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brodie
10-04-2014, 04:16 PM
Lawn Hygiene is not something that you hear talked about a lot but I feel is somewhat of an important issue for us as contractors.

The topic was raised by a need client this week. The condition he put on the contract was that we were to arrive at the job with mowers that have been cleaned and free of grass and seed. Now this request is fine by me we have a clean water pressure sprayer on the truck that we clean down equipment with anyhow but it did get me thinking how many people are actually cleaning down equipment and actively trying to reduce the spread of weeds and desease from lawn to lawn.

As a contractor are you taking responsibility for the health of your clients lawns or is it just mow and go and hit the client up for further lawn treatments when problems occur?

This isn't a judgemental bashing of anyone or their business practices but for a realisation that we are responsible for potential spread and how can we as a whole reduce our impact? What methods do you all use? As mentioned we carry a small pressure sprayer for equipment cleaning whats everyone else doing ?

Looking forward to hearing different opinions

courty
10-04-2014, 05:10 PM
I'll do whatever they want IF THEY are willing to PAY :-)

simo
10-04-2014, 05:42 PM
Thats tough not sure anyone would be willing to wash down there mowers every job.. but for a well paying job there could be exemptions...
:thinking I think a blow down with the blower would be enough to rid most weed seeds..But what about all the other equipment and truck and trailer that would harbour seeds and disease and work boots too...
Might have to get a gallon of Dettol :laughing:

Fred's mowing
10-04-2014, 05:53 PM
Its not unreasonable, more just unusual.
As Courty said, as long as he's willing to pay (min a buck/min) for the request, nothing wrong with it.
Although it is possible to transmit diseases, seeds,etc, unless its a very high end lawn, I hardly see the value?
If he is that particular, he probably should be cutting with a cylinder mower, far less chance of infection.
Anyone wash their gear after every cut? I doubt it.
Cheers Fred.

GardeningSolutions
10-04-2014, 05:57 PM
I wash down the scarifyer and mower after each scarifying job and that's about it. I'll blow under the mower before cutting pristine couch lawns. But I haven't really noticed any significant weed transfer on other lawns.

troppo
10-04-2014, 06:07 PM
I do wash under the deck after 2 of my regulars (at their place) where they have Singapore Daisy. You only need the tiniest piece to transfer this to another lawn and it's a real pain to get rid of. Dupont Brushoff will get rid of it, but oh what a pain to mix that stuff. Have tried to get those regulars to let me eradicate it, but they don't want to pay. These regulars will be gonskie one day as soon as I find better regulars.

johnnie5
10-04-2014, 07:32 PM
if people want you to do more than you would normall do then you price it accordingly

if they arent happy with the price then so be it

cylo
10-04-2014, 09:09 PM
Ive heard of clients having their own mowers for contractors to use, which is fair enough. But if the client is that particular about their lawn they want the mower washed then they should have a good weed and feed program in place & if the lawn is healthy and thick then weed seeds wont germinate. I don't get weeds on my lawns at home, no washing mowers before hand just keep the grass healthy.

joeymoey
10-04-2014, 09:46 PM
I wash down gear every two weeks.

I blow down gear with the backpack blower after every job. I've never met a contractor anywhere that washes as frequent as I do.

I just can't see the benefit realistically.

You do 8 lawns a day

15 mins to wash between jobs
2 hours gone =$100-$160 gone
That's a stack of herbicide

PaulG
11-04-2014, 12:45 AM
I keep a few metres of hose in the vehicle and if I've just done a pretty nasty weed infested lawn I'll wash down the mower and catcher before I load it onto the trailer. I always wash down my gear at home any time I have to do lawns for my top clients with really good weed-free lawns. I'd rather do that than spray where I don't really have to.