Soap Warehouse Blog

Soap Warehouse is introducing it's latest group of products.

Blast Off Graffiti Remover, Shadow Away Graffiti Remover and Cleen Fast commercial spray cleaner.

First we will tell you about Blast Off, it works like nothing else on the market today for removing graffiti.

You spray it on a dry hard surface that has a graffiti tag of paint or permanent marker on it, wait around one minute or less and then just wipe off with a dry cloth.

See for your self, watch our 60 second video. No water is needed, in fact water reduces the effectiveness of the product and the surface needs to be dry before applying Blast Off for it to work properly.

You will not believe how easy graffiti will come off. Blast Off works on metal, plastics, fiberglass, vinyl, tile, grout, composites and many natural stone surfaces. It is great to use on vehicles, metal buildings or machinery casings, in bathrooms on walls, stall dividers, and fixtures.

Blast Off is pH neutral, biodegradable, non corrosive and contains no petroleum distillates and is safe of factory applied paint and powder coats. Easy and very safe to use.

Blast Off can of course not be used on surfaces that have been spray painted, or painted with Latex or Epoxy paints as this is what it is designed to remove. It should also not be used on Screen printed signs as it will remove the dyes as well.

Blast Off is most effective on new graffiti on hard non porous surfaces that have not had any other cleaner used previously to try and remove the tag.

Our next product Shadow Away is for larger graffiti tagged areas on concrete or masonry or when a shadow has been left from trying to remove graffiti with a cleaner that did not entirely finish the job.

Shadow Away is also pH neutral, biodegradable, non corrosive and contains no petroleum distillates and needs to be applied to a dry surface.

Shadow Away will remove shadows or ghosting that has been left behind by other cleaners. It is a spray that is designed to make a gel to get down into the pores of concrete, mansonry and to cling to verticle surfaces. Shadow Away will continue to work and stay on the surface dissolving the paint or marker as long as the area is keep wet with the Shadow Away or Blast Off until it has completely released the stain from the surface. A brush may be used to push the paint around to be sure it has been completely released. A white powder will apear as  the product is allowed to dry but that will easily from the surface wash off once you know the painted area has been loosend and or removed by wiping. Once you have released all the paint with Shadow Away you may use a pressure washer to rinse the area clean.

This has gotten so long I will talk about Cleen Fast in the next post.

The PWNA, Power Washers of North America just announced their new ‘PWNA Certified Contractor Program’. This beneficial program will elevate the pressure washing industry by the increased level of professionalism these certifications will achieve. The following certifications will be available to be earned:

Concrete Cleaning aka Flat work
Fleet Washing
House Washing
Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning
Roof Cleaning
Water Reclamation
and
Wood Restoration

Probably the most important one for any pressure washer no mater the type of work being done will be the certification for ‘Water Reclamation’. If you already do water reclamation in your business you should check into joining the PWNA ‘Water Reclaimer’ program by going to http://www.thepwna.org/water_reclaimer.php.

Local and State governments are moving toward mandating, by special license or certification, these types of businesses to help enforce the ‘Clean Water Act’ and increased federal and public pressure to do so. Being a part of the PWNA will keep you up to date with these new regulations, give you a voice with the PWNA as they assist these agencies in structuring these rules and regulations, and give you a leg up with the general public as they look to find companies that are certified and who follow BMP, ‘Best Management Practices’ in this industry. For information on current recommended regulations and BMPs visit http://www.thepwna.org/regs/index.php. If you are in the business of pressure washing and are not yet a member of the PWNA I strongly urge you to join. To join the PWNA go to http://www.thepwna.org/ or call them.

The PWNA plans to make these certification classes available to its members throughout the year at various ‘Round Table’ meetings, at several member locations across the country and at the PWNA annual convention. The next convention will be in October, 2011 held in Nashville, TN.

The Round Table locations already announced for 2011 include:

Atlanta, Georgia
New Orleans, Louisiana
Easton, Pennsylvania
Lexington, Kentucky
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Orlando, Florida
Ft. Worth, Texas
Phoenix, Arizona
and
Los Angeles, California

Exact dates and event details will be listed on the PWNA site, http://www.thepwna.org/ as they become available so please check back often for updates.

