Pressure Wash News Summer

CALLING IN THE
BIG GUNS

contents
FEATURES
Calling
in the
Big Guns:
Interior cleaning and
sanitization are the dominant
concerns related to Covid-19.
But the need to routinely
clean high-traffic outdoor
spaces and exterior surfaces
also warrant attention. An
industry responds.
22
4
The Importance of
Having a Spotter:
Partnering with an employee leasing
consultant, especially in a Covid-19 world,
can alleviate many small business burdens.
12
You’re Not Alone:
How to deal with local competition.
18
When I Find Myself in
Times of Trouble:
Troubleshooting pressure washer pump
problems -- a checklist.
DEPARTMENTS
3 Editor’sLetter:
Tell it until you sell it.
8 CONQUER Corner:
3 lessons in attracting a
rock star team of employees.
16 Industry Dirt:
A look around the exterior
cleaning world for news and
notes of interest
Vol. 2, No. 3, Summer 2020
Publisher: Jackson Vahaly
Editor: Drew Ruble
Design: Katy Barrett-Alley
Pressure Wash News is published 4 times per year and is independently owned by Jackson Vahaly.
All inquiries should be directed to:
Pressure Wash News, 110 Childs Ln. Franklin, TN 37067
jacksonv@pressurewashnews.com
Copyright © 2019 2 Dollar Enterprises/Pressure Wash News. All Rights Reserved.
2 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

Tell It Until
EDITOR’S
NOTE
You Sell It
“Persuasion is the centerpiece of business
activity,” wrote screenwriting professor
Robert McKee in a long-ago edition of
Harvard Business Review.
Leave it to someone on the outside of
the business world and with a storytelling
background to hit the nail so precisely (and
elegantly) on the head.
McKee, who actually taught courses on
storytelling in the Graduate School of Business
at Stanford University, said a good story
“explains change.”
Otherwise, he argued, why would anyone
care about new products and ideas?
This maxim makes what McKee wrote
next all the more troubling. And that was
that most executives “struggle to communicate,
let alone inspire.”
Are you one of those people?
Dr. Colbey Emmerson Reid, Director
of the Consumer Innovation Consortium at
N.C. State University in Raleigh, North Carolina,
smartly teaches a course called “Persuasion
for Innovators and Entreprenuers.”
According to Reid, though many entrepreneurs
and executives believe that a
rational and empirical explanation of their
product or idea’s benefits is sufficient to win
support, research suggests that attaching
ideas to emotion aids effectiveness in persuasion.
“The right framing can make the difference
between adoption and neglect,” Reid
said. “The art—and science—of storytelling
is thus an indispensable component of entrepreneurial
and managerial persuasion.”
To me, describing it as the “art and science”
of storytelling is important.
In my mind, what that means is that the
act of doing it can be studied and learned.
You need to study and learn the art of
storytelling if you expect to be successful in
business, entrepreneurialism, or management.
Stories are a vehicle that take your complex
journey and express it in simple terms
that allow others to connect.
Think about it. As children, our parents
and grandparents taught us lessons through
stories about experiences that they had
growing up (remember how they walked to
school uphill both ways in the snow???).
Those stories gave us clear examples of
the struggles and opportunities they faced
and what they learned and did right or
wrong along the way. We internalized those
stories and came to know them (and appreciate
their plight) at a core level through
their narratives.
Making our journey simple through stories
is a savvy step to connecting with others.
Make it easy for others to understand you
by providing the points of connection that
bond you with them.
It’s the same with the art of the sale.
When trying to sell yourself, you can tell
a person fact after fact but (as Dr. Reid outlined)
it probably won’t resonate. A resume,
for instance, tells facts, not the experiences
and opportunities a person may have gone
through. A story, by contrast, has twists and
turns, moments of realization, and theme.
Straight to the point facts may be useful
when trying to explain yourself and answer
the basic who, what, when, where, and why
questions regarding your life or situations
you have been in. However, facts aren’t
memorable like stories are.
That’s true of your business, product, or
service as well.
Telling a story creates curiosity. It keeps
the listener interested in what is going to happen
next. Stories rely on anticipation, not, as
a policeman or lawyer might say, “just the
facts.” Stories tease people along, raise (and
eventually, in good time, answer) questions in
people’s minds, and keep prospects hooked to
see where the story will lead next.
Prospects are wired for interest in outcomes
and each step along the way that led
to getting there. How life unfolds is endlessly
fascinating to people because they have had
similar experiences in their own lives.
Do you want to be persuasive? And by
natural extension, successful in business?
Know your story (or your company’s, or
product’s) and tell it!
Become a storyteller!
Drew Ruble
drewruble@gmail.com
Editor | PW News
VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | 3

The Importance of
Having a Spotter
Partnering with an employee leasing consultant, especially in a COVID-19
world, can alleviate many small business burdens
BY BRETT ARTHUR
It’s always been a heavy burden to
ply encourage you in these strange times
own the business and operate the business.
to consider the potential value of add-
We are in uncertain times, to say the least.
That’s even more true now.
ing (in gym parlance) a “spotter” to your
Our families, our communities, our
So where do you go from here?
heavy-lifting business efforts.
businesses, and our livelihoods have been
As a PEO/Employee Leasing consul-
tested on a level that most of us have never
experienced.
Hard working business owners like yourselves
have put in blood, sweat, and tears to
grow your businesses to the levels they were
in February 2020 (pre Covid-19).
Our economy was booming and
tant, I see my role and the role of others
like me as more important than ever.
I strongly believe a PEO relationship
can help to get your business back to the
level it was prior to the arrival of Covid-19.
Now, I’m sure that right about now you
are saying to yourself, ‘well, of course you
THE MODEL
Here is a breakdown of a PEO relationship,
which is intended to alleviate the
extreme burden on owner/operators, especially
in times of crisis.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Arthur represents Legacy
Employer Concepts. He can be
reached at (813) 460-9166 or
brett@legacyemployerconcepts.com.
2020 was looking to be an exceptionally
good year.
Fast forward to our current world
filled with fear, quarantine, and a dramatic
halt to the world economy. Some businesses
are just trying to survive or to keep
their employees on the payroll.
recommend a PEO because you are one
yourself!’
Yes, that’s true, I am. But I’m not here
trolling for business!
Whether you reach out to me or another
PEO in your area, I firmly believe in the
value of a PEO for your business, and sim-
YOUR ROLE: You are the primary employer
and you have authority over the PEO. You
keep full control over your employees’ dayto-day
work and job descriptions, as well as
management and organizational structure.
continued ...
4 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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The Importance of
Having a Spotter
YOUR PEO’S ROLE: Your PEO will take on
given that in recent times as many as 40 mil-
on. As such, this also means no more pain-
have access to a whole human resources de-
specific employer obligations, which you can
lion Americans filed unemployment claims.
ful audits at the end of the year based on
partment for any questions you might have
choose. You give the PEO the power to han-
SUTA is only paid on the first $7,000 wages
your policy payroll estimation versus the
about employee issues and/or needed legal
dle crucial administrative tasks like payroll,
per employee. This is not as big of a factor
actual performance and end of year pay-
advice. They can get you the documents
tax withholding, and providing benefits to
for a one- or two-employee business. How-
roll amounts. (That’s right: no more of the
needed to satisfy any PPP loan requirements,
your workers. Your PEO can also act as your
ever, increased costs can really add up once
insurance company asking for a lump sum
as well as return-to-work offer letters to help
agent in employee disputes, unemployment
you have more than five employees on your
check for the difference and no more audits
get your employee’s back to work.
claims, workers comp claims and more.
payroll.
of your books!)
Other headaches like needing safety
Being able to utilize a consistent SUTA
Plus, you have an opportunity for work-
manuals for your business to satisfy new in-
THE PRESSURE
IS ON
With a halt to the economy, business owners
were faced with having the uncomfortable
discussion with employees regarding
layoffs, furloughs, and terminations. It hurt.
These employees can be like family. Some
have been long-time employees that have
assisted in your company’s growth.
Unemployment rates are a contributing
factor to raised costs on business owners,
whether you had to implement layoffs or
not. How will this affect you? With a dramatic
increase in unemployment claims paid
out, the claims must be recouped in some
way. That is done through FUTA (Federal
Unemployment Tax Act) and SUTA (State
Unemployment Tax Act) -- funds that you
pay in to on all payroll! These funds are used
to pay out unemployment benefits to unemployed
workers.
When there are a lot of claims (as
there are presently), it affects everyone via
increases in SUTA rates. FUTA rates are
locked at .60%, whereas SUTA rates vary
from state to state based on the number of
unemployment claims.
