[Ryan Priestman]

Hey there,

In order to start a wheely bin cleaning service (nothing serious, but I would be dedicated) what kind of basic equipment will I need to be able to clean the wheely bins properly.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards
Ryan

[Matt Gibson]

Why nothing serious? is it a second job? I think you need to be serious to start a business.

Apparently, with wheelie bin cleaning, you can tip the dirty water you creat from cleaning the bins, down the drain so you ither need to recycle it with an onboard machine, or carry it in a waste tank and dispose of it appropriately. If you carry it you need a waste carriers license. you also need some other license i believe.

Somehow i dont think wheelie bin cleaning is going to be the business to start if your looking for ''nothing serious''

[help_me_pls]

In theory you need all the gear but it seems the Environment Agency turns a blind eye to cleaning bins in the street and so do the councils since everyone is on a fortnightly collection now. Do your research before investing in equipment,if everyone is cleaning bins in the street at 1.50 per pop you'll be struggling to compete if you do it legit.

[BDCS]

http://www.wrightwayservices.co.uk/products/vehicle-mounted-wheelie-bin-washer-15L.php
 Nearly £8k for a proper basic set up could be considered to be quite serious - just over 5000 bins just to buy the machine before you consider running costs, advertising, licencing, insurance, accountants,etc etc etc

[Philbert Jones]

I think its possible to start a bin cleaning company for a lot less than £8k. My advice to you is to shop around and research before you commit.

Ramon
www.dreamingclean.com

[mike roberts]

I think its possible to start a bin cleaning company for a lot less than £8k. My advice to you is to shop around and research before you commit.

Ramon
www.dreamingclean.com

Interesting.... looked at your site doesnt actual say how you clean the bins? (unless I missed something) assume you carry your own water + take waste away .....
Bedfordshire market seems saturated have atleast 3 that operate around here 2 legit 3rd simply flushes waste down drain 

[Londoner]

A lot of wheelie bin cleaners have vanished from round here which must be a sign. Three different bins collected on different days makes it complicated for the operator and expensive for the householder.

I wouldn't take the suggestion that the authorities take a blind eye as being necessarily true. Some councils might but you can be sure others won't.

[DavePBS]

The only licence you need is a waste carriers licence (£150 for 3 years) from the environmental agency and any waste i.e dirty water has to be disposed of down a sewer drain (not a rainwater drain) at the licence holders address.
The cost of my initial setup was less than a grand   The van I had anyway so I bought a petrol jetwasher, two 225 litre tanks, DIY filter & pump and made a bin washing "booth" that fits in the back of the van. £3 per bin/£4.50 for two bins but luckily it`s only one type of bin per household around here.
 

[Matt Gibson]

got any pics of this booth?

How do you catch the waste water? and how many bins can you do before it needs emptied?

[DavePBS]

The waste water runs into a trough, through a filter then pumped to the waste tank &
I can clean 50-60 bins on 225 liters of water (less if theres a few first time cleans to do).
Not got any pics but once I`ve finished the insulation on me van & fitted everything back in I`ll take some 

[Scoop]

Ian from Sussex Bin Cleaning has written a guide on DVD on how to set up for the smallest cost - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wheelie-Bin-Cleaning-Business-Start-Up-Advice-/330643522258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cfbe3c2d2

Vince is right that authorities don't turn a blind eye - bin cleaners are monitored very carefully in my area (Anglian water). Always gaulling to see householders washing bins into the surface water drains which is of course illegal.

My advice to anyone starting in bin cleaning is to make sure you have your cleaning method sorted out right from the start. If you jet the bin and leave it upside down and move onto the next one it's a lot quicker than doing a full in and outside wipe-off. Leaving it upside down is an issue for many people (pensioners esepcially) but the other way of leaving it the right way round can leave half an inch of water in the bin which nobody likes either. Not wiping can also leave residue which doesn't always give the impression that the bin has been properly cleaned, although the high quality of some systems does mean that pretty much everything goes.

Whatever you decide, make sure your customer knows exactly what you are going to be doing and make sure too that you are averaging a decent amount of bins an hour. I would say that anything less than 10 an hour (6 mins per bin including travel time) is no good. Some people do 20 or more but I'm nowhere near this (as I do the full wipeout and floral spray).

Very tricky to get the balance between speed and customer satisfaction and this is in fact the key to a successful business.

Laurence

[DREAM CLEAN]

Ryan

I have a complete recycle trailer system for sale if you are interested?

Nick

[richywilts]

how much??/

[DREAM CLEAN]

I paid 4k for it 3 years ago

Offers?

[richywilts]

could you email me pics please

[Richard iSparkle]

Ian from Sussex Bin Cleaning has written a guide on DVD on how to set up for the smallest cost - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wheelie-Bin-Cleaning-Business-Start-Up-Advice-/330643522258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cfbe3c2d2

Vince is right that authorities don't turn a blind eye - bin cleaners are monitored very carefully in my area (Anglian water). Always gaulling to see householders washing bins into the surface water drains which is of course illegal.

My advice to anyone starting in bin cleaning is to make sure you have your cleaning method sorted out right from the start. If you jet the bin and leave it upside down and move onto the next one it's a lot quicker than doing a full in and outside wipe-off. Leaving it upside down is an issue for many people (pensioners esepcially) but the other way of leaving it the right way round can leave half an inch of water in the bin which nobody likes either. Not wiping can also leave residue which doesn't always give the impression that the bin has been properly cleaned, although the high quality of some systems does mean that pretty much everything goes.

Whatever you decide, make sure your customer knows exactly what you are going to be doing and make sure too that you are averaging a decent amount of bins an hour. I would say that anything less than 10 an hour (6 mins per bin including travel time) is no good. Some people do 20 or more but I'm nowhere near this (as I do the full wipeout and floral spray).

Very tricky to get the balance between speed and customer satisfaction and this is in fact the key to a successful business.

Laurence

there's a company in my area that drill holes in the bottom of their customer's bins for the water to drain away!!!

[Scoop]

there's a company in my area that drill holes in the bottom of their customer's bins for the water to drain away!!!

I'm guessing this is a joke  but assuming it isn't

I wouldn't recommend it. For a start the bin is Council property - vandalism?. Then you'll need more than one hole as the pool of water forms in different places depending on the slope of the ground where the bin sits. Finally you often get foul-smelling liquid in the bottom of a bin from where bags leak etc and this will go all over your customers garden/path.

Not good 

[DavePBS]

For a start the bin is Council property

Hmmm, when I called the council they told me the bins belong to the property, not the owners of the property nor the council ! 

[Richard iSparkle]

there's a company in my area that drill holes in the bottom of their customer's bins for the water to drain away!!!

I'm guessing this is a joke  but assuming it isn't

I wouldn't recommend it. For a start the bin is Council property - vandalism?. Then you'll need more than one hole as the pool of water forms in different places depending on the slope of the ground where the bin sits. Finally you often get foul-smelling liquid in the bottom of a bin from where bags leak etc and this will go all over your customers garden/path.

Not good 

this wasnt a joke no, but i certainly wouldnt recommend it either! 

[JandS]

You can't flush waste water down the drain.
Yet how much oil from cars and dog crap goes
down and probably a lot of other things.
Oh and carpet cleaners waste!!!

John