On the PWNA site the general public can also find a listing of current contractors that are members and who follow the BMP’s as well as a list of suppliers for contractors to find equipment and chemicals best suited for their type of work. Soap Warehouse is a proud member of the PWNA,

has been a sponsor of local ‘Round Tables’, and is planning on exhibiting at the Nashville, 2011 PWNA convention. To view the Soap Warehouse complete catalog of pressure washing chemicals visit http://www.soapwarehouse.biz.

I have touched on this topic before but I plan to take this month, November, to emphasize the importance of the Material Safety Data Sheet.

In fact I will be making available a whitepaper "How to read a MSDS." that we have put together for free just by registering and requesting a copy.

Any company or business that uses or carries chemicals, hazardous or not, should be familiarwith MSDS's and the information they hold. If exposure to any chemical occurs it is important to know if prompt medical action is necessary, and if it is to be able to provide the medical professionals with the information that they need to treat the exposure.

You must truly understand the importance of carrying MSDS in a safe, protected and easily accessible place. This includes company vehicles carrying the chemicals to and from job sites that these chemicals are being used to perform daily jobs.

Many do not realize if the DOT (Department of Transportation) or police officer stops you for a traffic infraction, routine inspection or because of a traffic accident and MSDS's cannot be produced for the chemicals you carry, your vehicle can be impounded and substantial fines can be made against you and your business.

But even more serious could be the life or death importance that any delay in supplying a health provider with information may cause. 

"Time can be the difference between a routine treatment and serious complications, even death."

Part of your employee training should include where to find and how to use MSDS's. MSDS's should be kept in a single binder in plastic sheet protectors stored in a manner that they can be found and reaily accessed at any time. Duplicate copies of this binder should be in every vehicle or location these chemicals are transported or stored.

We will also be sending out Daily Tips this month to our FaceBook and Twitter accounts dealing with MSDS's and safety. I hope you will read and use them.

The PWNA annual convention is next week, October 21-23, at the Ramada East Airport Hotel located in Columbus, Ohio. Although Soap Warehouse is a member, we will not be in attendance or exhibiting because of our other obligation at the NBAA in Atlanta that same week, we feel that this is the biggest event in the Power Washing Industry each year and everyone in this business should be a member and those that can attend should be there.

There will be pre convention classes for specific niche learning as well as the basics given by a great group of presenters. Classes start at $69 for members.

As stated on the PWNA website "Conventions are one of the 4 pillars of the PWNA. Annually people from across the country and from across all the power washing industries get together for continuing education, networking, to see old friends and the latest in equipment from Distributors and Suppliers." "It is an opportunity to learn what is happening across the country regarding regulatory issues. It gives you an opportunity to see what might be coming to your community and give you time to prepare for it to protect and maintain a profitable business. The annual convention is the highlight of the year for many PWNA members. Join today to take advantage of this powerful resource. Register online right now to attend." Resgistration is still open and you can still make plans to be there.

Soap Warehouse looks forward to be able to attend and possibly exhibit as well next year when the PWNA convention will be held in Nashville, TN Oct 20th-22nd, 2011.

Unfortunity because Soap Warehouse sells products to such a wide range of customers we are just not able to be a part of every convention and event each of these different product groups cover.

Look for a special offer for PWNA attendees on the Soap Warehouse Facebook and Twitter postings during the convention.

The National Business Aviation Association's Convention is coming to Atlanta next week, October 19th-21st. NBAA2010 will feature Exhibits at the Georgia World Congress Center, along with a Static Display of Aircraft at DeKalb Peachtree Airport. Over 100 Education Sessions, Maintenance and Operations Sessions (M&Os), and nearly 25,000 business aviation professionals who are interested in seeing and learning about all that is new in the world of business aviation will attend.

   Convention Floor,      Static Displays,       Corporate Angel Network,        Top Gun

Soap Warehouse will be attending as a guest and for the second year in a row we are a donator for the 2010 NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit that will be holding Live and Silent Auctions. The sole beneficiary of this year's Charity Benefit is Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a charitable organization that eases the burden of travel for cancer patients by arranging free flights to treatment centers using empty seats on business aircraft. Soap Warehouse will be donating certificates for two 5 gallon tight drums of our Top Gun aircraft cleaner valued at $70 each plus free shipping.

