipment.
Our "Concrete Cleaner" is organic, bio-degradable, is USDA approved and classified as a non toxic pollutant under the Clean Water Act.
Another problem that may come up when cleaning concrete, brick or rock surfaces is red rust deposits from hard water in areas where iron is in high concentrations. This red coloration can be a headache and many companies actually etch the top of a surface off to remove this color which in time can cause major damage. We have another solution. You can use our "Wood Brightener" to remove those rust stains from even white decorative gravel in flower beds.
"Wood Brightener" contains a mild Oxalic Acid which when used at the proper mixture of 2 pounds of cleaner per 5 gallons of water it will remove the rust color safely from the rocks in and around flower beds. You can spray on with a hand pump and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes and then rinse well with water. Repeated applications maybe needed if buildup is sever and has been on the rock surfaces for a long time. Repeating the application is safer for plantings rather than increasing the solution strength or dwell time.
Nothing improves the curb appeal of a home more than having a clean bright appearance.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Deck Cleaning and Stripping
The first step to deck cleaning is to first find out if the wood only needs a general cleaning or if there is an old finish that needs to be removed and if the customer plans to retreat, seal the wood, stain or paint.
If you have a good finish under just general dirt, a good deck wash is all you will need. Our "Deck Wash" is designed especially for cedar wood and is fine for all other kinds of exposed wood surfaces. With a deck wash you are just loosening and removing surface dirt, mold and mildew. It is best to use hot water at the lowest setting possible that allows you to remove the dirt without damaging the finish or raising the wood grain. Followed with a good rinse, when dried, the original natural color or treated color should be easily seen when dry. If needed a new coat of sealer for wearability or new coat of stain can be applied by either you or the customer.
But if the deck has an old finish that is worn out in places, old paint or a badly faded finish you will first have to remove the old materials with a stripper. When ever you use a stripper you have to also have mixed up and available to use right after using the stripper a neutralizer, like our "Wood Brightener", to bring the ph of the wood back down to normal after using the stripper. We have two different levels of strippers.
Our regular "Deck Stripper" is made to penetrate and emulsify old paint, varnish, stain, dirt, grease and oil. Our "Supper Stripper", which is three times stronger than the regular "Deck Stripper", is for removing newer or thicker build ups of stain, paint or other materials. It can also be used to clean asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Both strippers can also be used on other wood surfaces such as fences, free standing structures like gazebos or wood roofs or siding. Again be sure to follow any stripper with a neutralizer like our Wood Brightener to stop the chemical reaction of the stripper on the wood and make the surface ready to take a new paint or stain after it is rinsed well and thoroughly dried.
If you had seen problem areas of mold or mildew you may want to think about using some Bio Barrier to retard the return of new mold growth.
Please see the earlier session a few days ago on Bio Barrier on this Blog; you can use the search to find Bio Barrier as well. Or go to out website www.soapwarehouse.biz.
If you have a good finish under just general dirt, a good deck wash is all you will need. Our "Deck Wash" is designed especially for cedar wood and is fine for all other kinds of exposed wood surfaces. With a deck wash you are just loosening and removing surface dirt, mold and mildew. It is best to use hot water at the lowest setting possible that allows you to remove the dirt without damaging the finish or raising the wood grain. Followed with a good rinse, when dried, the original natural color or treated color should be easily seen when dry. If needed a new coat of sealer for wearability or new coat of stain can be applied by either you or the customer.
But if the deck has an old finish that is worn out in places, old paint or a badly faded finish you will first have to remove the old materials with a stripper. When ever you use a stripper you have to also have mixed up and available to use right after using the stripper a neutralizer, like our "Wood Brightener", to bring the ph of the wood back down to normal after using the stripper. We have two different levels of strippers.
Our regular "Deck Stripper" is made to penetrate and emulsify old paint, varnish, stain, dirt, grease and oil. Our "Supper Stripper", which is three times stronger than the regular "Deck Stripper", is for removing newer or thicker build ups of stain, paint or other materials. It can also be used to clean asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Both strippers can also be used on other wood surfaces such as fences, free standing structures like gazebos or wood roofs or siding. Again be sure to follow any stripper with a neutralizer like our Wood Brightener to stop the chemical reaction of the stripper on the wood and make the surface ready to take a new paint or stain after it is rinsed well and thoroughly dried.
If you had seen problem areas of mold or mildew you may want to think about using some Bio Barrier to retard the return of new mold growth.
