You might think that the easiest thing for a professional cleaner to do would be to keep his truck, equipment, and accessories clean.

The sad truth is that the cramped quarters of a van, the unfortunate frequency of cleaning agent spillage, the fact that the equipment conveys and stores dirty water, and that truck mounted equipment may leak grease, oil, water, and cleaning agents; all work together to create an immense amount of "filth" & contamination in our trucks!

This article is not about image and professionalism, which obviously dictate good housekeeping, but about very real equipment maintenance issues, as well as the health and safety of you and your technicians!

Let's look at each issue:

HEALTH: Industry leaders have done considerable research into the risks of cleaning up "black water" after sewage back ups or river flooding. "Black Water" is said to contain urine, feces, potentially toxic chemicals, bacteria, fungus, and viruses.

What do you think is in your recovery tank?
Wouldn't you agree that your waste tank could very well contain many if not all of the above hazards? It is for this reason that you MUST rinse your recovery tank out at the end of every day. Any leaks in the tank itself, or connected discharge hoses should also be repaired immediately, and the van interior thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after any spills resulting from these leaks.

NOTE: Do NOT use chlorine bleach to clean in or around your recovery tank. Chlorine bleach will corrode metal quickly.

SAFETY: Spills and leaks from cleaning agents, oil, antifreeze, and grease all create severe slip/slide hazards. A fall inside of a cramped, crowded van almost certainly promises bruises, and likely cuts as well. Read the above section on health when considering the risk of being cut inside of a filthy van.

Because of the above health and safety issues, insist that all equipment taken to a service center for repairs have the recovery tank drained, the floor clean and free of oil, grease, cleaning agents, and debris. Units brought to any service department in an unsanitary or unsafe condition can expect to have a cleaning and sanitization charge added to the work order.

EQUIPMENT DOWNTIME: "A clean machine is a healthy machine!" Poor maintenance of equipment, and poor housekeeping on and around your equipment may cause the following problems:

1. OIL LEAKS: If oil is leaking from equipment, it can cause the components using the oil to fail prematurely from overheating. The leaked oil also creates slip/slide hazards, and attracts soil. When changing oil and filters, be certain that all fittings are tightly sealed, and that you immediately clean up leaks and spills.
    
2. GREASE OVERFLOW: Most positive displacement air pumps ("vacuum blowers") require periodic greasing. The high temperatures produced by vacuum blowers cause the grease to weep out of the grease fitting. This is an indication that more grease may need to be added. If piles of greasy residue are allowed to accumulate under the vacuum pump, it might be easy to overlook this needed lubrication, and the replacement of a VERY expensive equipment component could result.
    
3. SOLUTION LEAKS: Whether mixed with cleaning agents, or just when consisting of water alone, these leaks can create a number of problems in and around the cleaning equipment.
   
   These include: Electrical component failure, rust, and/or corrosion of the equipment as well as the vehicle floor. Always check for leaks by looking for discoloration to metal fittings, especially brass, and crusty or slimy cleaning agent build ups on or around the machine.
    
4. CARELESSNESS WITH TOOLS: Expensive component replacement can occur if cleaning wands, groomers, etc. are rammed into the equipment or recovery tank console during wrap up or driving. The cleaning wands themselves may be damaged if they are handled or transported carelessly. Spray wands that are attached to spray applicators are often bent or crushed by falls, being stepped upon, or having a door slammed shut on them.
   
   Organize the interior of your van to have a "place for everything, and everything in its place".

If you follow these simple guidelines, you're van will be more comfortable to ride in, your image to your customers will improve, and you'll avoid the potential loss of thousands of dollars in repair bills and down time. Just remember to Keep it Clean!