Better Brighter Sparkling Mobile Cleaning Tips!

[MydogMissy]

I would like to hear from you mobile groomers what are your Best Brightest Sparkling Cleaning Tips please!

I don't just groom the little fluffies. I do the big hairy wookies that shed, shake, and drool all over my van. It can get nasty in there and I can't wipe everything down everyday.

I just want to know if there are quicker, better, ways to clean? For instance, I don't know if this is a "no no" or not, but I put diluted 256 down my super sudzer and spray the foam all over the tub, wipe it down, then rinse rinse rinse the super sudzer and the tub with fresh water. 256 is really a great cleaner.

I use cotton balls to clean the oily hair that collect in my blade holder (wall type) it works really well and gets the corners. But I get a "waterfall" of oil residue that drips down the wall and collects hair (hate that).

I also open all my doors, take my HV and blow all the hair out of the shelves and crannies. It gets a lot out, but not all, I vacuum the rest. Have you ever opened your windows while driving just to let all the hair out??? LOL.

I hate wiping everything down, especially the ceiling and the corners of the floor are tough.

Any tips and hints I can use?

[Gracy Rose]

I spray my suds down with cleaning alcohol from Sallys.

I also do most drying in the tub so that it catches all of that hair.

[Meesh]

For the blade caddy I cut strips of paper towel and fold it around the blade and place it in the blade holder. This absorbs excess oil and keeps the blade holder fairly clean. Once or twice a year I unscrew it from the wall and give it a good washing.

[CurbsideCuties]

My best cleaning tip I have found is called "Jennifer". She is the best... She cleans everything so I don't have to.... If you can afford one I highly recommend it!

[Meesh]

I can't find a neighborhood kid willing to do the job, or anyone for that matter! I'd LOVE to out source that particular task!

[luckyDCali]

mobile cleaming

I love kaboom the blue foam stuff,sprays on blue turns white then you wipe it off no scrubbing !I live in the desert and all my babies are little nastys .It WORKS GREAT AND IS CHEAP TOO!

[kats_melody]

Hubby tells me in the airplane business they have what is called a "C" check. That is where the whole airplane is literally disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and new and improved equipment is installed.

He did the mobile grooming version of a "C" check over the Christmas holiday when we were closed. You would not believe the amount of dog hair and other debris he pulled out of the van after eighteen months of continuous use. He actually pulled out the cabinets to get to things.

Our favorites: Odoban, Double K concentrated disinfectant for the inside. He cleaned and polished the exterior of the van. It looks brand new.

He also put in a remote fuel gauge for the generator fuel tank. It even lights up when the generator is on.

I'm glad I married him, I couldn't afford him otherwise.

Laura

[Gracy Rose]

Curbside- I have a Hunter, he is 17 and does it all :-) He is very affordable as well. As soon as I pull into my driveway, he meets me and does it all, I do nothing once I get home for the van. He fills up the clean, empties the grey, puts fresh folded towels in the bin, dumps the garbage, sweeps and mops the floor and blows out the ac vents. He also, dumps the taxi vac, cleans the drain filter and plugs it in to charge. Very, very good kid.

[workingchihuahua]

i wouldn't use a chemical disinfectant in the recirc pump only because you need to be real certain that all of the chemical is out of the lines. if not, you putting it directly onto the next pet you wash. instead i use 2% chlorohexidine shampoo in between dogs and at the end of the day. thanks to spikey for that tip.

[furrybestjob]

I use Chlorhexidine in the recirculator (not the shampoo), followed by a vinegar rinse, and spray down the whole tub. I wipe down all of the walls in the van every day, using a swifter if the van is dry, or chlorox wipes if wet or if there are dried water spots. I use a steam cleaner once a week to blow out all the hair in the "seams" and go over the walls, drying with a paper towel, and to do pretty much everything that can handle the steam. It makes the van smell really nice, like an ionic air freshener would. I like the clorox anywhere, too, to spray on the walls and wipe down so they stay shiny.

....and yes, I have rolled down the windows and watched the hair blow out, Its like a Charlie brown's pigpen on wheels.

[fortheloveofdogs]

Mr. Clean Scrubbing Pads

Love this thread!

I have walls in my trailer that are textured which makes them a PAIN to clean! That is until I found Mr. Clean Scrubbing pads. They are amazing, no muscle needed, just wipe and it is clean, almost like magic. I never knew my walls could be that white.

[sheilabgroomer]

Something else that you can do that I learned on this board a few years ago is to spritz your walls and ceiling down w/diluted fabric softner after you clean and right before you close up (i'm not mobile but I am sure this will work w/vans as well). I am always amazed at how much hair their is on the ground in the morning that fell from the walls even after I think I did a thorough wipe down.

It also has the added benefit of making my shop smell really nice and fresh.

I believe that using a diluted cleaner in your recirc should be safe as long as you make sure to thoroughly rinse out afterwards and also make sure it's non corrosive. Ithen use straight vinegar to flush any bleach residue from mine (I use 3 Tbs of bleach per gallon of water in my recirc) and follow that w/lots and lots of fresh water. I have the advantage of floor drains, so I can keep a steady flow of fresh water in my tub while I am flushing my recirc. I then hang the hose up high so any leftover water is sure to drain over night.

Squeegies (sp?) are our friend in cleaning as well. I LOVE my floor squeegie that I get from Bed Bath and Beyond. After I sweep and mop I use that to squeeg the floor and it gets so much more dirt and hair that the sweeping and mopping misses. I also use a small squeegie in my tub and on the walls in the tub room to help clean and dry the area. I finish this off w/a thorough misting of straight vinegar that I allow to air dry. No problems w/mildew in my tub room and it smells clean in the morning, not like vinegar at all.

[workingchihuahua]

Love this thread!

I have walls in my trailer that are textured which makes them a PAIN to clean! That is until I found Mr. Clean Scrubbing pads. They are amazing, no muscle needed, just wipe and it is clean, almost like magic. I never knew my walls could be that white.

i need to check those out. i wonder if i could get "scrubbing pads" and use a more natural cleaner instead of mr. clean.

[julimills]

Better Brighter Sparkling Mobile Cleaning Tips!

The best way to clean the van is have someone else do it! My first cleaner was one of my clients so we worked out a nice barter system. Since she moved away I have had to find someone else ( i hired the cleaning woman of one of my clients. I pay her the equivelent of about one small short hair dog. Well worth it & tax deductable!

[groominshuman]

Yep, cleaning is my life. I am now in need of removing all the base boards and cleaning the hair out. Cleaning is a constant and as the owner, never clean enough. LOL