Again, how can a PEO help? Since this
is considered a co-employment relationship
between you and the PEO, you get the benefits
of the economies of scale.
If you had employees claiming unemployment,
you will be subject to increases in
your personal SUTA rate; whereas, within
the PEO relationship, you are locked in at
the SUTA rate that you originally set.
Increases are likely to be administered,
rate regardless of market conditions or
changes can really save you money and help
with added cash flow. Keep in mind, if you
have had any unemployment claims, they
most likely can provide you a lower rate
RAMPING
BACK UP
Just a few short months ago, our economy
was growing in what seemed like exponential
leaps and bounds. Workloads were up,
unemployment was at an all-time low, and
the stock market was booming.
Businesses like yours were hiring more
employees and growing their businesses to
the next level, perhaps for the first time.
Getting back to that level sooner than later
can be hastened by removing additional
headaches that you dread doing and do not
always have the time for, such as payroll
processing, payroll tax filings, HR issues,
and work comp audits – none of which directly
impact sales and revenue.
The co-employment relationship allows
for you to leave those tasks to be handled by
a team assigned to represent your business.
This means you can focus on marketing, bids,
hiring/firing, and managing your employees.
A PEO relationship also helps with
money management. It provides you the required
worker’s compensation insurance you
need as required by vendors or job bids, as
well as the state. They do this on a pay-asyou-go
premium basis and not an estimation
that you will be held accountable for.
This helps with cash flow tremendously,
since the actual hours that are worked
is what you pay worker’s compensation
er’s comp savings as well by using a broker
to navigate the space on your behalf. PEO’s
can provide discounts to worker’s comp
rates because you are in a co-employment
relationship and thereby utilizing their experience
mod rating. (If you know experience
mods, you know that this can be a
big deal depending on your claims history.)
The opportunity for time and cost savings
paired with efficiency can help you relieve
some serious tension, allowing you to stay
focused on growth.
TAKING CARE
OF BUSINESS
How you deal with employee personnel issues
is a huge factor in building a company
culture and a positive workplace environment.
It pays dividends in the form of employee
retention and the overall quality of
work performed day in and day out.
Current events and circumstances have
raised so many questions about how to do
the right thing for your employees while also
protecting your business. Do we furlough?
Do we terminate? Do we permanently lay
off? It can be overwhelming. We were not
provided a playbook or owner’s manual for
how to deal with a pandemic!
Understanding the EIDL loans, Payroll
Protection Program (PPP) loans, and howto
bring employees back to work efficiently
are tasks that can be made more understandable
and easier by having a team of
trusted advisors. This includes a good insurance
broker, a good accountant, a good
bank, and a good HR team.
Included in a PEO relationship, you
surance requirements can also be handled
by a PEO and lead to even more cost savings
for your business.
PARTING
ADVICE
I work with clients across many different
industries, including pressure washing. I
have been blessed to have great discussions
with many of them recently to empathize
and work together to help each other out
through this time of unknowns.
I’ve recently touched base with all of
them to ask about the specific situations
that they are facing and to try to figure out
how I could be of assistance. Whether it
was as simple as providing a breakdown of
the economic relief loan verbiage, or pointing
them in a direction on how to acquire
them, I felt I was able to make a sizeable
difference in each instance.
I was also able to realize that not all industries
are doomed as the media likes to
portray. There will be opportunities that
come out of this downturn. Those who
have a good mindset, focus, and good team
surrounding them can negotiate this rocky
terrain to climb even higher toward their
version of success. Exterior cleaning services
is certainly an industry primed for
growth going forward.
My prayer is that your families and
businesses are surviving and that you see
this as a time to apply even more “pressure”
to your business success than before.
“Tighten the nozzle” and grow out of this
experience stronger than ever. The opportunity
is there.
6 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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CONQUER
Corner
Lessons
in Attracting a Rock
Star Team of Employees
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Brandon Vaughn built his former
company, Pacific Northwest-based
All Clean, from a very small service
company with zero employees to 70
employees and went from $8,000 per
month in revenue to almost $500,000
per month in less than six seasons.
Vaughn, who was awarded the 2017
S.B.A Small Business Person of the Year
for the state of Oregon, now helps small
business owners in the exterior service
industry systemize their companies.
Visit him at www.agsconquer.com
or contact him directly at bvaughn@
automategrowsell.com.
BY BRANDON VAUGHN
“Employees suck – and I quit.”
It was April 2015 when I hit
bottom as a small business owner
and said those very words.
My brother had just died unexpectedly.
He had been working for
me at the time, and the effects of his
loss, combined with the business
impact – well, it was devastating
both to me, my family, and my
employees.
Simply put - I checked out.
I no longer cared about my
employees. I no longer had a drive
to grow the business.
My employees felt it, my business
felt it, and soon, I was barely getting by.
Growing a business had been a
very hard journey. ‘I didn’t know
what I didn’t know,’ as they say, and
growing the business while taking
care of my mom and dad financially
was a unique challenge I wasn’t used
to as an entrepreneur.
To back up for a moment – my
dad was an owner/operator for 33
years and worked in the field as a
cleaning technician for all those
years. In 2012, he was diagnosed
with heart disease and the doctor
told him he couldn’t work physically
anymore in the business. Having no
other employees to rely on, no retirement,
and no savings, I stepped in
and offered to buy the company and
to ‘retire’ my mom and dad.
At the time, the business was
doing about $100k/year in revenue.
My dad had never hired more than
a single employee as a helper, and all
the business information I needed
to successfully carry his business
forward resided in his brain.
How was I to run the business
any differently?
I knew that scaling was a critical part
of growing the company and being
able to support not only my family but
my parent’s income needs as well.
Now, going back to 2015 – growth
was happening! We had a good team
of employees who worked hard. But
they were very disengaged. We were
booked out for two months solid in the
middle of the busy season when (due
to my checking out) more than half of
my team turned in their notices within
about two weeks of each other.
I can’t blame them either. Well…
at least now I can’t blame them.
Back then, I was curled up on my
couch with lots of blame to cast and,
as elucidated in the opening line of
this article, I directed it by the bucket-full
at my employees.
But the reality was, I didn’t care
about their hopes and dreams – so
why should they care about me and
my business?
This whole experience was a
defining moment for me as an
entrepreneur.
As purveyors in the exterior
cleaning industry, we are in a very
people centered business.
We don’t sell pressure washers,
squeegees, wands, etc. – we actually
“sell” the service. And that service is
dependent on having a great team.
Without your team – your business
is nothing. Period. Think about
it: Even if you are a solo operator
with no team, you don’t make a
penny until someone shows up and
8 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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CONQUER
Corner
fires up the machine, even if that
person is you.
We can have unrealistic expectations
as to how employees are
supposed to be tirelessly loyal, but
why should they be? What are you
doing in your business to make that
expectation a reality?
During a given week, an employee
will spend more waking hours with
you and your business then they likely
will spend with their own families!
That should make you think a lot
longer and harder with regard to your
employees. What kind of environment
you are fostering in your company?
In my darkest days as a business
owner, that became the burning
question for me. And it surprised me
when I couldn’t come up with any
good answers.
It was clearly time for change.
After a lot of failed experiences,
bumps, and bruises, here are three
things I learned along the way that
changed everything for me and my
business.
TIE YOUR COMPANY’S
GOALS TO YOUR
EMPLOYEE’S DREAMS
IT’S A
MARKETING GAME
BECOME A
HEADHUNTER
Company culture… you know, those
buzz words everyone throws around when
they imagine a Silicon Valley company with
bean bag chairs and ping pong tables?
Here’s a simple but true business maxim
– your company culture is your company’s
personality. Understand that your company
is NOT you. It is its own animal. Its own
entity. It has a personality whether you
created it or left it to create its own.
In order to create a culture where
employees want to give their best and
want to be a part of the vision and mission
of the company, you first must create that
vision. Then you must help your employees
see (and believe) that when they help the
company’s vision, they can achieve their
own dreams as well.
We would sit down with our team and
“dreamstorm,” which involved writing down
100 dreams we would like to accomplish
in our lifetime, both personal and professional.
At the end of our exercise, we would
pick a couple we wanted to start on next.
Systematically, our managers would use
this data to drive incentives, using bonuses
to help them take that dream vacation,
save up for a house, pay off debt, or learn
a new skill, etc.
Connect the dots and watch your
team’s passion for your company’s success
skyrocket.
We all know exactly how to market to
our ideal customers. We might even have a
customer avatar, or profile, that details their
demographic, psychographic, disposable
income, hobbies, or where they live, etc.
