From health benefits to cost savings, winter carpet cleaning will keep customers warm on the inside during the chilly months.
Many businesses choose to skimp on winter carpet cleaning. Some figure there’s no reason to bother with all the snow and dirt that gets tracked in from foot traffic. Others think of it as a way to save money. Whatever the reason, if you give it a try, you’ll likely find it easier than you think to develop carpet cleaning leads when snowy weather hits.
4 Reasons your clients want to schedule a winter carpet cleaning now
Though your clients may think it’s a good idea to skip regular carpet cleaning in the winter, it’s your job to share with them why winter carpet cleaning makes good sense.
1. Health
In spring and summer, more allergens float through the air and get trapped in carpet fibers, where they are then kicked up again by foot traffic. Winter, on the other hand, has fewer allergens. So if companies clean their carpets at the start of the winter season, they’ll enjoy reduced allergens all through the cold—especially good since they’ll probably be spending so much time indoors!
2. Reduced drying time
When cold air warms up, it absorbs more of the moisture left behind after a thorough carpet cleanse. As a result, carpets will dry much faster, which helps prevent mold and mildew build-up.
3. Easier scheduling
It’s easier to schedule carpet cleaning in the winter because there are often fewer clients. The exception tends to be between Thanksgiving and New Years, but outside of that window, you’ll be able to offer more flexibility, which means clients are more likely to find a time to fit it into their schedules.
4. Reduced cost
Because so many businesses choose not to clean carpets in the winter, most cleaners lower their prices during the cold months to attract more business. If you haven’t already tried this method, you might be surprised how much business it generates. Just remember to stay competitive at the same time, or clients might be suspicious about quality.
Getting the job done right
You want to do the best job possible when you clean carpets in the winter, especially if you’ve had to persuade your clients to give it a try. That means having the proper equipment, and properly training your staff.
Hot water extraction, the most common way of cleaning carpets, requires specific commercial machinery to do it correctly. If you don’t already own this equipment, shop around for the best price, but also make sure that it meets the standards necessary for thorough winter carpet cleaning.
To that same end, make sure that your staff does a complete job so carpets don’t end up with mold, mildew, or embedded stains that will cost a lot to take out. If you don’t feel comfortable enough training your staff on your own, there are programs out there you can send your employees to so they can learn all the proper techniques for comprehensive and safe winter carpet cleaning.
Caring for equipment
Many commercial hot water extraction systems come mounted on vehicles, which we sometimes thoughtlessly store in cold garages or driveways. This is a massive no-no for winter carpet cleaning equipment. Frozen lines and other undesirable problems may be the result of an overnight park in a chilly climate. Always store your equipment someplace where the temperature remains above thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.
And make sure to clean your equipment! It’s easy to get so caught up in the client job that you forget to clean your own tools. However, clean equipment is essential to making sure that your work is effective. Perform general upkeep and maintenance checks after each use and before you put the machine into storage.
One last tip on equipment: Have it serviced regularly to make sure it’s in proper working order. Yes, it will cost money, but better to spend the money on maintenance than lose the revenue of a customer!
Getting the word out
To pick up more clients for a winter carpet cleaning, ramp up advertising efforts leading into the cold months. Sending holiday cards or Halloween goody baskets are creative ways to get your clients thinking about clean carpets. Traditional marketing efforts, like print ads and networking, are still useful tactics, but to drive people to your business, try to think outside the box. Use Instagram posts relevant only to snowy weather. Show pictures of an office after a Thanksgiving potluck to get clients to start thinking clean. Send out small sample-size stain removers with a note describing how much simpler it would be to hire your business.
If you have a marketing idea that seems silly, run it past a few colleagues or friends. You might be surprised how positively people react to creative and clever marketing.
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