As spring settled in, it seemed as though winter didn’t want to release its grip as cooler weather prevailed in much of the country. In April, snow and sleet drifted into some of the northern reaches of my home base in Georgia … yikes! At this writing, May brought cooler weather as well, but hey – now, it’s June! Get out the pool noodles, inflatable rafts, beverage holders and SPF! Let’s grab some recreation time!
There are two fundamental reasons why tanners “jump ship”: their tanning results are sub-par, and the facility is DIRTY. End of story.
Yep, after toiling long hours at the salon (or salons), you and your crew may need some R&R. But first, let’s gather the cleaning supplies, vacuums and rags and get the salon back into top shape.
As the thousands of salon operators who have completed Sun is Life® Training & Certification know, Step One in any type of internal sunbed maintenance procedure is to cut the power to the unit at the circuit breaker. It doesn’t suffice to simply have the bed or booth in the “off” position. Yours Truly can attest to this after a personally “shocking” experience due to NOT killing the power at the circuit breaker!
The Sun is Life Training module entitled “A Little Dirty Talk” suggests that sunbed (or booth) acrylic shields be removed and the lamp surfaces wiped clean after every 100 hours of use. At the 250-hour mark, the lamps should be removed from the system, wiped with a soft cloth and glass cleaner (they are glass, after all) and the acrylic shields’ interior surfaces wiped and polished (there are products made for acrylic maintenance). Most sunbed accessories suppliers can point you in the right direction for purchasing these specific supplies.
Next, take advantage of your access to the bed’s (or booth’s) interior surfaces and gently vacuum the unit’s reflective surfaces (the brush attachment of the vac is great for this). As always, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for removing, cleaning and replacing the acrylic shields; they may also include specific steps on cleaning the unit’s internal components.
Step Three: Using a non-abrasive solution, wipe the unit’s exterior clean. You’d be surprised (or maybe not?) at the amount of dirt and grime that has accumulated! That gunk will eventually end up inside the unit’s cooling fans … that’s another issue, entirely. (Again, you need SIL Training.)
Tanning systems aside, the remainder of the salon should be in pretty good shape … as long as you have implemented solid overall cleaning on a scheduled basis (also a Sun is Life subject!).
Throughout the summer months, you can schedule other cosmetic improvements. A fresh coat of paint can really add some “pop” to your decor. Be sure to consult your team – they could have some great ideas!
As the pandemic ebbed back and forth over the last two years, many salon operators clearly had to step up their sanitization games. (Not a bad practice to continue). During the Sun Is Life classroom training, I always encourage striving to be the cleanest salon in your market. Resist raising your session rates simply because the competition does. Raise your level of service and cleanliness, instead. There are two fundamental reasons why tanners “jump ship”: their tanning results are sub-par and/or the facility is DIRTY. End of story.
Get more facts about professional salon operation and level-up your game with Sun is Life Training today!
