Litter Vacuum

[Main Street Carwash]

Any of you guys use a litter vac to pick up trash around your wash? I am contemplating buying one, like a Billy Goat or something similar or maybe even a handheld blower/vac. Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm tired of spending the time it takes to pick up all those little pieces of trash on the lots at my carwashes.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I've been using handheld blowers for 30+ years. They are much more efficient and do a much better job than brooming. I have one at every wash and they get used practically every day. If you're vacs are at the bay entrance, cleanup is a breeze. Any significant trash is swept up with the broom and dustpan, then the blower is fired up to blow the "grit" in the bays before washing them down. If the vacs are located near the edge the grit is just blown into the grass. I had a Billy Goat for a while, but it wasn't as useful in my application and took up too much room in the eq. room so I got rid of it.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

Yes, I use a blower to blow the dirt and dust off of the pavement and it works well but I was looking for an easy way to pick up small pieces of litter from pavement and grass. I agree that the Billy Goat is probably too big to deal with so I think I may try a handheld blower/vac to see if it will suck up the litter. I just don't know if the impeller will hold up. Really its mostly the grass that is a pain to clean up.

 

[Randy]

Once upon a time I had a Billy Goat parking lot vacuum. It was a pain to maintain and use. Like I.B. Washincars's siad it took up to much room in the equipment room. Now I use a corn lobby broom https://www.webstaurantstore.com/rubbermaid-fg637300brn-commercial-lobby-broom-100-corn/6906373.html, Rubbermaid dust pan https://www.webstaurantstore.com/ru...bby-pro-plastic-upright-dust-pan/6902531.html and a Stihl BG50 blower. https://pages.stihldealer.net/blowe...VgWx-Ch2iFQh1EAAYASAAEgKrBPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Greg Pack]

I have a billy goat and a blower. Both have their purpose. I feel like if I get the blower out I'm going to use it for a minimum of twenty minutes and blow the entire lot. The Billy goat is used almost daily because you can use it with other customers nearby for just a couple of minutes at a time. Its best for spot cleaning on the lot, not overall cleaning. I use it mostly in the immediate area of the vacuums. It's great for leaves, pine straw, mulch, etc. It'll vacuum up cans or plastic bottles no problem. It really shines in cleanup after someone washes their truck bed out. The billy goat has a Honda engine and has worked for ten years with nearly no issues. However, If I had to pick only one tool it would have to be a blower.

 

[MEP001]

If I didn't get my ass behind a pushbroom every day I wouldn't get any real exercise. I clean around the front vac islands every day, takes maybe 5 minutes, then I pick up the piles of stuff with a big dustbin and broom.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quickie-14-in-Jumbo-Debris-Dust-Pan-49510/202523588

 

[JMMUSTANG]

If I didn't get my ass behind a pushbroom every day I wouldn't get any real exercise. I clean around the front vac islands every day, takes maybe 5 minutes, then I pick up the piles of stuff with a big dustbin and broom.

That’s some major exercising
Was this followed by a 10 minute coffee break?

 

[MEP001]

Yeah, a hot cup of coffee after working in the sun on a 100° day is just what I need.

Seriously though, I'd run the pushbroom more but my back is too messed up. I wash the whole lot down about once a week so a quick sweeping is really all it needs in between.