You are probably 100% comfortable
setting aside a budget for marketing to get
these customers. You probably advertise in
multiple places and you probably do this
consistently.
The problem is most business owners
never take the time to study and apply
marketing principles to their employees, or
as I call them – your internal customers.
Who is your ideal employee? What kind
of hobbies do they like? What behaviors do
they have? Where are they working right
now? Yes – your ideal employee is already
hired and working somewhere else…(we’ll
talk about that in a second).
Marketing revolves around your message
and your volume. If your message is weak,
or they can’t hear you because you are too
quiet in a very noisy market, you will lose.
The reality is – you HAVE a great business.
There are a ton of employees who
would love to work for a small, family-owned
business with lots of room to grow.
Take some time to lay out a marketing
budget, craft a strong message, test out
different headlines, post EVERYWHERE,
and crank up your volume!
I mentioned your ideal employee already having
a job. Rather than fishing in the pond of the unemployed
or the pool of perpetual job-hoppers, head
out to the open waters of the already employed!
You remember that great restaurant server the
other day while you were eating lunch? Or that
super helpful associate at the big-box store? What
about that guy who ran out from the tire shop and
met me at my door ready to serve and help? Man,
if only I could find someone with great customer
service like that to come work for me!
We used to hand out “Your Awesome” cards
to anyone we thought was a “rockstar.” We would
simply say – “Hey, you are awesome. If you ever
move on from this place, I think you would love
working at our company. We reward high performers
and I think you would do amazing on our team.
Give us a call!”
We trained all our employees to do the same
thing. They would actually get a headhunter
bonus if they recruited someone to our team
that stayed at least six months on our team. This
had a secondary benefit of them pre-screening
employees and ensuring that only the best applied.
No matter where you are in your recruiting cycle,
remember, it all starts with deliberate execution.
Put these critical ideas into action. Don’t L.I.E.
to yourself and Lack In Execution. Go schedule
your first “Dreamstorm” session with your team.
Go post some killer ads and keep them running,
ALWAYS. And never forget that the employees
you’ve always wanted on your team are already
out there and you might just encounter them in
your regular routine today…
Go get ‘em.
10 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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You’re Not
Alone
How to deal with local competition
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Rob Schruefer is the owner of On
The Spot Detailing out of Columbia,
Maryland, and proudly serves on the
board of the International Detailing
Association; but his advice is equally
sage for aspiring pressure wash
business owners.
BY ROB SCHRUEFER
In the exterior cleaning industry, there is a
never ending line of people starting their
own businesses.
The low start-up and overhead costs
make the industry ripe for those looking
to break away from the daily grind of a
9-to-5 office job.
The facts of the matter are that this
low barrier to entry inevitably creates a
flood of new businesses offering unsustainably
low costs and poor quality.
As these new businesses come to
market, the more veteran businesses try
to ignore them, but often find themselves
explaining to clients why their service
and experience is worth the cost to
complete a job well.
I can tell you from years of experience
that these types of businesses will not hurt
your bottom line, and that the customers
that they do take probably either didn’t
value your time or required costs in the
first place (and probably would have
moved on at some point anyways).
Look, there will always be competition
in your local market. It is how you
handle that reality that will set you apart
from the rest.
A well-educated customer will not
always go with the cheaper option if
you are able to sell them on the experience
you are providing. And remember
– sometimes the only way a customer
becomes “well-educated” is to make the
mistake of enlisting a Johnny-Come-
Lately business in the first place.
I believe that regardless of competition,
you are selling yourself and your
product to the customer, period.
If you do not get the customer, I
believe you failed in explaining why you
are the best option, period.
Here are a few tips to remember, then,
when thinking about the competition.
COMPETITION
IS NOT ALWAYS
A BAD THING
There are good aspects to having
strong local competition.
Businesses with no competitors
soon become lazy and lose sight of the
customer and their needs.
It is always good to have someone
nearby to keep you on your toes and to
keep driving yourself and your business
forward.
The competition also promotes innovation
and the discovery of new products
and services that will bring more
customers your way and ultimately lead
to a better experience for the customer.
Do not make the mistake of trying to
compete on the competition’s low level
As a business owner, it is important
that you do not get sucked into the black
hole of attempting to compete with
unreasonably low prices AND offering a
quality service to your customers.
I cannot tell you how often I have
heard, “The guy on Craigslist did it last
time for $50.”
I always ask why they are not
using him anymore, and the answer is
ALWAYS, “he is out of business,” or “it
was a terrible job.”
Both explanations serve as adequate
justification for your market-adequate
service price.
If you lower your price to match fresh
competition, I assure you that you will be
unable to pay your bills and support your
business.
The only alternative in that scenario
is to do a similarly bad job as the competition
would.
That too is a losing proposition with
your customer.
continued ...
12 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

REGISTER NOW!
visit ceta.org/annual-convention/
Featured Keynote Speakers
visit ceta.org/speakers/ for details
TED MA
POWERCLEAN TM 2020
KICKOFF KEYNOTE SPEAKER
“How to Be the Leader Your Employees
Never Want To Leave”
Ted Ma is an international keynote speaker,
author, and leadership expert who works
with organizations to develop their next
generation of leaders.
DAVID AVRIN
“The Answer is “YES!”
What’s the Question?”
In this eye-opening, high-content and very
entertaining presentation, popular
Customer Experience and Marketing
expert David Avrin, CSP shines a light on a
profound shift in customer expectation.
DR. BART BASI
“Out With the Old and
In With the New”
Business Succession Planning
and the New Tax Laws
Dr. Basi, a long-time CETA favorite, will
discuss of the new tax laws and their
impact on a company’s cash flow including
legal structures for businesses and ways to
minimize tax liabilities.
CETA and PWNA will co-locate their
trade show again in 2020. The two
associations coming together will bring
incredible opportunities for attendees.
While both associations will remain
independent and have events on their
own, CETA and PWNA share one goal:
Two Teams. One Vision.
Advancing the Industry forward.
2020 ANNUAL CONVENTION
POWERCLEAN TM Trade Show, Business Meeting,
Opening Reception, Seminars,Women of CETA,
and celebrating all in one facility!
POWERCLEAN
2020
Golf Tournament
Friday, Oct 23 rd , 2020
8:00am Shot Gun Start
Prizes, Wonderful Atmosphere,
& Includes Lunch!
Register Today
ceta.org/powerclean-golf-tournament/
Women of CETA
12 th Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Date: Friday, October 23 rd , 2020
Time: 11am - 1pm
Location: PEPPERMILL-Reno | Room: TBA
Come join the Women of CETA to
celebrate its 12 th Annual Meeting.
It’s a forum where we can visit,
enjoy fellowship, and have fun!
Register Today
ceta.org /women-of-ceta/
2020 EXHIBITORS
CETA Host Hotel
2707 South Virginia Street
Reno, Nevada 89502
800.648.6992
For Reservations visit ceta.org/annual-convention/
Limited Exhibit Space Available!
Your Industry Trade Show|Working for you all year long
The ONLY Trade Show with the top
Manufacturers, Suppliers, and Distributors
in the Industry.
• Member only event
(all attendees are members of the Industry)
• Awesome Give-Aways
• Outdoor Demos
• Technical Updates for the Industry
• Opportunities to Network with members of the Industry
• Best Opening Reception in the Industry
Opening Reception
Sponsored in part by
GENERAL PUMP
Not a member?
Contact CETA today!
www@ceta.org| 800.441.0111 | info@ceta.org
(as of 06/15/2020)

You’re Not
Alone
GET TO KNOW THE
COMPETITION
There is plenty of work available in
my market, and I could not do all the
jobs even if I wanted to; so I see no harm
in being cordial.
If I see someone I do not know out in
the field, I go over and introduce myself.
There are several reasons that I do this:
■ Camaraderie: We are both operating
a similar business in the same
market, so we probably have some other
things in common. Even if it is just on
a professional level, it is nice to know
someone at trade shows or local events.
■ Mentorship: Quite often new
detailing companies do not charge
enough or provide quality details
because they simply do not know better.
By offering some guidance as a more
experienced operator, I am sometimes
able to steer them away from offering
services below market value, or providing
substandard work. I will also often take
the time to tell them about trade associations
and how they could benefit from
membership in the long run. Raising
their level of work also benefits the local
industry that I am a part of as a whole.
■ Employees: Employees who quit
or are fired from one operation in town
are known to quickly apply at the next
one. That makes sense, right? It is beneficial
to be able to contact the previous
company (with whom you have a pre-existing
relationship) and get an honest
recommendation or warning about a
particular applicant. This saves money
and hassle in training someone with an
attitude or theft problem, for instance.
