If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money and prefer to work for yourself, consider starting a trash can cleaning business. In many ways, it’s an opportunity for first-time entrepreneurs.
Benefits
•It can be started with a small investment
•It can begin as part-time and turn into full time
•It doesn’t take any special training
•There is very little competition for this vocation
What is Trash Can Cleaning?
Trash cans get dirty, smelly, and unsightly. Dirty trash cans are unpleasant to deal with, especially in warm weather. Dirty trash cans even attract rodents and insects.
Most people consider cleaning their trash can an unpleasant chore and don’t have the proper equipment to do it quickly and easily. If given the opportunity to hire someone else to do it for them, they will jump at the chance.
What Equipment Will I Need
Purchase detergent (using an environmentally-friendly/ green option will be a big a selling point), a spray bottle, long-handled brush, garden hose, and a truck or trailer for hauling the trash cans. A pressure washer can be purchases/rented for a relatively low investment. This upgrade will eliminate the need to haul trash cans back and forth. Wear old clothes or waterproof coveralls and a good pair of work boots with plenty of waterproofing. While using a pressure washer, a face shield is also a wise investment. You can even offer to pressure-wash houses and businesses as an additional service.
How do I find customers?
Post up flyers on in upscale neighborhoods and advertise your services online. Once you’ve income coming in, you can have nicer flyers printed to blanket your target neighborhood. You can get 250 sticky notes printed up for about $15. Place flyers inside mailboxes or on the lids of trash cans.
How much should I charge?
If you set your price point too low, people won’t be consider the service valuable but if you set your prices too high, you’ll lose customers. Make sure to select a fair price. Offer a discount package for ongoing cleanings; this is a great way to lock in steady business.
Schedule your monthly customers in one neighborhood for the same day and schedule your biweekly customers for a different day. This way, you won’t have a huge workload on any one day.
How do I get paid?
Collect cash in advance or set up a PayPal account and let them pay online. This will make it easy for customers to make regular automatic payments and you can easily check online to see if they’ve paid before you start your job.
How do I do this while keeping my present job?
If you’re working 9-5 weekdays, try offering an hour or two after work. If you’ve got some weekdays off, focus on the neighborhoods that have garbage collection on your available days.
What research do I need to do to start?
Check the laws and find out how trash can residue should be disposed. Research the most effective yet cost-effective cleaning agents. Aim for organic/eco-friendly as a selling point, but try to keep your costs down. Buying in large quantities will also help keep more money in your pocket as the business expands.
How do I clean a trash can?
Spray the cleaning solution inside the trash can, scrub it with the long-handled brush and rinse with a hose. Repeat this for exterior grime. If you have a pressure washer, spray the cleaning solution inside then blast away the dirt with the water. Use a long-handled brush to remove stubborn grime. The worst trash cans you’ll have to clean are usually first time customers.
What if I get too many customers?
Hire other people to do the cleaning and enjoy being the boss.
