About Parking Lot Cleaning Businesses

We have all been there before. We arrive at a parking lot full of liter and stained with oil and grit only to wonder, "Who's responsible for cleaning this place?" Well, the answer is simple. Commercial parking lot cleaners are. From retail parking lots to school parking lots, a team of professionals are hired to come in the night to remove stains from the cement and push dirt and liter into appropriate waste facilities. The job may seem easy, and in many ways it is, but there are other important factors you need to know.

Identification

Parking lot cleaning businesses perform a series of duties including, but not limited to, sweeping, steam cleaning (e.g. automotive fluid stains) and striping services. Most commercial parking lot cleaning businesses are contracted by property owners, sports team facilities and corporate businesses.

Parking lot cleaning businesses are led by a manager trained in scheduling, operations and commercial maintenance. All crew and personnel are trained according to state-issued waste management guidelines and regulations.

Considerations

Only those parking lot businesses with a municipal contract can maintain sweeping and service equipment on site on a continual basis. This allows owners to save on fuel costs and eliminate commuting times as well. Generally, municipal sweeping contracts also limit the service damage that can occur to a sweeper that is driven to and from various work sites. All equipment is secured on site, allowing the operations manager to better monitor equipment and eliminate delays that would otherwise result from equipment needing to be transported to the work site to complete the job in the event of a mechanical error.

Best Practices

Parking lots should be swept daily if possible, with all waste disposed of properly. Personnel should avoid washing parking lots down with water unless the water is captured and then held in an appropriate location like a sanitary sewer. Adequate signage should be used to deter excess litter and other waste. Also, automotive fluid is considered a hazardous waste and should be cleaned immediately.

Rates

Rates for parking lot cleaning business will vary by geographical area. However, according to the Masco Sweepers website, east coast parking lot cleaning companies can charge around $75 to $100 per hour for general sweeping services. This rate includes the use of mechanical broom machines.

Warning

All parking lot cleaning business require permits and performance bonds. The required permits will vary by state and must be obtained prior to operating the business. Bonds are based upon approval and if a bid or performance bond cannot be obtained, the owner of the commercial parking lot cleaning business will have to cover the cost of the bond through company funds.

Resources

• How To Advertise Your Parking Lot Cleaning Business