I plan to visit a few customers and many more potentially new ones during the three day convention. If you see me there be sure to stop and say hello.

For information on Top Gun visit our web site.

As a sponsor of events, Soap Warehouse also doantes product prizes to attendees as a thank you for coming and participating in these events.

Back in August down in Tampa we gave away one $250 product prize ceritificate but this time in Charleston we gave way two certificates; one for $100 on the 29th and the other for $250 on Oct. 30th. Here are the winners:

Shielagh Clark from Greenville, SC and Mr. Kim Little of Candor, NC

Shielagh and her husband Pat own Precision Pro Wash and won the $100 prize while Kim owns Clear Carlolina Window Washing and won the $250 prize.

Congratulations to them both.

Soap Warehouse also donated prizes to be given away at some coil cleaning classes that were being taught by Tony Shelton of Sonitx Inc all the way from Las Vegas, NV. Here are some of those lucky winners:

Trey Mathias from Columbia, SC and Rudolph Palmer from Philadelphia.

Not pictured but who also received product was David Vicars from Myrtle Beach, SC and Kyle Casey from Tallahassee, FL.

Learn more about our Non-Acid Aluinum Coil Cleaner.

Soap Warehouse was again a sponsor for a National Cleaning Expo event held Oct 29th and 30th in Charleston, SC at the Embasy Suite Hotel and Convention Center

There were over 20 different companies exhibiting in booths or out side doing demos of their products.

Pressure washing organizations such as the PWNA, RCIA, PWNC and UAMCC where also there signing up new members and holding classes to furthur attendees education in thier specific industries as well as in general.

Next post will be about our event product winners.

I hear about or see almost everyday where satisfied customers can not find the contractor that provided a great job or service for them.

Take this posted last year in a forum at http://www.thegrimescene.com/ as an example:

“Mildewed in Morton Grove, IL

About 5 years ago I signed on to this forum as my mom needed her cedar deck and fence washed and sealed. I found some great people who thankfully advised me to stay away from sealmax and others and hooked me up with a great contractor. The guy did a wonderful job but moved to Florida--he gave me another name and we rolled on. Now, Mom needs her deck and fence done again in a big bad way and I can find no one. I am just looking for an honest worker who will do a superior job. I know workmanship should not come too cheap and I put attention to detail above all. Anyone out there that could steer me in the right direction? Chris”

Here is a customer that would love to find the same person he last used and was recommended but can not locate the information since it has been so long ago.

So how can you improve the chance that you will be contacted for follow up business, one, three even five or more years down the line?

1. Leave a card or collateral print pieces behind when you leave. This can be a nice flyer with a tear off business info card area to be placed in a Rolodex or passed on to a friend. Least effective unless person is a neat freak or a pack rat.

2. Leave a useful promotional item like a magnet, note holder clip, jar opener, or any thing that has the potential of staying around for a long time to keep your name in mind and in front of your customer. I have a jar opener that is over 20 years old from a local hardware store.

3. Leave a business card, sticker, magnet or laminated info card near or attached to the work that was done. And be sure to tell the customer that you have done this. Great way to be used again.

4. Follow up contact with the customer by e-mail or mail. Number one way to get repeat and referral business, have a referral program in place and use it.

I know that the third suggestion sounds strange but here is where I have seen it work.

Take a deck builder that staples laminated business cards to the underside of the decks he builds in a number of places, including top stair risers and the anchor board against the house etc. and tells the owner he did this. He knows later, if any repair or extra work needs to be done, that owner or even the following home owner has a good chance using it or finding out who built the deck, gazebo, fence etc. Plus leaving your name lets the home owner know you stand behind your work.

I know our electrician puts his magnet on the inside of our electric fuse panel door. Or the AC furnace man that leaves his sticker on the back of the AC unit or side of the furnace for an easy return call for service.

The fourth item is the reason that yearly or quarterly informational post cards and seasonal e-mails to former customers help retain these customers as future income or as part of a great referral business. You need to keep your name and business fresh in past customers minds with out irritating them by contacting too frequently.

Don't underestimate the impact of the great work you have already done in bringing you new and repeat business.