Please see the earlier session a few days ago on Bio Barrier on this Blog; you can use the search to find Bio Barrier as well. Or go to out website www.soapwarehouse.biz.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Carpet & Fabric Cleaner and Qwiczyme
These are two great products not a lot of our customers know about.
Carpet and Fabric cleaner is a great addition for the car detailer, interior home cleaner as well as the RV dealer and commercial exterior professional. You can use this on fabric upholstery in a car, RV or in the home. When used with professional carpet machines this helps give carpet back the rich tones and contrast of color they should have. This product is great on fabric awnings on building facades as well as the ones on RV’s. This will remove those black streaks and when used with Qwiczyme deodorizer you can also breakdown mold and mildew in carpet and fabric fibers. Qwiczyme leaves a clean wintergreen fragrance, and it can be added to your normal carpet cleaning solution.
The Carpet & Fabric cleaner is mixed 1-2 oz per gallon of water. It can be sprayed on with a spray bottle, applied directly with a clean brush, sponge or cloth left for a few minutes, agitated if needed and then rinsed with clean water with excess water and dirt removed with a clean cloth or towel, or extraction equipment with or without brush agitators.
Qwiczyme can be used by it self or in combination with Carpet & Fabric cleaner when you have mold, mildew or other organic materials such as pet urine to remove and to remove odors that are effecting the carpet or fabric. Qwiczyme is mixed 2-4 oz per gallon of warm water. The water must be at least lukewarm for the enzymes to get to the correct temperature to work properly. Mix this product as needed.
I ask for any of our customers that have used these products to comment on their use and the results they got when using them.
Thanks and see you latter.
Carpet and Fabric cleaner is a great addition for the car detailer, interior home cleaner as well as the RV dealer and commercial exterior professional. You can use this on fabric upholstery in a car, RV or in the home. When used with professional carpet machines this helps give carpet back the rich tones and contrast of color they should have. This product is great on fabric awnings on building facades as well as the ones on RV’s. This will remove those black streaks and when used with Qwiczyme deodorizer you can also breakdown mold and mildew in carpet and fabric fibers. Qwiczyme leaves a clean wintergreen fragrance, and it can be added to your normal carpet cleaning solution.
The Carpet & Fabric cleaner is mixed 1-2 oz per gallon of water. It can be sprayed on with a spray bottle, applied directly with a clean brush, sponge or cloth left for a few minutes, agitated if needed and then rinsed with clean water with excess water and dirt removed with a clean cloth or towel, or extraction equipment with or without brush agitators.
Qwiczyme can be used by it self or in combination with Carpet & Fabric cleaner when you have mold, mildew or other organic materials such as pet urine to remove and to remove odors that are effecting the carpet or fabric. Qwiczyme is mixed 2-4 oz per gallon of warm water. The water must be at least lukewarm for the enzymes to get to the correct temperature to work properly. Mix this product as needed.
I ask for any of our customers that have used these products to comment on their use and the results they got when using them.
Thanks and see you latter.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Bio Barrier
I want to talk today about a product many of you might not know about that can add value to your house washing, Bio Barrier.
Bio Barrier is a Mold Growth Inhibitor. It helps stop the re-occurrence of that ugly black mold (Gloeocapsa magma) on roofs as well as the green mold that loves to come up on wood surfaces and vinyl siding in areas where the sun does not reach.
Besides looking bad mold and mildew will eventually cause permanent damage to your customer’s property. You already have a customer wanting a cleaner looking house, so sell them the added benefit of keeping it clean longer.
You first clean the existing mold from the hard surface, roof, wall, deck etc. with your regular cleaning method starting with the molded areas first. Then once the surface is dry, many times in the hot summer weather that is by the time you get back around the house, that is when you apply the bio barrier. Bio Barrier is applied to a dry surface straight with no dilution. You just wet the surface using a hand spray pump or similar method, do not drench or allow puddling. You allow the treated area to thoroughly dry, no rinsing. You want at least 24- 48 hours of time to elapse before the surface gets wet again. So do not apply if you know it will be raining in that time. Once dried you have a protective barrier that stops the microorganisms that cause odor and mold growth from attaching to the surface for between 6-9 months or longer depending on the exposure to water and moisture. So if it usually took 6-9 months for mold to start showing on a surface, schedule to be back the next year before it gets a good hold again.
If you add Bio Barrier to your cleaning package adding say $50 to your price, that will practically pay for a five gallon pail of the product with one sale and this will give added value to your customer and make your next years cleaning that much easier.