■ Referrals: As much as we try to
service every customer who calls, there
are just some we are never going to be
able to accommodate. Whether it is a
timing, distance, or service issue, it is
mutually beneficial for companies to be
able to recommend someone else. The
customer is appreciative because even
though you were not able to help them,
you were able to offer them an alternative,
and they will likely call you again
the next time. The other company will
thank you for the business, and in return
do the same when the situation arises on
their end.
BE PROFESSIONAL
NEVER bad mouth the competition,
even if you have nothing good to say.
Form the habit (when asked) of
saying you do not know the business well
enough to make a judgement or even
that you do not like to give your opinion
on someone else’s business.
Talking bad about another business
to a customer comes across as petty
to the customer and, more globally
speaking, is destructive to the local
industry as a whole.
Always steer the conversation in the
direction of talking about YOUR business
and the service and quality YOU
will be able to provide instead.
Next, if someone else isn’t following
this Cardinal rule and you find out they
are talking bad about your business, be
the bigger person.
A customer is not going to make a
decision on using one business over
another based on the opinion of one of
the owners.
They understand this inherent bias
and they will do their homework, finding
out for themselves which company is the
best fit for them.
Trust the process, and karma.
Ultimately, you have no control over
what your competition does, charges,
or says. You can only control your own
actions and lead by example. By leading
the way professionally and with class, you
will, however, become the business that
leads your local market, and customers
will come to you.
FOCUS WITHIN
Keeping pace (or ahead of) your
competition really doesn’t require
paying any mind to them at all, if you
think about it.
Focusing on operating at your
best is perhaps the most successful
1. SELECTIVELY INVEST IN TECH
“When tech automates business processes, it’s an investment, not an
expense.”
2. MAKE FULL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
“A potent business builder at relatively little cost.”
3. MARKET WITHIN YOUR MEANS
“Create a marketing campaign that will drive results.”
4. BRING ON A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL
“Having an experienced, trusted financial professional who can hold
their ground and analyze future actions from a financial perspective
could mean the difference between a business that fades out or lives
on after hitting a rough patch.”
5. THINK LONG-TERM
“Business is a long game.”
means of staying on top.
A 2019 Forbes finance council
group article outlined 15 ways businesses
can remain competitive with
their rivals in any marketplace, and
do so without breaking the bank.
6. FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE
“Build lifelong customers by crafting relationships based on trust and
loyalty.”
7. KEEP ON TOP OF YOUR RECEIVABLES
“Submitting invoices as soon as possible, shortening payment terms
to 30 days (where applicable), offering incentives or discounts for
prompt payments, and/or invoice factoring.”
8. USE TECHNOLOGY TO MANAGE CASH FLOW
“You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”
9. PLAN AND UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU’RE GOING
“Slow and steady wins the race.”
10. LOCK IN A LINE OF CREDIT
“A line of credit, used wisely, can smooth out kinks in cash flow and
ensure you don’t lose valuable ground.”
11. DEVELOP A HOLISTIC PLANNING PROCESS
“You cannot isolate one single area of business to gain an advantage
over your competition.”
12. STAY FOCUSED ON BEING THE BEST
“Win the battle with technological advancement, creating better
products and solutions to improve the world.”
13. RE-MARKET TO YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS
“Your current customer base costs zero dollars to market to.”
14. USE SMART TAX PLANNING AS A CASH FLOW STRATEGY
“A few tweaks in entity structure or proactive planning meetings can
result in tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional cash.”
15. REALLOCATE FUNDS AS NECESSARY
“Spend money where you will have the quickest ROI.”
14 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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2019 Pressure Washer News ad.indd 1 1/10/2020 8:12:53 AM

INDUSTRY
DIRT
A look around the cleaning equipment world
for news and notes of interest
Twice as
Good
The Cleaning Equipment Trade Association
(CETA) and the Pressure Washers
of North America (PWNA) are once again
co-locating their annual conferences in
2020, this time Oct. 22-25 in Reno, Nevada.
PowerClean 2020 will feature industry
leading exhibitors, equipment training, seminars,
networking, and fun. While both associations
will remain independent and have
events on their own, CETA and PWNA feel
that these two great associations can combine
efforts to work towards a common
goal: Two Teams. One Vision. Advancing
the industry forward.
SPEAKERS AT THE
CONFERENCE INCLUDE:
TED MA
“How to Be the Leader
Your Employees Never
Want To Leave” (Next-Gen
Retention/Loyalty).
Can you remember working with a
leader who inspired you to perform at your
best? Despite not remembering all the details,
you remember how they made you
feel. This program explores strategies to become
the leader that others want to follow
so you can reduce turnover and improve
engagement. Whether you are a seasoned
executive or an emerging leader, you will be
able to use ideas from this session in your
personal and professional life.
LEARNING POINTS
TO BE COVERED:
• Why employees quit their job
and how to get them to stay
• 3 keys that make people want to follow you
• How you can empower your team
using the “Tell-Show-Coach-Do” process
• The difference between a leader
who is a firefighter and a firelighter
• How to keep your team
motivated regardless of your budget
Ma is an international keynote speaker,
author, and leadership expert who works with
organizations to develop their next generation
of leaders so they won’t lose their best
employees. He was named one of the top
100 keynote speakers of 2019 by Databird
Business Journal. He believes that increasing
retention, engagement, and sales begins with
building tomorrow’s leaders today.
As a millennial himself, Ma has been
leading teams and developing leaders for over
17 years. Unlike many leadership experts, he
built an international sales team from 0 to
over 6,000 independent agents and reached
the top 1% in that company.
Ma has been featured in publications including
USA Today, Inc., Kiplinger, and the
New York Times.
DAVID AVRIN
The Answer is “YES!” What’s
the question? How being
remarkably accommodating
creates customer experiences
that beat the competition.
In the most competitive business environment
in modern history, the winners today
are often those who are remarkably easy to do
business with. Being better tuned-in to the increasingly
unique wants and needs of our customers
and clients creates better experiences
and increased loyalty. Avrin shines a light on a
profound shift in customer expectation, while
showing your team everyone’s role in eliminating
barriers, engaging prospects and creating
customer experiences worth sharing.
In Memorium
Patrick Wingen of Vermillion, SD passed
away February 16, 2020, at the age of 70.
Born Jan. 9, 1950, Wingen was the CEO
of Aaladin Cleaning Systems in Elk Point,
SD. He also served as the first President of
the CETA (Cleaning Equipment Trade Association)
Board of Directors in 1990.
AaLadin had its meager beginnings on
the plains of South Dakota in January of
1981. Its founders, Wingen, Bill Busker, and
Eldean Kjose, decided to form a company to
produce high pressure cleaning equipment.
With minimal capital raised through second
mortgages, the beginnings of AaLadin
Industries Incorporated began. The name
“AaLadin” came after a suggestion that
cleaning equipment has a touch of “magic”
in the way you turn an object from dirty to
clean with a wave of the wand. Of course, the
double “A” kept them first in the Yellow Pages.
The first step to achieve their goal of
“Total Quality” started with a new and different
design -- a unit that allowed ease of
movement and exceptional serviceability that
would set the standard for years to come.
Their idea caught on quickly, and by the
end of the second year it was plain to see
that their leased 6,000 square foot facility
was bulging at the seams.
In the fall of 1983, a brand new
13,700-square-foot facility was started, and
by the spring of 1984, the new facility was
occupied. Five subsequent additions have
brought it to its current 125,000-square feet.
In 1981, the company was started with a
total of seven employees, and today the total
is near the century mark. Wingen became
sole owner in 1998.
Wingen was a native South Dakotan,
born in Deadwood, SD and raised in Hoven,
SD. He attended South Dakota State University
where he received undergraduate
degrees in Biology and Economics. He then
attended the University of South Dakota
where he received his Master’s in Business
Administration. He had lived in Vermillion
since 1975.
Wingen was a member of St. Agnes Parish
in Vermillion since 1975 and held many
leadership positions in the parish. He served
on many boards on a voluntary basis including
the Catholic Community Foundation on
Eastern South Dakota, the South Dakota
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the
Youth Business Adventure advisory board,
the Great Plains policy Institute board.
Wingen and his wife Theresa have seven
children and 22 grandchildren. His greatest
interest was spending time with his wife and
grandchildren.
