Cleaning Archives - TODAY INDIA

Work Only 8 Months Per Year and Play for 4 Months With Your Own Window Cleaning Business

Are you an outdoorsy person? Or do you dream of traveling for months at a time? Or maybe just someone who appreciates long periods of down time. Whatever the reason, starting a window cleaning business may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

While working only 8 months out of the year might seem like a pie in the sky dream, it is in fact more attainable than you probably think. I should know because I’ve done it, as have many other window cleaners from around the world.

In most parts of the world, the window cleaning markets boom for a little over half the year and then slow down through the winter months before picking up again in the spring. Therefore by operating a window cleaning business you have roughly 8 months (or more in some places) to rake in the money with steady window cleaning jobs.

But can I really make enough money in 8 months to live on for the full year?

The answer is a resounding YES! Of course, knowing how to live within your means is required. Let’s look at some basic numbers to explain how it is possible to only work for 8 months out of the year.

Most people in the US could live quite comfortably on $50,000 a year, in fact a large percentage of the population would kill to earn this much in 12 months, much less 8. So we will use $50,000 as our required income for the example.

Nobody wants to work 24/7 at any job, no matter how much you love it. Most good paying jobs require you to work 5 or 6 days a week, so we will use these numbers in our example.

Full-time solo window cleaners typically earn between $300 and $400 a day. Sometimes they may earn as much as $500 per day working by themselves. Simply by hiring a laborer to work with you can jump your daily income by 80% or more.

Now that we’ve got all of our criteria nailed down, let’s see how it all breaks down in our 8 month time frame:

– Working 6 days a week for 8 months, means you would be working a total of 192 days per year. And with our required income of $50,000, that means that you would need to earn an average of $260.41 per day.

– Working only 5 days a week for 8 months, means you would be working a total of 160 days per year. And with our required income of $50,000, that means that you would need to earn an average of $312.50 per day.

Looking at the above examples, the goal of working only 8 months out of 12 is looking more tangible by the minute and considering that the average residential window cleaning job is around $200, earning $50,000 in eight months could easily become a reality.

How A Window Cleaning Business Survives During The Winter

In some parts of the country window cleaners are able to clean commercial and residential windows year round regardless of what month it is, because the seasons in their part of the country are much milder and more constant.

Well that’s great for them, but what about the rest of us? Is the sentiment I hear expressed most often in regards to this topic. But I have good news for you. Just because its winter time doesn’t mean that your income has to die, it just means that you have to adapt and expand on the services you offer.

Before I get into describing some of the various ways a window cleaner can make money during the winter, let me remind you that while the residential market may die down during the winter months, the commercial market still continues to provide stable income. Why? Because commercial businesses need to maintain clean storefronts and office spaces in order to make them inviting for customers. This means that they need your window cleaning services as much if not more during the winter than they do in the summer.

Now on to some different ways you can keep your window cleaning business in profit during the slow winter months. I will share with you several services you can offer, but please don’t let yourself be limited to only these services. Think outside the box and think about what your customers need during the winter months besides window cleaning.

Christmas Light Installation

One of the most profitable services you can offer your existing and potential customers in the winter time is a Christmas light installation service. In this case your customers would pay you to hang up there holiday lights and then come back at the end of the season and take them down. This can be extremely profitable if done right as you charge the customer upfront for both the installation and the removal. This can lead to a nice chunk of change in your hand right before Christmas time. Christmas Light Installation has become such a large part of my winter income that I started another company that only deals with holiday and special events lighting.

Gutter Cleaning

This can be a year round service, but is much more profitable during the fall, and winter months. Gutter cleaning is essentially just using your ladders to reach the gutters of customers homes and then cleaning out all the debris. This is an essential service for many homeowners who live in areas with lots of deciduous vegetation, as leaves, dirt, twigs and other debris can very quickly clog up a homes gutter system. Not only is this debris unsightly, but it also causes a fire hazard as well as prevents the gutters from doing their primary job of shedding water away from the house. Water damage is a very expensive repair and many homeowners are more than happy to pay you to clean out their gutters once or twice a year.

Pressure Washing

This is another service that can be offered year round, but can also be very lucrative in the winter months. Water mixed with dust and dirt makes mud and mud gets everywhere in the wintertime. Especially in areas where the city transportation department spreads dirt over the roads to prevent people from sliding on the ice; that dirt has to go somewhere and a large percentage of it winds up in parking lots and against commercial businesses. These businesses become very excited when you offer a pressure washing service to clean up their sidewalks and walkways.

The services outline above are just but a fraction of the services a window cleaning business can offer its customers during the winter months. This article is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to help get you thinking about what you can offer your customers to make additional money in the slow season.

