Practice is the key to success. Handling a squeegee feels awkward at first, as does any new skill, but it doesn’t take long to become comfortable and confident. Don’t be discouraged that you can’t master squeegeeing after a few days. Technique is the key to streakless, clean windows achieved in minutes. Preparation

When you arrive at the first account of the day, put on your apron; put a small cloth and sponge in the left and right hand pockets. Make sure you have a good single-edge razor blade in the center pocket; the squeegee, with a good, sharp edge, in the right hand holder; and a large towel over your left shoulder. The strip washer should be in the bucket. If you use a chamois, soak it and wring it to properly dampen it. (more…)

Filed under: Window Cleaning by cbadmin
Originally Published: CBM October 1999

Opportunities to sell high pressure washing services exist on every block in America and in most foreign countries. In the United States alone there are upward of 11 million businesses and over 100 million private homes that are potential customers for your services.

The portable high pressure washer has brought a new era to the cleaning industry. This technology allows for more thorough and less expensive cleaning of a wider variety of surfaces than ever before. New markets and profit opportunities are being developed daily by ambitious cleaning professionals everywhere. (more…)

Filed under: Self Employment, Technology by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM October 1999

Food is big business. According to the National Restaurant Association in Washington DC, there are over 730,000 food service establishments, serving over 50 billion meals and doing 290 billion dollars in business each year. Over nine million people work in the industry, earning over 70 billion dollars annually in wages and benefits.

To protect public health, cleaning duties in food service areas are done according to written procedures and are regulated by federal, state and local laws, with regular inspections required to assure compliance. Food service cleaning is a life and death matter for individuals, families, groups and businesses. (more…)

Filed under: Food Service, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

How do the carpets look in your accounts? If they look clean and are free of spots, you’re obviously doing a good job. However, if they don’t look so good, those accounts are at risk of being cancelled. You’re leaving the door wide open for another contractor or a professional carpet cleaner to walk in and take that business away from you.

I’m sure that in your mind you have plenty of good reasons why, the carpets are dirty or spotted. But it doesn’t solve the customer’s problem. And it doesn’t do anything to keep a competitor from using those same dirty carpets as a selling point and as an opportunity to get in the door and put you out in the street. (more…)

Filed under: Carpet, Self Employment by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

Bidding potential accounts is one of the most critical yet frequently misunderstood and feared aspects of operating a cleaning business. No matter how long you’ve been at it, or the type or size of your business, you simply can’t afford to pass up an opportunity to learn something new about figuring out what to charge and finding new customers.

Knowing that if you bid too high you won’t have any accounts adds a few levels of stress to the process. If you under bid, you may get the job and yet still lose money. Then you face the possibility of not being able to do the work, pay your people or make a reasonable profit. So it’s easy to understand why the subject of bidding and estimating is always of interest to contract cleaners. I could list a hundred suggestions to help you bid more accurately and be competitive in the market place. But all the tips in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t use them consistently. Thus, this report discusses the ten best tips for better bidding. (more…)

Filed under: Bidding and Estimating by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

In The Beginning

When I began this business, I had little idea what was needed in the way of equipment, so I went to a large janitorial company in the city and asked for their recommendations. That initial purchase included a Pro squeegee handle, two lengths of metal channels (8″ and 12″) with rubber blades, a brush, a telescoping pole that extended 14 feet, a strip washer, and some generic window cleaning detergent. That initial investment was under $50 in 1978, and would cost under $100 today. I experimented with various equipment through the years and purchased new equipment as it became available. (more…)

Filed under: Self Employment, Window Cleaning by cbadmin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

Washington Construction Bulletin, published by Construction Market Data, a Southam Company, at (800) 424-3996, or (425) 822-1291, is published weekly. If you want to pursue jobs in construction clean up, or want to be aware of where new facilities are being developed and who will be contracting out the services, it carries all the information you need to make bids including who to contact, location, etc. Construction Market Data is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and has offices in 25 states. (more…)

Filed under: Bidding and Estimating by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM September 1999

America, The Land Of Opportunity

A place where dreams come true and millionaires are made every day. A country with a free market system where hard work and a good product or service can make you rich. The opportunity for personal success and financial independence is alive and well in America. Every four minutes another person becomes a millionaire in America. As of 1996 over 3.5 million families had a net worth of one million dollars or more. And it’s not from winning the lotto. It’s from hard work, smart decisions, determination, a good idea, a little luck, a strong desire to succeed and a personal refusal to accept less than success. There is a good reason why 750,000 new businesses are started each year in the USA. (more…)

Filed under: Self Employment by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM August 1999

The Cleaning Process

A systems approach to carpet cleaning is the most cost effective maintenance method. This involves starting with the mildest cleaning chemicals and process and working progressively toward more aggressive cleaning methods. As an example, a systems approach to vacuuming could involve several pieces of equipment. This should include the use of a suction only vacuum on a daily basis in traffic areas, a beater bar vacuum used weekly in traffic areas, and preferably the use of a pile lifter vacuum on a monthly or quarterly basis to lift the pile and remove deep down grit and soil that are difficult to get out during wet cleaning processes. The importance of regular vacuuming for dry soil removal cannot be over emphasized and should be an important part of every carpet maintenance program. (more…)

Filed under: Carpet, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM May 1999

Using Effective Environmentally Safe Chemicals

Due to technological advances, there are now many products available which are safer for workers and building occupants, and more friendly to the environment, while still providing cleaning effectiveness without a price increase. Many of these products clean better than old stand-bys such as new non-ammoniated strippers.

However, custodians and their supervisors must look beyond chemicals and consider the whole process of cleaning from purchasing and storage to cleaning techniques and practices. (more…)

Filed under: Green Cleaning, Safety by William Griffin
Originally Published: CBM December 1998