Keeping your gas station’s exterior clean is no easy task.
With the constant traffic, oil stains, gum, trash, and so on there is never a shortage of mess to clean up if you own a gas station or manage one. In fact, in a lot of instances, when you arrive at a fueling station or convenience store that has a squeaky clean exterior – you most likely take note.
That is our goal for your gas station – teach you how to go about keeping the exterior clean and spotless for customers. Today, we will cover the top methods and approaches for gas station cleaning and pressure washing and how our services can help.
✅ See More: Commercial Exterior Cleaning
Exterior Gas Station Cleaning 101
There are a few elements of exterior gas station cleaning you will want to address in your monthly, semi-annual, or annual cleaning plan:
- The gas pump concrete pads and the areas around your pumps
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Curb and gutter line
- The awnings of your doors and covering pumps
- Gum and oil stains located on hard surfaces
- Dumpster pads
Most of your issues as it pertains to keeping the exterior of a gas station or convenience store clean stem from three main culprits – oil and fuel stains, and gum removal. Just staying ahead on these items can give your gas station a feeling of cleanliness that will set it apart from your competitors.
See below the different exterior cleaning options for your gas station(s)!
Gas Station Power Washing & Pressure Washing
Most gas stations include the area where you refuel your vehicle and the small convenience store to purchase snacks.
The employees at these gas stations and stores are not usually equipped to maintain the exterior of the building and hard surfaces outside of changing the trash and keeping clutter down. Addressing matters such as oil stains and buildup
Gas Station Concrete Pads
Concrete cleaning is challenging as stains can easily show and these tough stains are difficult to clean without the help of surface cleaners and pressure washing.
Hot water from a power washer is necessary to help get those tough spots and stains up, especially at a gas station and around a gas pump where oil/grease/fuel stains are more frequent.
Knowing which chemicals and the right solution to use to properly clean these areas is why many companies will use a professional exterior power washing company to complete this type of work.
Canopy & Building Washing
Canopy cleaning and building washing can mean a few different things regarding the surface type. Usually, this refers to the area that houses the convenience store location. While these do not to be addressed as often as the hard surfaces where stains collect, maintaining the building’s exterior condition is vital.
For more information on how power/pressure washing works, be sure to read this article here which outlines the difference.
Awnings
The awnings and covers over gas pumps or over the entrance doors are great for protecting patrons from rain and weather, but they are a sight for sore eyes if they’re dirty and collecting black stains.
Every awning is made of a different material which means the approach to cleaning it may vary from a soft wash to using the right detergent cleaner. Similar to roof cleaning, you have to use the correct approach to prevent damage!
Walkways & Sidewalks
Walkways with gum, grease, and stains are not a great sight. Many gas stations and convenience stores don’t do a great job of keeping these areas clean. Learn more about commercial walkway cleaning here!
Curb & Gutter Lines
The area between your street/parking lot and the curb is called the gutter line which is where water and debris are caught to be displaced. This also happens to be a spot that houses a ton of buildup, junk, and germs.
Picking up trash in a parking lot helps, however keeping these areas clean is vital as they can often be areas that attract rodents, bacteria, and disease. A lot of nasty things accumulate in a curb gutter line.
Using the appropriate surface cleaner and water temperature is key to keeping these areas clean, often requiring a professional power washing company.
Dumpster Pad Cleaning
Dumpsters are such an eyesore as we all know. Most gas stations have gone with a contained area specifically for their locations dumpsters and this gives the appearance of cleanliness.
However, routine pressure washing of the dumpster pad and the block walls around a dumpster when applicable is essential to help rid the area of debris. Dumpsters contain every type of trash and when the bags leak it can create a mess for the area around the dumpster.
Convenience Store Exterior Pressure Washing
In some cases, you might be the owner or manager of a convenience store without a gas station. That is fine, you won’t have to worry about the oil and gas stains as much, but you will need to address other areas like the gum on the sidewalks and such.
Regardless, all of the above gas station cleaning services from above are applicable to your convenience stores. In most cases, renting a power washer isn’t practical but instead hiring a professional pressure washer to come every 60-90 days is highly recommended.
Using a monthly or every month pressure washing service to keep the exterior of your facility clean is smart. Staying on top of your convenience store’s cleaning needs outside needs to come in a precise and timely manner, which is key to cleaning!
Lastly, don’t forget to keep the glass clean using the right glass cleaner and approach. Most commercial stores use a monthly glass cleaning package.
The Verdict –
At the end of the day gas stations that have:
- Clean gas pumps
- Kept garbage cans
- Clean asphalt and concrete
- Grease stains that are removed quickly
- A general appearance of “Clean”
Perform the best.
Just recently I overheard a friend sharing how a particular gas station chain in Virginia not only had the best food and gas prices, but his last comment is what stood out the most.
“They are always super clean!”
While the inside matters, so does the outside. So make sure your exterior gas station power washing is done routinely to save and make more money!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to pressure wash a gas station?
Most pressure washing companies will charge by square feet or by time. Either way, the general cost will vary depending on the size and scope of the project, and most pressure washing services will start at $250 and go up from there. To get a complete guide on pressure washing prices, read this article here.
Can you pressure wash a gas pump?
Pressure washing surfaces that are potentially hazardous like a gas pump means you want to use extreme caution and the right PSI. Making use of surfactants and soaps first can assist the cleaning of a gas pump followed by washing off the surface.