Or it shouldn’t be! At the very least, it should be taken out of your vocabulary. All too often you may be asked to clean fabric items that you don’t have the ability to handle and, more than likely, you’ll take the easy way out and say “No, I can’t do it”. But a true professional never says no, they will either find a way to get it taken care of for the customer, or they will buy the equipment to handle it themselves. How often while you’re cleaning blinds, do you get asked to clean fabrics that are beyond your current capabilities? How often are you asked if you know of someone who can clean upholstery? How often are you disappointing your customers? Many of you who clean blinds ultrasonically (or use other methods) are currently in this position of saying “No” and there’s no reason for it.

There are many things today that are in your customer's home that can’t be cleaned with water-based cleaning methods, and they also can’t be removed for cleaning. The system has the ability to wet clean as well as dry clean, and due to the type of processing and chemicals used a guarantee against shrinkage or damage, can be made to the customer.

Just think, now you have the ability to be a full-service window treatment cleaning professional.  Instead of limiting yourself to what you currently have the ability to do, you will diversify your company and be able to satisfy the needs of your customers. Just think about all the oddball things that may be in the home or office that other cleaning professionals refuse, like stuffed animals and antique wall hangings. And don’t forget about all the fabrics in those office buildings, like the task chairs and fabric office partitions, which have a tendency to catch a lot of dirt and other contaminants that contribute to poor indoor air quality. You pretty much can clean anything made of fabric.  When you have the ability to clean items that others refuse, you have become a very important cleaning professional to that consumer. This also translates into a new profit center—cleaning high-end fabrics that have greater profit potential.

In my 30-plus years in service-related businesses, I’ve learned that doing quality work and making a guarantee will go a long way to putting you in the forefront of your industry.  Don’t say “No” to your customer, say “Yes” with an On-Site Cleaning system.

(When this article was written Jeff Berkowitz was VP of Research & Development for the On-Site Corp. and had owned and operated drycleaning and drapery cleaning businesses for 30 years. Though in 2021 Jeff passed the torch for the teaching of the On-Site classes to the Blind Cleaners Network with his Certified OnSite Fabricare Specialist class his words are still relevant today.) 

Now you have the ability to add a valuable and profitable service to your mix that is a wonderful compliment to the services that you already provide - On-Site Drapery and Window treatment cleaning! With an On-Site portable cleaning system, you will have the ability to clean anything made of fabric while hanging in the window.  Not only can you clean fabric window coverings, but you also have the ability to clean upholstery, as well as apply fabric protectant and flame retardants.  Best of all, you can make a guarantee against shrinkage or damage, which cleaning methods may not!