16 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

Send your company news and press releases to drewruble@gmail.com
PARTICIPANTS
WILL LEARN:
• How to see all the choices available
from the customers’ perspective
• How stories of lost opportunities at every
level reach the masses and why it matters
• How missed moments, and maddening
policies are contributing to lost sales
and negative reviews
• Why differentiation trumps competency
and connection earns sales
Avrin is president of The Visibility
Coach in Castle Rock, Colorado. One of
the most in-demand customer experience
and marketing speakers in the world today,
Avrin’s business insights have been featured
on hundreds of broadcast media outlets and
thousands of online and print publications
around the world. He is also the author of
three books including: It’s Not Who You
Know, It’s Who Knows You!, Visibility Marketing,
and his newest book: Why Customers
Leave (and How to Win Them Back), which
was named by Forbes as one of the: “7 Business
Books Entrepreneurs Need to Read.”
CETA turns 30!
The Cleaning Equipment Trade Association
(CETA) is a hybrid and evolved
from two organizations: the Cleaning
Equipment Manufacturers Association
(CEMA) and the Association of Pressure
Washer Distributors (APD).
CEMA was originally formed to address
common needs and opportunities of the
pressure cleaning industry, while APD was
formed by distributors to address the needs
and opportunities for their future in the pressure
cleaning industry.
In 1990, the two associations joined
forces to bring their common goals for the
industry together. The merger of these two
associations created CETA.
CETA is an international non-profit trade
association made up of manufacturers, suppliers,
distributors, contractors/end users,
and associates. All these members coordinate
efforts to promote public awareness, professionalism,
industry-wide safety standards,
and education for the advancement of the
powered cleaning equipment industry.
DR. BART A. BASI,
ATTORNEY/CPA
“Out with the Old and in
with the New.” Business
Succession Planning and the
New Tax Laws.
A discussion of the new tax laws and
their impact on a company’s cash flow including
legal structures for businesses and
ways to minimize tax liabilities.
New tax laws are impacting businesses
across the country. And with these new laws,
a new discussion on company structures must
be had. This session will focus on a discussion
of the new tax laws and how they impact the
cash flow of your business. In addition, Basi
will discuss what corporate structures now
work best in this new economy, in addition
to touching on topics such as IRS Code Section
1202, which allows an owner to sell their
company and pay nothing in tax.
Basi is a specialist in the areas of financial
accounting, business succession, business valuation,
mergers and acquisitions, retirement,
POWERCLEAN, where professionals
in the industry come together to see what’s
new in equipment and products, network
with peers, see live demos, plus participate
in education seminars featuring top-notch
speakers and industry related topics is CE-
TA’s annual trade show.
CETA offers the Distributor Certification
Program to promote and maintain the
highest standards of service and personal
conduct among its members. Adherence to
these standards is required for acceptance
into the program; the program ensures public
confidence in the integrity and service of
the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association.
The Manufacturer Certification Program
offers the CETA Performance Certification
Standard. Across the globe, standards
are a key tool of business. As more new domestic
and overseas manufacturers enter the
market, uniform methods of measuring and
rating machine performance are critical for
clarity in this market.
CETA opened up its membership to
and estate planning, strategic planning, and
tax aspects of business decisions for closely
held and family businesses. He speaks nationwide,
writes, and researches on all of these
areas. He has written five loose-leaf bound
books, fourteen workbooks, more than 300
articles, and has worked with hundreds of
businesses and associations. Journals that
have published Basi’s work include Money
Matters, The American Journal of Small
Business, The Journal of Family Law, The
Journal of Estate Planning, The Tax Lawyer,
Small Business Taxation, Taxation for Individuals,
Taxation for Accountants, Taxation
for Lawyers, The CPA Journal, and The Tax
Executive. Basi is the author of “The Tax
Report,” a bi-monthly report on income and
estate tax matters for closely-held businesses,
“Accounting and Taxes,” a monthly column
distributed to individuals and trade journals,
and the “Tax Advisory,” a monthly tax advisory
for closely-held and family business.
contractors/end users to bring the entire
industry together. The association is proud
of its many offerings and strengths, including:
experienced board members, strong
regional partners and support, news service
and recognition, long history, membership
service, growth, traditions, educational opportunities,
focus on professionalism, certifications,
scholarships, and annual trade show.
The CETA Education Foundation is
a separately incorporated charitable organization
that grants scholarship awards
to students of CETA members and their
employee’s and families, provides member
education, and conducts industry research.
Since its inception in 1996, the CETA Education
Foundation has given CETA members
an opportunity to encourage and prepare
the next generation to join the industry.
CETA’s goal is to recruit and train future
leaders in the industry. It believes that
through education, it can increase professionalism
at every level.
INDUSTRY
DIRT
Super
Summit
The Home Service Super Summit,
billed as the world’s largest
event for the home service industry,
attracted tens of thousands of “attendees”
this past June 11-14.
The summit’s speaker lineup
included more than 40 speakers,
including some very high-profile individuals
including Michael Gerber
(author of E-Myth), Mike Michalowicz
(Profit First), and Brian Scudamore
(0-$300M Service Business).
Free to attend, the summit was
vying to be the largest online event
ever for professionals in the home
services industry.
In fact, GUINNESS WORLD
RECORDS was evaluating the
summit for the “Largest Attendance
for a Virtual Business Conference in
One Week” title.
Topics covered included...
✔ Getting (and Staying)
Off The Truck
✔ Attracting & Motivating
Rockstar Employees
✔ Performance-Based Pay
Systems
✔ Automated Lead
Generation
✔ Bringing Your Inventions to
Market
✔ Mastering Your Financials
✔ Creating a Training
Program on Autopilot
From cleaning to landscaping,
pest control to HVAC, everyone
who worked in home services arguably
discovered new managerial
and accountability skills that will
directly benefit their business.
VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | 17

When I Find Myself in
Times of Trouble
Troubleshooting pressure washer
pump problems -- a checklist.
BY JOE ANISH
By following a few simple maintenance procedures,
you can prolong the life of your pressure
pump as well as cut down on untimely
breakdowns.
As a seasoned pressure washer repair veteran,
car wash operator, and a Cat Pump distributor
for more than 35 years, Vilco Supply
Company has serviced and solved thousands
of pressure pump problems over
the past three decades.
Vilco Suppy has seen multiple
pressure washer problems that could have been
prevented, by simply servicing the pump on a
routine schedule and identifying potential problems
while servicing.
One of the most common mistakes, is not
changing the pump oil as often as needed. Vilco
Supply recommends changing pump oil every
200-250 hours of operation. If you do not have an
hourly service time counter on your equipment,
simply use a log entry schedule to keep up with the
operating hours on a daily or weekly basis.
WHEN CHANGING PUMP OIL, it is important to remove all the
oil, residue and particles from the crankcase. Vilco Supply suggest, drain the
oil by removing the drain plug and then remove the rear cover of the crankcase to
flush the remaining residue with an aerosol oil/gas treatment spray.
While the internal crankcase is exposed take the time to inspect the rod ends, piston
rods, crankcase side bearing seals and bearings for improper wear. Be sure the rod end
bolts are not loose by turning the crankshaft by hand and if necessary, torque the rod
end bolts to the manufactures specs as needed (picture 1).
Also, while turning the crankshaft, visually inspect the bearings on both sides of
the crankshaft. Look for worn ball bearings inside the bearing casing as well as listen
for grinding or binding sounds as the crankshaft is hand turned.
1 2
IF ANY OF THE INTERNAL PARTS HAS ISSUES,
now is the time to address them with an experienced maintenance technician
or if you are mechanically inclined, tackle the problem yourself.
Otherwise if no problems exist, replace the rear crankcase cover and fill the crankcase
with the manufactures recommended oil to the proper level.
Most pumps will have a site glass to show the proper oil level (picture 2). In the
case of this 310 Cat Pump, fill the oil to the center of the red dot.
Editor’s Note: Over nearly five decades in business, Vilco Suppl has seen its share of customers who succeed by maintaining their equipment for every season. As a pump maintenance company,
specifically Cat Pump, Vilco takes its responsibility to keep those units running seriously, not just by making repairs but also educating customers about proper care and protection of their equipment now and
for the future. If you have any pump maintenance questions, visit the company at Vilcosupply.com, or call 888-255-4181.
18 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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ONCE THE BACK COVER IS
BOLTED BACK ON
its time to inspect the front end of the crankcase and
the manifold. Remove the manifold to expose the
piston plunger and rods. This pump comes equipped
with ceramic piston plungers (picture 3).
INSPECT THE PLUNGERS
FOR CRACKS AND CHIPS,
remove and replace if needed. As seen in the picture,
this particular plunger is cracked but was still operating
3
at the time of removing from service (picture 4).
Although the pump was operating, pump failure
was inevitable. In this case, replacing the ceramic
plunger is a must.
