Why It's Better To Start Your Trash Can Washing Company In A Warmer Climate
The first 30 or so clients that I helped launch their trash bin cleaning business were all exlusively in the Southern part of the country. It wasn't until a little later on that I started working with entrepreneurs who were starting their trash can washing companies in the middle or northern part of the United States. Some even as far up as Canada. Working with business owners in the Northeast was very different for a few reasons…
Does Trash Bin Cleaning Equipment Work In Cold Weather?
It's not practical to try and run any sort of equipment that uses water when the temperatures are below freezing. This is why you'll notice a larger concentration of trash bin washing business in warmer climates like Florida, Texas, and California -- places where they rarely reach freezing temperatures.
I've seen some trash bin cleaning businesses try and continue running their company through extremely cold weather seasons. Doing so produced varying outcomes – everything from limited success to disastrous results.
Disasters may occur because parts of the cleaning equipment can and will freeze up below 32° fahrenheit. When this happens, it can damage the spinning heads, cause hoses to burst, etc. Not only are there costs involved in repairing your trash can washing truck when this happens, but you'll have downtime while the equipment is being repaired. So while you're paying money to have your trash can cleaning vehicle fixed, you'll simultaneously be losing money for client's you can't service since you won't be able to clean bins without your cleaning equipment.
Seasonal Operations For The Trash Can Washing Industry
When you run a trash can cleaning business in colder regions, you'll need to shutdown for at least a few months out of the year while the weather is simply too cold to clean trash bins. This means an obvious loss in revenue. You'll need to account for this shutdown period when creating a business plan for your potential earnings, etc.
Keep in mind that when you're done cleaning trash bins for the season, you'll need to winterize your truck and equipment. This is similar to winterizing a pool at the end of the swimming season. For how long of a period you'll need to close down your trash can washing business depends on how long the temperatures are below freezing in your particular location. Not only will the timeline vary from region-to-region, but it can also vary from year-to-year. Obviously, some winters will be significantly colder than others. This can be unpredictable, so be prepared for this scenario.
Some trash can cleaning businesses have a hard start and stop time each year (i.e. we clean trash bins from April through November -- no exceptions). Others will play it by ear and continue providing trash bin cleaning service to their customers until it becomes too cold. This business model works best if you have an indoor location to store your bin cleaning truck overnight while it's not in use. Otherwise, you'll need to winterize the equipment at the end of each workday.
Do Customers Want Trash Can Cleaning Service When It Cold?
Besides the weather creating obvious limitations to being able to run your trash can washing equipment, trash can cleaning service is simply not for everyone. Some consumers won't pay for it. With that in mind, there are even less potential customers when the weather is cooler. This is pretty easy to understand… the hotter the weather is in a region, the more trash bins will feaster, smell, and contain bugs and bacteria. The cooler it is in a particular region, the more tolerable those dirty cans will be to their owner. The worse the conditions are within the trash pails, the more likely it is consumers will want to have their offensive bins cleaned.
Obviously, a warmer climate allows you to run your trash can cleaning business all year long and this will lead to greater earning potential. Just keep in mind that the warmer the climate is, the more easily you'll be able to find client's who are interested in have their trash cans professionally washed by a trash bin cleaning business.
The bottom line is that it's simply easier to be more profitable with a trash can washing company when you operate in a warmer region versus a cooler one.