HVAC System Cleaning Tips

HVAC units work to heat and cool the home in addition to filtering the air within it. Over a 12 month period, the majority of these systems will accumulate a large amount of debris and dirty. Not only does this work to ruin the quality of air within the home, but it also work to reduce the overall efficiency of the unit itself. By taking part in regular cleanings, you will be doing your part to ensure better air quality and unit functionality. In this article, we will outline the steps necessary to keep your unit running smoothly.

Air Conditioning

Step 1 – Outside the home you’ll find a condenser unit. Unplug the unit or flip the breaker to power it off.

Step 2 – Take a vacuum to the unit in order to remove the debris and dust along the fins. If there are weeds or grass nearby, employ the use of a weed whacker to clear the area as a way to prevent any clogs.

Step 3 – With a screwdriver, remove any screws along the top of the condenser and lift the top open. Be cautious when pulling up the cover so as not to cause any damage to the fan. Next, use a hose to spray the condenser, thereby cleaning out any dirt or debris.

Step 4 – Unscrew the cap on the condenser drain line. Pour yourself a cup of bleach and pour it into the drain line in order to eliminate any bacteria or algae. Allow the bleach to sit for about an hour, and attach a we/dry vacuum with the paper filter removed to the drain line. Turn the vacuum on for five second periods to remove the dead algae and bleach without doing harm to the line itself.

Step 5 – Take off the lid which covers the inside unit by pressing on the access button. Take out the filter, inspecting it for any debris and dirt. You may need to replace the filter if it is too dirty.

Heating

Step 1 – Remove the access panel to open up the indoor unit.

Step 2 – Flip the circuit breaker to the off position in order to turn off power to the unit.

Step 3 – Take a vacuum to the blower compartment and burners on the unit. Remove as much dust as you possibly can.

Step 4 – Remove the retaining nuts in order to gain access to the blower fan control panel. Remove the panel and allow the control to hang. Unscrew the retaining bolts in order to remove the blower fan and clean the fins using a soft brush.

If you’ve completed the steps outlined above and do not notice any improvement in your air quality or unit performance, it may be time to look into the possibility of a new unit. Place a call into your local HVAC specialist and schedule an appointment in order to assess whether repair or replacement is needed. Your HVAC technician will be able to provide you with information to help make a decision regarding the future of your current HVAC unit.

Small Business Idea – Home & Office Cleaning Business

For the cost of cleaning supplies and a stack of marketing materials – you can be well on your way to starting a Home or Office Cleaning business! A cleaning business is flexible and versatile in many ways. You can offer your services to small business offices, churches, day care centers, private homes, and much more. Due to the ease of start-up and low overhead costs, the cleaning business is often crowded and can be very competitive in some areas.

Here are a few things you will want to keep in mind if you are considering a Home or Office Cleaning Business:

1. What range of services will you offer?: This is one service based business where it may be best to keep your list of services as flexible as possible. Where one client may want to hire you for a weekly deep cleaning of their home, another client may need a one time service of clearing a cluttered garage. Someone may want a laundry service while another wants carpet cleaning. Be open to your clients needs and wants.

2. In what ways can you set yourself apart from the rest?: A home-owner or business in the market for a cleaning service ultimately want just two things – a clean home or office and peace of mind. How good you are at providing those things will determine the success of your business. When a person allows you into your private space, they are trusting that you will not steal or do anything else to betray their trust. As a small business owner, you do not have the brand recognition of a larger cleaning company, so you will have to work harder to gain clients. To give them peace of mind it may be wise to insure and bond your business, keep an up-to-date copy of your driving record, and criminal background check. You should offer to show any new client this information.

As society grows more conscious of the environmental impact of certain chemicals, people are moving towards eco-friendly or “green” alternatives. You can reach that demographic by offering green cleaning solutions and child-friendly methods. This will be very important for families.

3. How can I market and advertise my cleaning business: When it comes to advertising – you will want to concentrate your efforts to high volume social places. Your local grocery store, day care facility, church or shopping plaza are ideal locations. Consider spending the money to run a print ad in your towns newspaper and CraigsList.com is another great (free) alternative. Building your word of mouth reputation will be important, offer to clean the homes of friends and associates in exchange for a testimonial of your services. You may also want to consider marketing a contract deal to local apartment complexes, Realtors and credit unions. These companies will always need a reliable service to thoroughly clean apartments and homes after leases end, evictions and foreclosures. In fact, specializing in foreclosure clean-up may prove to be highly profitable.

Though the overall start up costs of a cleaning business are very low, you don’t want to make the error of skipping over the important steps. Make sure to register your business legally with your county, state and the IRS. Purchase a domain name and establish a website. Finally, you are a cleaning professional and must present yourself as such at all times. Although you are cleaning messes, your appearance should remain tidy!