Discover 8 sustainable cleaning company strategies to help you and your clients feel good while your business thrives.
If you currently operate a sustainable cleaning company, or if you’re thinking about transforming your business, you’re probably thinking about ways to market and run your operations profitably. It can be tricky since you’re working within certain parameters and need to meet particular standards.
One of the big challenges of running a sustainable cleaning company is that you want to keep your rates competitive while ensuring you’re using environmentally friendly products and following sustainable practices.
Challenging though it may be, there are also a lot of rewards that come with this business model. It’s also easy to overlook these rewards when we’re focused on the work in front of us. If it ever feels like you’re just trudging through your day, and you aren’t sure how your work impacts your business or the world, take a look at some of these strategies and the rewards that come with them.
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These sustainable cleaning company strategies come with rewards for your business
There are a few ways to approach the idea of a sustainable cleaning company. The most obvious, of course, is using environmentally friendly cleaning products. But sustainability can also be in the way you operate and can focus on anything from employee relations to efficiency to being conscious of the resources you use.
So while some of these practices and strategies may seem familiar, others might be a surprise. But no matter how you look at it, each one of these sustainable cleaning company strategies will bring benefits to your operation.
1. Use green cleaning products. Again, this is perhaps the most obvious strategy. However, the rewards are many. You might be familiar with things like sick building syndrome and the impact that indoor air quality (IAQ) has on building occupants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out that poor indoor conditions can lead to eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; fatigue; and even asthma and sinusitis. By using green cleaning products, you can help reduce the amount of harsh chemical particles in the air.
2. Keep an equipment maintenance schedule. This is a great way to keep your business running and save money, but from a sustainability viewpoint, when you keep your equipment in good shape, it will last longer. Longer-lasting equipment means you aren’t using resources to buy new machines.
3. Buy energy-efficient equipment. At some point, your old equipment will give up the ghost, no matter how well you’ve taken care of it. When this happens, replace it with energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly equipment. Your customers will appreciate your commitment to sustainability, and you’ll be pleased with how well your new equipment works.
4. Higher wages. How do your wages impact your operations as a sustainable cleaning company? Part of sustainability is ensuring that those who work for you can sustain themselves. So higher wages translate to better food, housing, and in many cases, more money into the local economy. And, as you may know, a thriving local economy means more customers for you! It’s a long game, for sure, but it certainly falls into the sustainable category.
5. Switch to microfiber cloths and mops. Microfiber is more absorbent than cotton, and it cleans more thoroughly, as well. And if you care for them properly, these cloths will last a long time, which also lowers your overhead.
6. Plan your routes efficiently. Save gas, save wear and tear on your vehicles, and save time. If you work in multiple locations on any given day, try to arrange them, so you move in a circle or square, starting and ending your shift at your office. Alternatively, you can go to the end of your route and work your way back in. The goal is to keep the distance between clients as short as possible.
7. Order concentrates and use a dilution system. In contrast to ready-to-use (RTU) products, concentrates are often more affordable on a per unit basis, they use less packaging, meaning less waste, and the shipping is less expensive, as you’re shipping more product in less space. Used in conjunction with a dosing and dilution system, concentrates can go a long way economically and sustainably. Even without a dosing system, if your team is trained and uses the correct amount of concentrate, you can still benefit from sustainability.
8. Get organized. Organization isn’t only about running a sustainable cleaning company; it’s also about better serving your customers, helping your team succeed, and making better decisions. Of course, our favorite organization tool is Janitorial Manager. This janitorial software covers everything from inventory to workloading to scheduling to bidding. And the more organized you are, the more sustainable and profitable your commercial cleaning company is.
Even though running a sustainable cleaning company can feel like more work at first, it’s not as much of a challenge as it seems. Plus, it can be a very profitable way to run your business.
Just be sure to let people know about your sustainability efforts. After all, you can move toward earth-friendly business practices, but you still need to make money!
If you’re ready to bring your cleaning organization to the next level, schedule a call with Janitorial Manager to see how our software can make your janitorial operation more successful!