Ran across this article in the paper: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/27/a-man-a-plan-a-trash-can/
Trash bin cleaning service gaining customers
Saturday, February 27
POINT LOMA — But trash cans are supposed to be dirty.
That’s what entrepreneur Warren Bishop hears nearly every time he explains how his fledgling, Point Loma-based trash-can-cleaning company turns filthy, germ-filled waste bins on wheels into sanitized receptacles.
Why bother?
“Flies lay eggs in there on food and animal feces, then they go into your house and land on your utensils and food. It’s disgusting,” Bishop said. “There’s E. coli, fungi, bacteria. Spiders like black widows make their home under the edges.”
Bishop thinks he has hit upon an idea with gross potential. So far he has no local competition, and in less than a month Scrubbish Wheelie Bin Cleaning & Sanitizing has gone from a handful of customers to about 150 and counting around the region.
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Key points:
While building his clientele now, Bishop said he ran into some setbacks in trying to get the business going. He said San Diego officials erroneously told him that no one is allowed to clean residential trash bins because they are city property. In the end, all he needed was a business license.
With his license in hand, Bishop enlisted the help of a local engineering firm to help him design his cleaning vehicle. He tows the vehicle on a trailer painted black with green neon letters.
Feel free to pitch in estimates of start up costs or alternatives to make it work on a budget.
Trash bin cleaning service gaining customers
Saturday, February 27
POINT LOMA — But trash cans are supposed to be dirty.
That’s what entrepreneur Warren Bishop hears nearly every time he explains how his fledgling, Point Loma-based trash-can-cleaning company turns filthy, germ-filled waste bins on wheels into sanitized receptacles.
Why bother?
“Flies lay eggs in there on food and animal feces, then they go into your house and land on your utensils and food. It’s disgusting,” Bishop said. “There’s E. coli, fungi, bacteria. Spiders like black widows make their home under the edges.”
Bishop thinks he has hit upon an idea with gross potential. So far he has no local competition, and in less than a month Scrubbish Wheelie Bin Cleaning & Sanitizing has gone from a handful of customers to about 150 and counting around the region.
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Key points:
- The idea has just exploded in Australia
- bins are sprayed with a biodegradable degreaser and sanitizer
- They are loaded into a special vehicle
- pressure washer set at 1,500 pounds per square inch
- bins are dried and sprayed with a deodorizer
- About a half-gallon of water is used per cleaning
- $9.95 for the first bin and $4 for each additional bin
- runoff is collected and treated before being released into the sewer system
While building his clientele now, Bishop said he ran into some setbacks in trying to get the business going. He said San Diego officials erroneously told him that no one is allowed to clean residential trash bins because they are city property. In the end, all he needed was a business license.
With his license in hand, Bishop enlisted the help of a local engineering firm to help him design his cleaning vehicle. He tows the vehicle on a trailer painted black with green neon letters.
Feel free to pitch in estimates of start up costs or alternatives to make it work on a budget.