To do so, simply remove the bolt on the end of
the piston rod and slide the plunger off the piston rod.
Remove the O-ring and back up ring on the piston rod
and replace.
Also inspect the piston rod for corrosion (picture 5).
If corrosion is visible and has not severely eroded, use
120 grit sand paper and hand sand the corrosion off
the piston rod.
ONCE ALL THE CORROSION
IS REMOVED,
replace the ceramic plunger with a new or sound
plunger, torque the end bolt to the manufacture’s
specifications.
The oil wick is often over looked and should be
replaced if in poor condition as well (pictures 6a & 6b).
NOW THAT THE CRANKCASE
HAS BEEN FULLY INSPECTED,
take the time to fully inspect the manifold and seals.
Place the manifold in a vise and tighten as needed
to remove the low-pressure seals, brass seal cases,
high-pressure seals and valves.
With the manifold face down in a vice, remove the
low-pressure seals with your fingers. Inspect the seals
for wear, tears or cracks on the interior and exterior of
the seal. (pictures 7 and 8) If any of these symptoms
are visible, replace all three seals as a set.
To remove the brass seal case’s use the proper tool,
so not to damage the soft brass seal case end (picture 9).
AFTER THE SEAL
CASE IS REMOVED,
inspect the bottom of the seal case for pitting or wash out.
If the seal case is slightly pitted, often it can be
surface-sanded or milled to remove the imperfections.
Not all seal cases can be sanded or surfaced but in
this case the brass seal case can be slightly sanded due
to the tolerance and ability to screw the brass seal case
a bit deeper since it threads into the manifold.
NEXT, REMOVE THE
HIGH-PRESSURE SEALS
in the bottom of the manifold and inspect for cracks,
wear and imperfections (picture 10).
If any of these problems exist, replace the high-pressure
seals.
4
6a
6b
5
7
8
20 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

NOW, VISIBLY INSPECT
THE SEAT
where the high-pressure seal lays inside the manifold
and look for wash out, pitting, or grooving (picture 11).
If any of these issues exist, premature wear will
damage the high-pressure seals and desired pressure
will be attainable if put back into service.
Vilco Supply can remove the pitting and grooving
by milling the seat and replacing with stainless steel
seats. If no pitting or grooving exists, replace the
high-pressure seal by placing the cupped side of the
seal into the port. Apply some lubricant to bottom
of the brass seal case and reinstall into the manifold.
Tighten the brass seal case with the proper tool to the
manufacture’s specifications. Insert the low-pressure
seals, also with the cupped side down, into the top of
the brass seal case.
NOW TURN THE
MANIFOLD OVER
and tighten back into the vise and remove the valve plugs.
After the valve plugs are removed, replace the O-ring
on the inside lip of the cap. Remove the valves by using
either needle nose vise style grip or needle pliers.
Once the valves are removed, inspect the O-ring
and back-up ring and replace if needed (picture 12).
Inspecting the spring retainer is critical to ensure
no V-groove has worn into the shoulder of the cage
and allows the stainless disc to catch or lodge into the
V-groove (picture 13). If a V-groove is present, a new
spring retainer can be installed onto the existing stainless
valve without having to replace the entire valve.
VISUALLY INSPECT
THE VALVE SEAT AREA
or fell for wash out, pitting, or grooving in the valve seat.
Vilco Supply can also mill out the wash out and insert
stainless steel seats if needed at an economical price.
If no wash out is present, lube the valve with either
Teflon spray or light weight oil. Insert the valves carefully
to be sure not to damage the O-Rings. Torque
the valve caps back into the manifold and re-install
the manifold back onto the pump.
By following these simple steps, you can extend
the life of your pump and manifold for many years
of service.
All in the
Family
Joe Anish owns Village Car Wash and Vilco
Supply in McMinnville, Tennessee (right
down the road from Pressure Wash News!).
His family has been in the cleaning business
for almost six decades. In the mid-
1960s, his father-in-law opened one of the
earliest self-service carwashes in the Volunteer
State.
Facing an ever-pressing need to maintain
and service their more than one hundred
local bays regularly, the family then
created Vilco Supply. It not only served
their fast growing business but other outside
customers as well.
The family long ago focused on the use
of Cat Pumps in their operations. Over
Time, Cat Pump heads will have pitting,
grooving and wash out.
Having to replace the entire pump can be
costly. Vilco discovered an innovative way
of extending the life of Cat Pumps from
about 10 years to up to 35 years using
Stainless steel sleeves to replace the washout
area in the high pressure and valve seat
area (it’s called the “Vilbore Solution.”)
The company proudly states it gives Cat
Pumps, already known for nine lives, a
tenth!
9
10
11
12 11
VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | 21

CALLING IN THE
BIG
GUNS
Interior cleaning and sanitization are the dominant
concerns related to Covid-19. But the need to routinely
clean high-traffic outdoor spaces and exterior surfaces
also warrant attention. An industry responds.
BY DREW RUBLE
The U.S.’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
earlier this year that RNA, or ribonucleic acid, which carries the genetic information
from the virus that causes Covid-19, was found in the Diamond Princess
cruise ship 17 days after its passengers had left.
To be clear, that just means the virus was detectable – not that it was viable or
that contact with those services would have been able to infect someone. But it’s
ample proof that most respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, do tend to last
on surfaces.
The New England Journal of Medicine also recently published a study that tested
how long the new virus can remain stable on different kinds of surfaces within a
controlled laboratory setting. Conducted by scientists from the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control, Princeton
University, and University of California, Los Angeles, the experiment tested the
virus under laboratory conditions to determine how fast virus particles broke
down outside of a host body.
They found that it was still detectable on copper for up to four hours, on
cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours.
And, in fact, the virus can survive on glass for up to 96 hours, according to a
study by the Journal of Hospital Infection published in January.
Again, the amount of virus decreased rapidly over time on each of those
surfaces. Nevertheless, the study reaffirms the need to disinfect surfaces – especially
those made of plastic and stainless steel – where possible.
READ: high-touch surfaces, especially in public transit or retail store environments,
or anywhere there tend to be a lot of people.
Consider public playgrounds, where the Journal of Environmental Health determined
22 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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CALLING IN THE
BIG GUNS
that as much as 44% of a playground’s
surfaces tested positive for contaminants
such as feces, urine, mucus, saliva and other
blood borne pathogens. That compared to
only 25% of public restrooms containing
the same contaminants.
It stands to reason the same percentages
must apply to shopping carts, or
water Parks, exterior stairwells and railings,
outdoor seating and tables, high
school stadiums, municipal parks, business
plazas, shopping malls/centers -- on
and on the list goes.
The virus also can be carried around
on people’s shoes, according to the CDC.
That research, published in the agency’s
Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, tested
surface samples at Huoshenshan Hospital
in Wuhan, China, finding that the contamination
was on floors, and that half of the
ICU staff’s shoes also tested positive.
“In addition, as medical staff walk
around the ward, the virus can be tracked
all over the floor, as indicated by the 100%
rate of positivity from the floor in the
pharmacy, where there were no patients,”
the authors wrote.
HERE’S THE BOTTOM LINE: Although society
generally thinks of indoor cleaners and
sanitization when responding to fears of
the new, novel coronavirus, there is at least
enough valid concern about high-traffic
outdoor areas to warrant more attention
from governments and private businesses
alike for the routine cleaning of public
outdoor spaces.
ENTER THE
BIG GUNS--
PRESSURE WASHING
Though it may seem a bit unseemly
to talk about industries that can or will
benefit from the current and ongoing
pandemic, the fact of the matter is that
such outcomes are always the case in
life-disrupting scenarios.
24 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020
Restoration specialists are not
to blame for profiting amid disaster
recovery efforts. Nor should professional
cleaners, who, other than perhaps
pharmaceuticals concerns and remote
technology platforms, feel guilty about
being in demand, or offering a service
intended to transform our heretofore
germ-infested society.
A recent Fortune magazine article
titled “The coronavirus cleaning boom
is coming” stated that “businesses from
restaurants to office buildings to airlines
will be going above and beyond to show
customers that they’re keeping workers
and guests as safe as possible.”
Experts say that will mean “a big
surge in spending for cleaning equipment
and staff,” according to the article.
Tim Mulrooney, a commercial services
equities analyst for William Blair, was
quoted in the article stating that will be a
“fundamental change for the industry.”
None of this is meant to infer that
exterior cleaners are happy about the rise
of the pandemic. It’s simply the reality
though that the virus is here (and may
increase in severity again in the future)
and that the pressure wash industry is
well-positioned to seize new business
opportunities that perhaps didn’t exist
before—including new, niche lines of
business easily bolted on to an operator’s
current operations.
