Hints & Tips

1. Learn as much as possible about identifying the products you will be working with.

One of the greatest challenges faced by the inexperienced is not being able to identify the product that needs to be cleaned. If it can't be identified then you will be left wondering… what chemical will I use to clean it; is it a man-made product or natural stone; do I use an acid, alkaline or a neutral PH solution; how much PSI will I use; can it be cleaned at all?

In the early days of our tile and grout cleaning business, I spent a lot of time visiting retail tile outlets asking questions. I also collected samples and wrote the name and type of product on the back for later reference. Wholesalers and manufactures are also a great source of information and are usually very obliging. Google has a never-ending supply of information from many varied sources. Jena Dyco International is an unbiased training organisation who don't sell anything bar training. This well known and reputable company run regular courses around Australia and offer a wide variety covering just about every aspect of the cleaning industy.
Email admin@jenadyco.com.

Remember, you will not gain the confidence of a client if you don't know what you are talking about.

2. Ask questions.

If you arrive at a job and can't identify the tile or are not sure of the correct process for cleaning, ask the client where they purchased the product, they may have the receipt or know who the retailer is. You can always contact the retailer who in many cases will be able to identify the product and lead you in the right direction. If not, ask the client if they have an off cut or spare tile. Take the sample away for identification and return at a later date to complete the job. It's better to go through this process than to make a bad call and end up with a claim on your hands.

3. Practice at home or ask family.

Take time to practice on your floors at home and then ask your family and friends if you can clean their floors - they will usually be more forgiving than an angry client if you don't quite get it right.

Doing this allows you to practice different techniques and test different cleaning solutions, deciding which give the best results.
We have even offered to do small jobs at no charge just to gain experience.

4. Quoting.

Experience has taught me that when you quote a job it is best to get your gear out and actually clean a section of the floor, if the client permits you to.

Quite a few times in the past I have quoted a price based on how I assumed the floor would clean up and the amount of time I expected it would take only to find on the day that the surface was far more difficult to clean than expected and of course took a greater amount of time to complete. This is not a good scenario for the operator or the client.

The other advantage of pre-cleaning a small section is that the client gets to see the result he can expect. I have won many a quote because I have performed this process, where my competition has not.

5. Learn to walk away.

There will be times when you are tempted to do a job because the money is great, but if you're not sure you have the experience or the confidence, my advice is don't do it.

We have learnt over the years that there are hard floor surfaces that should be left to specialists, especially when it comes to high-end marble and stone. These expensive, high-quality products need specialist cleaning solutions, procedures and knowledge and should not be attempted without proper training.

We have put together a list of specialists in our area who we can refer our clients to when a job is beyond our experience or needs resurfacing or a specialised sealing treatment. Search the internet and get in contact with the specialists in your area so can refer your clients to someone who has the necessary experience. In return these people may share some of their experience with you.

6. Test everything.

Before you clean any hard surface, test a sample or inconspicuous area with the product you intend to use. Spreading an acid-based product onto an acid-sensitive surface will end in disaster, marble can be affected by alkaline cleaners, and on it goes.

Pre-testing can avoid most problems. We quite often take samples back to the office to be tested as this gives us the opportunity to test different solutions and view the product when it has completely dried. (Some adverse reactions are not visible until the product has dried.)

Over time you will get to know the different products and pre-testing won't be necessary but until then, take your time, pre-test and learn to refer the work to others when it's out of your league.

Cleaning hard surfaces can be a very lucrative business so invest in yourself by attending the available training courses, gain the confidence you need and watch your income skyrocket.