1. Learn about the Countless Opportunities
The better steamers on the market can open up your cleaning business to other areas like bed bug treatments. Bed bugs continue to present problems for hotels and other related businesses. Using steamers to kill bed bugs is an effective and needed solution. Expanding your business to include this and other related services can help you grow.
2. The Hotel Market and Opportunities
According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, there are over 54,000 hotels and over 5 million hotel rooms in the United States. [1] Most hotels have their own cleaning staff. Many hotels do not have what could be categorized as “deep cleaning” capabilities. A professional steam cleaning business can easily expand to steam cleaning hotels. Many hotels may want to preschedule cleaning services at regular intervals.
Your steam cleaning business could set up a schedule to steam clean the hotel rooms and common areas on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. This can create a reoccurring source of revenue and also open up opportunities for steam cleaner bed bug extermination and mitigation.
3. Why Steamers Work and the Needed Service
3.1 Steam Cleaners as the Ideal Tool
Bed bugs develop in many stages. They can reproduce and thrive if not treated as quickly as possible. The challenge when attempting to eradicate bed bugs is that they are mostly out of sight. They burrow and hide in the fabric surfaces, seams and edges of mattresses, box springs, pillows and bedding. They can also live in the carpeting and window coverings. When used properly, the right steamer can kill bed bug eggs, nymphs and the mature adults.
It is the heat of the steam that will kill bed bugs. Bed bugs enjoy living in temperatures between 70° to 80°F. When they are exposed to temperatures between 160° to 180°F, it becomes lethal to them. The steam will penetrate the surface and raise the temperature up to 3/4 inches deep in the fabric. It will also go deeper where the bed frame meets the box springs to terminate the pesty creatures and their eggs.
A steam cleaner designed for carpet cleaning will not do the job. These basic level steamers do not produce steam at high enough temperatures to kill bed bugs. Fortador has a full line of commercial-grade steamers that produce steam at the right temperatures and the right pressures to do the job. Fortador steamers deliver steam at less than 5% moisture. This allows for effective steam penetration and quick drying. This is important to hotel managers.
When a hotel calls a cleaning service business to take care of a bed bug problem, they want it done quickly. They also want the hotel bed bug problem done completely right the first time. If you have a commercial-grade steamer from Fortador, you can feel confident. We can easily show you the recommended nozzles, settings and ends for the job.
3.2 Technique
We can share the techniques necessary to eliminate bed bugs from the hotel room. The following are the basic instructions, but contact us so we can share more with you. A triangle nozzle often works best. Start with the largest size and work down to the smallest. You can effectively deliver steam to the surfaces and direct steam to the corners.
Slowly passing over the bed and surrounding areas lets the steam penetrate and raises the temperature to kill the bed bugs. We recommend repeating the process one to two times to ensure every area is complete. Taking the time to repeat the process, and get it done right, can lead to customer referrals.
4. Hotel Cleaning Departments
If you are a hotel owner or in charge of hotel cleaning, you can consider purchasing a commercial steam cleaner for internal usage. With the right steamer, the cost of ownership and maintenance can be worth the investment. Your cleaning staff would then have increased capabilities to handle all of the cleaning needs of your property. You would also be ready to immediately handle bed bug issues. With proper training, operators can use steamers to kill bed bugs. Below are some things to consider when purchasing a steam cleaner for your hotel.
• The number of rooms
• How often you want the hotel steam cleaned
• Who would be trained to use the steamer
• Maintenance of the steamer
• Durability and recommended duty cycles
• Nozzle choices
• The steam temperature capability of the steamer
• Portability
• The accessories available
• Ease of use and easy to understand controls
• Detergent options and capabilities
• Power source options. Electric is best suited for hotels.
4.1 Additional Types of Businesses that may have Bed Bug Problems
If you become known for effectively taking care of bed bug problems, word can get out and your business could expand. You have the ability to increase the use of your current equipment or potentially add another steamer to meet the demand. Hotels are the biggest opportunity for immediate growth. You have multiple opportunities to provide your steam cleaner bed bug eradication services. Below are a few ideas on other types of businesses that may have bed bug problems that you can take care of.
• Nursing homes
• College dorms
• Apartment buildings
• Correctional facilities
5. Fortador’s Powerful Steamers and Accessories
5.1 The Volt Electra Vapor Steamer for Bed Bug Treatment
Fortador offers a full line of steamers that are ready for any size business and type of job. The 2020 Volt Electra Vapor Steamer has the right design, power and features for this type of work. If you are a hotel owner or cleaning department manager, this steamer could solve your bed bug and other cleaning problems. If you already own a steam cleaning business and want to expand, contact us to discuss your needs and look at this as a potential addition to your equipment.
The Volt Electra has a boiler pressure temperature of up to 370°F. This powerful steamer effectively and consistently delivers steam hot enough to kill the bed bugs. You are prepared and ready with this steamer. Owners appreciate how quickly the Volt heats up in just four to ten minutes. This lets you and your techs get started as quickly as possible while on the job site. The one-gallon water capacity allows you to complete the room.
The case is made of light weight aluminum and the boiler is made of strong carbon steel. This highly engineered and combination of materials allows the steamer to have a net weight of 99 pounds. This allows for easy loading and maneuvering from room to room at a hotel or other building type.
Hotel cleaning staff or steam cleaning business techs will find the Volt Electra easy to control. At the center of the advanced controls is a 7-inch touch screen. Easily monitor water levels, water pump operation, detergent supply and more. Change steam controls with this easily accessible screen. The intuitive operation makes it easy for new operators to learn.
The Volt Electra has the accessories you need for using your steamer for killing bed bugs. You will get various nozzles and hoses for the job. Deep cleaning hotel jobs can also have a need for an extractor. The Volt Electra comes with a commercial-grade extractor so you are prepared for all the demands of hotel cleaning. The vacuum can also be used independently.
The Volt Electra is powered by electricity. You will not be spreading fumes while at the hotel. The relatively quiet operation allows you to operate without disturbing others.
Check our new portable steam cleaner Fortador Volt Mini
6. Open Up the Possibilities for your Business
Hotel guests are demanding the cleanest rooms ever. A commercial-grade steamer from Fortador opens up your business opportunities from basic cleaning, to steam sanitizing and bed bug eradication. Hotel operators want effective and timely service. With a Fortador steamer, you are getting a reliable steamer that will deliver powerful steam at the right temperature and pressure for hotel jobs and more.