You need only treat the areas where you found mold in the first place to help stop the spread of future outbreaks. You do not have to treat the whole house.
Most roofs get mold starting on the North side or shaded areas first so treat those with Bio Barrier after your cleaning. Decks, fences and vinyl siding normally get mold where the sun does not reach for enough hours of the day if at all. This allows areas that get wet to stay moist and damp thus it becomes a perfect place for mold to start.
Increase the value of your service to your customer as you increase your bottom line.
Bio Barrier is a Mold Growth Inhibitor. It helps stop the re-occurrence of that ugly black mold (Gloeocapsa magma) on roofs as well as the green mold that loves to come up on wood surfaces and vinyl siding in areas where the sun does not reach.
Besides looking bad mold and mildew will eventually cause permanent damage to your customer’s property. You already have a customer wanting a cleaner looking house, so sell them the added benefit of keeping it clean longer.
You first clean the existing mold from the hard surface, roof, wall, deck etc. with your regular cleaning method starting with the molded areas first. Then once the surface is dry, many times in the hot summer weather that is by the time you get back around the house, that is when you apply the bio barrier. Bio Barrier is applied to a dry surface straight with no dilution. You just wet the surface using a hand spray pump or similar method, do not drench or allow puddling. You allow the treated area to thoroughly dry, no rinsing. You want at least 24- 48 hours of time to elapse before the surface gets wet again. So do not apply if you know it will be raining in that time. Once dried you have a protective barrier that stops the microorganisms that cause odor and mold growth from attaching to the surface for between 6-9 months or longer depending on the exposure to water and moisture. So if it usually took 6-9 months for mold to start showing on a surface, schedule to be back the next year before it gets a good hold again.
If you add Bio Barrier to your cleaning package adding say $50 to your price, that will practically pay for a five gallon pail of the product with one sale and this will give added value to your customer and make your next years cleaning that much easier.
You need only treat the areas where you found mold in the first place to help stop the spread of future outbreaks. You do not have to treat the whole house.
Most roofs get mold starting on the North side or shaded areas first so treat those with Bio Barrier after your cleaning. Decks, fences and vinyl siding normally get mold where the sun does not reach for enough hours of the day if at all. This allows areas that get wet to stay moist and damp thus it becomes a perfect place for mold to start.
Increase the value of your service to your customer as you increase your bottom line.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Making your chemical dollar go further Suggestion #3
Continuation:
Third stretch your cleaner as far as you can to still get the results you need. Most people, pressure washers included, tend to think more is better. Twice the dirt means twice the cleaner and that just is not true. Many times the more soap you add the harder it gets to get it clean. Sometimes all you need is hotter water to make the soap you already have do the job better. That is why our dilution rates are doubled with cold water. Turn up the heat and you will increase the cleaning power of the soap you already are using. Always first start a job with the least amount of chemical you think it will take and work up. Do not start high and think you can work down. Most operators will never dial it down to the same lower level that they could have cleaned with had they started the other way. This has also been proven in washer tests. Sometimes all you need for the soap to work well is softer water. You can spend pennies per gallon on a water softener like our “So Soft” that will stretch your soap and help it work better. It will also promote the sheeting off of water for vehicles and houses to dry faster.
Please add your comments on how you save on product cost, additives you might put in like bleach or any other suggestions.
Also if you have any questions about these suggestions as to how we can help you save money, just ask.
Third stretch your cleaner as far as you can to still get the results you need. Most people, pressure washers included, tend to think more is better. Twice the dirt means twice the cleaner and that just is not true. Many times the more soap you add the harder it gets to get it clean. Sometimes all you need is hotter water to make the soap you already have do the job better. That is why our dilution rates are doubled with cold water. Turn up the heat and you will increase the cleaning power of the soap you already are using. Always first start a job with the least amount of chemical you think it will take and work up. Do not start high and think you can work down. Most operators will never dial it down to the same lower level that they could have cleaned with had they started the other way. This has also been proven in washer tests. Sometimes all you need for the soap to work well is softer water. You can spend pennies per gallon on a water softener like our “So Soft” that will stretch your soap and help it work better. It will also promote the sheeting off of water for vehicles and houses to dry faster.
Please add your comments on how you save on product cost, additives you might put in like bleach or any other suggestions.
Also if you have any questions about these suggestions as to how we can help you save money, just ask.
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