Jimmy Welch, vice president,
engineering, at American Pressure in
Robbinsdale, Minnesota, also serves
as senior vice president of CETA (the
Cleaning Equipment Trade Association),
which works to represent all members
and the industry. Welch also chairs both
CETA’s technical committee for the
pressure washer industry and the (UL)
harmonization committee for pressure
washer safety standards. Welch has
more than four decades of experience
in all aspects of the cleaning equipment
industry, including tenures as head of
R&D/engineering for MiTM, General
Pump, Pressure Pro, and FNA group.
He is also credited in numerous industry
... businesses
from restaurants
to office
buildings to
airlines will be
going above and
beyond to show
customers that
they’re keeping
workers and
guests as safe
as possible.
patents, and has had a hand in the
design of many of the best pumps on the
market today.
Welch agrees that the current business
market is expanding for pressure wash
services. But he also offers a different
perspective on the role of the cleaning
market in fighting the pandemic.
“It is a big market out there,” Welch
said. “But I look at it differently. I look at
JIMMY WELCH
it as we are here to fight the disease, I look
at it as we’ve got a battle raging out here,
so let’s all get together and let’s go against
this full force. Let’s do our part.”
Such altruism lifts the industry in a
way that is perhaps even more important
than financial gain – it makes the industry
extremely relevant to society and gives
operators a renewed sense of purpose
that their work is meaningful and can
make a difference in people’s lives.
A CLEANER
FUTURE
Setting such altruism and warm
feelings aside for a moment, though, the
realty is (again) that as Fortune magazine
described above, business is booming and
opportunities galore are available in a
time period now often referred to as the
“the new normal.”
Welch provides the example of
the New York City subway system, which
has been utilizing nightly cleaning crews
to clean and pressure wash cars all the
way to Coney Island.
Closer to home, Welch references a bus
stop across the street from his Minnesota
offices that he says he’s witnessed being
cleaned twice in the past few months
compared to its normally scheduled maintenance
of perhaps twice in a year.
Perhaps the best example of the
increasing role pressure washers and exterior
cleaning might have on the future of
a more germ-free America is evident in
the Windy City of Chicago. There, the
Loop, Chicago’s “official” downtown
neighborhood, which includes (famously)
shopping on State Street, as well as one
of the country’s largest art museums
is scheduling weekly power washings
of its sidewalks. Part of the Chicago
Loop Alliance’s (CLA) responsibility
in managing State Street from Ida B.
Wells to Wacker drives includes these
weekly pressure washes.
“Now that the spread of COVID-19
is a worldwide concern, CLA and its
continued ...

CALLING IN THE
BIG GUNS
power washing vendor, Pressure Washing
Systems, are doing their part to curb the
spread by disinfecting State Street’s sidewalks,
trash cans, and other infrastructure
in the public way,” Michael Edwards,
CHICAGO LOOP ALLIANCE
President and CEO, recently stated in
a release. “Throughout my decades in
downtown management, I have never
experienced a public health situation
like COVID-19. Chicago Loop Alliance
was lucky enough to work with Pressure
Washing Systems on power washing and
then disinfecting State Street in downtown
Chicago…Because of Pressure
Washing Systems’ expertise in emergency
response, we were able to mitigate the risk
of pedestrians picking up the virus from
the street’s infrastructure and furniture.”
Edwards added, “The Loop has seen
70-percent declines in pedestrian activity
compared to this time in 2019…But there
are still essential workers on the street,
and our priority is their safety.”
Pressure Washing Systems offers a
wide range of services to the Chicago
Metropolitan Area, southern Wisconsin,
northwest Indiana, and Los Angeles,
Calif., regions. Over the past 31 years in
business, the company has experience
with similar situations to COVID-19,
including cleaning and disinfecting one
million square feet of space in Houston,
Texas, to prevent the spread of SARS, as
well as various flood cleanups in Chicago.
According to a CLA release, Pressure
Washing Systems used a quaternary
disinfectant cleaner called QuatSan,
effective at killing a variety of bacteria
and viruses, including COVID-19. The
cleaner follows CDC guidelines and is an
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-
approved product.
Bill Mologousis, President of Pressure
Washing Systems, said crews worked with
the environment in mind.
“We’re not just allowing this wastewater
that’s generated from these cleaning
Pressure
Washing
Systems, are
doing their
part to curb
the spread by
disinfecting
State Street’s
sidewalks, trash
cans, and other
infrastructure in
the public way,
operations to enter the storm sewer system
and maybe create an environmental
impact,” Mologousis stated in the CLA
release. “We’re not just pressure washing;
it’s really an environmental cleaning
process. Anyone can pressure wash this
into the sewer; not many companies have
equipment that will prevent it from going
into the sewer system.”
A NICHE IN
TIME
Beyond traditional pressure wash, new
opportunities also exist for operators to
expand services in to new niche areas that
can be both profitable and help to ease
the crisis.
The consensus seems to be that
America’s obsession with cleanliness will
be a permanent social shift. Pressure wash
operators are certainly well positioned
to re-channel their resources and technical
skills to certain aspects of interior
cleaning, specifically, sanitizing businesses,
to meet that market need.
In addition, and importantly from a
consumer perspective, certifying businesses
as properly sanitized for customer use
could well be a wave of the future. That’s
because consumers now want peace of
mind that a business is clean and the ability
of a business to prove that cleanliness to
customers could become paramount to
remaining in business.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal recently
pondered just how paranoid post-coronavirus
America will be as it returns to
public places.
The conclusion appears to be very
paranoid and vigilant.
The newspaper also profiled a
Sarasota pressure washer’s savvy expansion
of services aimed at ensuring that
public trust.
John Cloud runs Gorilla Kleen pressure
washing, a good sized operation
with clients ranging from the municipality
he lives in (pressure washing
public exteriors) to the Ringling College
and Ed Smith Stadium, spring training
home of the Baltimore Orioles.
Cloud told the News-Journal he’s
always offered sanitization services but
that they were seldom requested prior to
the recent pandemic. Now, by contrast,
he said, he’s essentially doing as much
sanitization as exterior cleaning for his
clients, and purports that an important
psychological principal is leading that
growth in his niche business.
“I’m printing stickers that go on the
door that say this area was sanitized
with this chemical shown to be effective,
and we show the date,” Cloud stated.
“From an optics standpoint, if I’m an
employee or a customer, I’d be happy to
see that…I think the establishment or
business would be saying to the public,
hey, we care about taking that extra step
for public safety.”
continued ...
26 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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JUST GIVE IT
AWAY
Yet another new, pandemic-inspired
opportunity for pressure wash operators
is less about growing their business and
more about doing what’s right through
charity, generosity, and community
improvement.
CALLING IN THE
BIG GUNS
Powerwash.com and PowerWash
University recently contributed their
cleaning services to a local daycare,
spending a few hours applying sanitizer to
all of their play equipment, including the
structures and toys.
Max Quat is their go-to disinfectant
because it is USDA Food Grade Approved
by the FDA and is an approved EPA
Disinfectant use against the new virus.
Company officials stated that they felt
it was the least they could do during a time
such as this – to donate their incredibly
relevant service to their community and
to serve as a resource for their community.
It’s a feel good story for the entire exterior
cleaning industry to know that stories
like this exist. It’s even more exciting that
similar stories exist nationwide and have
been duplicated in small town newspapers
across America since the outbreak of
the coronavirus.
As just one example, the Medford Sun
in New Jersey recently profiled Revive
Painting and Powerwashing of Medford,
which donated its services to deep
clean and sanitize the shopping carts at
Murphy’s Fresh Markets and ShopRite
of Medford, where management and
employees were already working hard
around the clock to provide groceries.
“When the grocery stores started
changing the slots where the older
customers would go in the morning, we
reached out to them and let them know
we’re free in the nighttime,” co-owner
Thomas Davis told the Sun.
With fellow co-owner James Dalton,
the company spread cleaning agents, then
140-degree water, on the shopping carts,
spending roughly 90 minutes to two hours
according to the paper.
Denise DelMastro, owner of Medfordbased
Del-Vel Chem Inc., donated the
cleaning agent.
Davis used his media platform to
encourage anyone who has a pressure
washing company or some other type
of company to do the same in their
community.
It’s not just small businesses that have
expressed their generosity amidst the
crisis. For instance, Welch’s employer,
American Pressure, has donated two
MDM-1500 misters and 15 gallons of
Vital Oxide with each to churches and
schools in its area, including St. James in
Howard Lake, Minnesota, and St. John’s
in Corcoran, Minnesota.
