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The status quo for convenience retailers has evolved over the years and having a dirty store exterior is no longer an option. You can’t afford to overlook cleanliness any longer because your customers aren’t. Unfortunately, many retailers understand this and are focused on being clean but have found that doing so can be very costly and very difficult to achieve real results. We have provided some ideas on how to save you time and money on the two most common challenges that you face in your forecourt cleaning efforts.
Pressure Washing Pressure washing is the way that most retailers chose to clean their concrete pads, dispensers, and canopies but it comes with its fair share of disadvantages. Pressure washing can be costly, time-consuming, and involve a lot of risk. Also, it forces you to shut down your fuel lanes being cleaned and that can be an extremely inconvenient and costly chore.
Outsourcing Pressure Washing Most retailers chose to outsource their pressure washing and that comes with a steep price. The average cost for a standard pressure-wash is about $250. If you are in an area that requires reclamation to conform to strict environmental regulations, then the cost can exceed $1000 each time. If you have your location pressure washed four times per year, then you are easily paying between $1000 - $4000 per year just to have your site look clean for only a couple of weeks at a time.
In-house Pressure Washing Doing the pressure washing of your concrete pads is definitely cheaper, or is it? Have you ever considered the time commitment it takes you to pressure wash your facility? Doing so will at least take you several hours to complete and that is valuable time that could be spent elsewhere.
Recommendation: The better option is to find a product solution that helps eliminate or significantly reduce the frequency of pressure washing and that minimizes your fuel lane’s downtime. Find a product that your store’s employees can apply in-house and that doesn’t take up valuable time and cost a fortune to do.
Using “Off the Shelf” Cleaners Did you know that many of the commonly used household cleaning products such as Windex®, 409®, Bleach, and Simple Green® are not meant for industrial cleaning? Did you also know that they can actually be damaging your equipment too? I am always amazed at the number of people who still use these products to clean their fueling equipment. You probably wouldn’t use them to wash your car, so why clean your expensive fueling equipment with them?
Cleaning with inferior products makes cleaning harder and takes more time. This causes those tasked with this responsibility to get discouraged and accept sub-standard results. Also, these cleaners are NOT recommended for cleaning dispensers, fuel nozzles and other surfaces. Many ready to use “off the shelf” cleaners contain alcohol or ammonia which can discolor, haze, dry-out, and even melt many exterior surfaces like plastic, vinyl, plexiglass, oxidized finish coats on metals and more. They could ultimately be doing more harm to your equipment than good.
Recommendation: Look for products that are designed specifically for the industrial cleaning challenges that you face and that have been tested safe for the equipment that you are using them on.
Having the right tools for the job can make all of the difference and doesn’t necessarily mean you will have to pay more. Many retailers are often surprised to find out that by switching to cleaning products that are meant specifically for their fueling equipment, they actually save money both in direct costs and labor savings.
Having the right partner, who will help you identify your unique challenges and offer the right solutions, will ensure the success of your cleaning program. Here at CAF, we have helped thousands of fuel locations overcome the very same challenges that you face in your cleaning efforts. We can help you utilize the right tools and processes for the job to ensure you are cleaning smarter - not harder. Contact your local CAF cleaning expert today to learn more!
