After several months of working sunup to sundown at your salon, you’re ready for some downtime, right? Well, almost…
As another Busy Season rolls through your books, it’s time to take a sharp look at your equipment. Staying ahead of your competition can be tough and it may be necessary to retire some of your older tanning systems. But at the very least, you certainly can’t afford not to have all your sunbeds functioning at peak performance during the remainder of the season. While your guests may or may not complain to let you know, some may just simply leave you for the salon down the street.
The condition and appearance of your equipment and your facility is representative of your salon’s overall professionalism. Busy Season is the time to make a strong statement and keep everything looking clean and running smoothly.
Let’s start by assessing each individual tanning room and equipment for visible damage, broken parts, or areas that may have been missed during routine maintenance. Pay particular attention to the sunbed acrylics. Although some shields can last up to 3,000-4,000 hours, estimated life will differ according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Some salon operators choose to wait until a shield cracks and must be replaced; however, shields will solarize as UV passes through them and over time, the solarization will actually block amounts of UV from reaching the tanner. A cracked acrylic shield may also cause your guest a pinch-type injury, so it’s best to stay ahead and invest in replacing any that show cracks. At the least, now is a good time to remove, clean and polish each shield, then remove and wipe down all lamps and the unit’s interior reflective surfaces. Acrylic polish can remove light marks and prevents dust from adhering to the surface. The lamps will transmit UV more efficiently with all dust removed … better tans = happy tanners!
That said, your beds and booths are dust magnets, so it’s important to open them up completely at least twice a year to vacuum away all of the dust and debris that accumulates inside. Note: Before you disassemble any tanning system, turn the power off at the circuit breaker box! Use a voltage meter to confirm that there is no power going to the unit before you start opening panels to access internal components. Make sure to follow the cleaning instructions provided in your equipment manual, or contact the manufacturer’s service department for best cleaning practices. Pay particular attention to the unit’s cooling fans and fan blades; dust accumulation on the blades and vents will cause the fans to work much harder and can result in premature wear, potential heat issues and component failure. Who wants that? So, get in there and clean them thoroughly. You’ve had a lot of “butts in beds” this season – this is a good time to check all nuts, bolts, springs, power cords, connectors and pistons for wear, and replace them as needed.
At mid-season, each tanning room in the salon should undergo a thorough cleaning, as well. Walls, floors, vents and everything a tanner might touch should get a good wipe-down. If you’ve extended your hours of operation to accommodate your guests, these procedures might have to be scheduled as “extra cleaning” on the weekend. You don’t want your new tanners thinking, “Boy, I won’t come back here next spring – it’s filthy!”
Busy Season can also mean added wear and tear on your entire facility. Now is a good time to address any issues in the restrooms (leaky toilets/faucets), or broken washers/dryers, and repair damage to drywall and ceiling tiles. Check the condition of your towel supply – this is a little detail that can really make your salon appear “shabby.” Mid-season is a good time to replace or upgrade them.
Once things settle down a bit, schedule time to clean and replace all commercial-type lighting as needed, and consider painting the rooms to give your decor a much-needed facelift. When your staff sells those new, Busy Season-tanners a membership to carry them into summer, you want them to continue enjoying your top-quality salon … and tell all their friends about it, too.
The condition and appearance of your equipment and your facility is representative of your salon’s overall professionalism. Busy Season is the time to make a strong statement and keep everything looking clean and running smoothly. So, what are you waiting for? Get cleaning!
Salon maintenance is critical to offering a professional tanning experience at your facility. Find more about salon maintenance in the Sun is Life® Training “Lights Out” module. Visit sunislife.com today!