Now, granted, some more jaded
readers might say such good works are
also good marketing for the business. And
it is. But questioning the altruism of what
these people have done from their heart is
a risky business.
As Welch said, “Money is an outcome
of it; but there have been a lot of people
going out and donating, cleaning playgrounds,
and using their business to clean
up neighborhoods…There’s so much
generosity out there with Americans and
with pressure wash operators, too.”
AN INDUSTRY
RESPONDS
The overall industry’s response to the
COVID-19 crisis has also been nothing
short of remarkable both in its pace and
breadth.
Ahead of even many government
agencies, the industry has been rapidly
replacing guesses with best practices,
addressing how the pressure washer
industry can not only assist the public on
how to survive during this time (meaning
play a big and important role in helping
on this war on the virus) but also how to
Davis used his
media platform
to encourage
anyone who
has a pressure
washing
company or
some other type
of company
to do the
same in their
community.
thrive as a business preventing the spread
of COVID-19 while focused on opportunities
to assist in the effort, (and, as
discussed previously, have the byproduct
of revenue for the industry).
It did so largely through the work
of the CETA technical committee, a
15-member entity representing every
region of the country and which is steered
by Welch. To face the Covid-19 crisis, the
committee teamed up with other entities
in the industry, including the PWNA
(Power Washers of North America), and
even entities outside of the industry.
Understanding that as leaders in the
industry, CETA and PWNA needed to
provide their network of professionals a
playbook for the “new normal” not only
proved the value of the associations to the
industry in general but has also arguably
elevated the entire industry to a level of
sophistication previously not realized.
It started when Welch began hearing
about business disruptions happening in
China around the end of December 2019
and early January 2020. Welch started
hearing from both friends and business
associates about a lot of people getting
sick. Then he started hearing similar
news from contacts in South Korea and
Taiwan. From Korea specifically he was
hearing about military involvement in
contact tracing, followed by action to
clean outdoor areas as well as indoor
areas, specifically subways and bus seats.
“They advanced as fast as they could
in that cleaning process and used pressure
washers on the streets because their
tracking system was showing suspects left
their house at this time, walked down the
street at this time, and potentially exposed
a lot of people, because they could
track cell phones,” Welch said. “They
knew who those people were and send
alerts to them; so, they didn’t just deal
with cleaning indoors or washing their
hands…or wear a face mask. They were
doing those precautions, but they still had
people getting sick.”
Then in March, Welch made a trip
from Minnesota to Denver for a visit.
“I left and went to Florida…and saw
that while you’re at the airport everybody
was stressed about it, but no face masks
were being worn or anything at that time
because they weren’t available,” he said.
“Questions were asked me on the trip,
like ‘what are your thoughts?’ and I said
‘I would be wearing a face mask because
I’ve traveled to Asia lot and I see that they
wear face masks because we know the
virus is airborne.
“We decided then, let’s refocus the
[CETA] technical committee, which
already deals with safety standards and
performance standards, get a meeting as
soon as possible, meaning the following
Monday, and expand the group to add
more companies and to get more experience
and perspective on the team,”
Welch said.
The first order of business was stating
the case and making clear to state policy-makers
that the cleaning equipment
trade could be rightfully defined as an
“essential business” under governmental
regulations on which businesses were
allowed to work amidst the pandemic
outbreak.
“We wrote the essential business letter,
we got that advocacy on the website, we
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contacted all of our members informing
them they had to stay in business,” Welch
said. “The manufacturers certainly appreciated
it -- they were pretty much already
on board in understanding that their
equipment was particularly important at
this time. The distributors had questions;
but as many of them sell to the food
industry, municipalities, and other critical
industries, they were assured they have to
stay in business and keep those entities
supported…so, we successfully argued
that is essential…because we’ve got to
keep the equipment up and running.”
Certainly, cleaning and sanitizing
products and equipment are critical to
our nation’s efforts to combat the spread
of COVID-19. It is imperative that these
businesses maintain operations to ensure
that other critical industries and front-line
service responders can do their essential
work in a safe and clean environment. So,
that was an important first step for the
industry to advocate and clarify that the
industry is first and foremost an essential
business.
CALLING IN THE
BIG GUNS
Next, because Covid-19 was so
new, there hadn’t been any academic
research on the effectiveness of products
and services aimed at neutralizing the
virus. CETA and partners were able to
accomplish quite a bit of research in a
short period of time to address this lack
of understanding.
“We’ve published four white papers
so far,” Welch said when contacted in
June, informing Pressure Wash News that on
the day of the interview he was actually
running a series of tests on wet steam
spray temperature at different distances.
[Editor’s note: Readers are encouraged to visit the
CETA.org website to sign up to review in detail the
reports being issued by the technical committee.]
The first paper explored pressure
wash power wash, specifically coming
up with proper methods for cleaning
... people in the
industry have been
cleaning and selling
cleaning equipment
for a long time and
know what to do.
But if it has never
been written
down, Welch
explained, it’s of
no use to a lab
that doesn’t have
that experience
to draw on.
knowing that the virus is aerosol in nature
(in short, spraying in front of you into the
air particles in the air, wetting them so
they drop to the surface for additional
cleaning).
The paper also covered the need to
protect workers using the proper personal
protection equipment, or PPE.
The idea was to get this particular
paper out fast so operators could safely
attack the public problem of entrance
ways to buildings, hospitals, doctor’s
offices, retirement homes, and early childcare
facilities.
Welch said once the committee determined
all the proper procedures and
protocols, putting it together in a white
paper served more than just the need for
operators to have a road map to proper
execution.
“A goal of these white papers is that
when we are done, we want to then talk
to scientists and labs studying this virus,”
Welch explains. “The labs need the white
papers to have the ability to test against
this particular strain…if you don’t have
the white paper and you come in and say,
‘hey, here’s the machine,’ and you don’t
tell them how to use it, well, it doesn’t do
much for them or for us.”
Said another way, people in the
industry have been cleaning and selling
cleaning equipment for a long time and
know what to do. But if it has never been
written down, Welch explained, it’s of no
use to a lab that doesn’t have that experience
to draw on.
“These are the kinds of variables we
outlined in the white papers so when we
do present them to the laboratories, they
know what to do to conduct their studies,”
Welch concluded. “Now that we’ve got
enough papers, I’m looking to get some
scientists on and doctors on board.”
Another white paper researched the
use of dry vapor steam in places you can’t
use high-pressure to disinfect, such as in
an ambulance that needs to be cleaned
out after each use and before another
patient can use it.
“One of our member groups is
Steamericas,” Welch said. “They helped
us with the white paper there because
they have a lot of insight into deactivating
viruses – although not this particular strain.
So, we had to be careful what we said, but
we had more to say than anyone else.”
Proper PPE use, meaning advice or
information operators could use in their
day-to-day lives to ensure a safe working
environment, was also crucial subject
matter for committee testing, and has no
doubt served the industry well. Welch said
PWNA in particular worked extensively
on the PPE piece of the puzzle in particular
because of its vast treasure trove of
pre-existing information and intelligence
in that area.
“We looked at it as a unified group,
a team effort, utilizing people inside and
outside the industry,” Welch stressed.
Such a rapid and sophisticated industry
response (replete with independent testing)
no doubt provided significant relief to
operators industry-wide who encountered
the pandemic without a playbook for
dealing with the new normal.
As such, a happy outcome of all of
this has also been growing unity within
the industry. CETA, through several projects,
has been able to pull all aspects of
its membership -- and even professionals
outside of its membership -- together to
coalesce around important things, namely
safety standards, performance standards,
Prop 65 advocacy, and now Covid-19.
These efforts have proven the industry
is stronger as a group than as individuals
and that the industry can work together
and not against each other.
What has resulted is a new level of
teamwork and sophistication and relevance
at a time when it is really needed.
THE ROAD
AHEAD
So, what is the takeaway? Think
Walmart entrances dirty with chewing
gum and somebody’s spit. People no
longer want to walk into a store through a
dirty, unwashed entrance and have a dirty
buggy to put their kids in.
Store cleaning needs to be done in the
store and outside of it. And environments
like playgrounds for children, universities
for students, and high-traffic locations such
as municipal service locations, amusement
parks, public restrooms, parking lots, multiunit
residential buildings, hospitals, and
hospitality locations all have to be cleaned.
The new normal demands it.
Pressure washing can help prevent the
spread of disease. Ongoing preventative
maintenance and pressure cleaning are two
excellent ways to protect employees and
the public and to keep business operations
and society as a whole running smoothly.
Now more than ever we can all benefit
from regular power washing.
30 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 2, NO. 3 | SUMMER 2020

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