The Beginning. The Dumpster Bath story is slightly different than most trash can and dumpster cleaning services and begins in June 2014 when I was appointed General Manager of a small trash service hauling location in Louisiana. When one assumes these duties, it is customary to walk the hauling yard making casual observations of a multitude of things like looking at the condition of the truck fleet, checking the cleanliness of the yard, watching how employees interact, ensure drivers are conducting their post-operation maintenance inspections and to confirm that they are they wearing their safety gear. This list  is endless.

The Problem. During this particular walk, I did notice the very obvious trash can cleaning pile, a typical sight in any trash company hauling yard. This pile is merely a result of the multitude of trash cans collected from previous customer locations, brought back to the yard, and awaiting cleaning for redelivery to newly signed customers. This pile consisted of approximately 100+ dirty trash cans. The “cleaning process” typically consists of one or two individuals we simply call  “cart washers” who are equipped with a 3 gallon per minute (GPM), 1200 pounds per square inch (psi) cold water pressure washer, a long-handled brush, and a lot of bleach. These individuals are usually found soaking wet, water puddles and spray everywhere, loose trash residual blowing in the wind, a lot of cursing, and much complaining about the smell; that horrible smell!

This cleaning process is rudimentary at best, holding the can with one hand and spraying with the other. At this point in my observation I realized that there had to be a more efficient way to clean a dirty trashcan. I began my research and found that there were several options available – but unfortunately, my “solution” to purchase the stand-alone equipment available on the market was deemed an “unnecessary expense” by the “decision-makers” so we simply made small acceptable adjustments to our primitive processes to make it a little easier for the can washers – but the inefficient cleaning methods remained.

The Idea. Over the next several years I moved to different positions with various waste companies and I realized that each location had the same issue – no efficient way to clean the dirty trash cans or dumpsters. By now I had taken it a step further and wondered if there was a plausible market for this type of service. Could residential homeowners and commercial business owners utilize a cleaning service for their cans and dumpsters?

My market analysis also revealed that homeowners often complained of the stench and commercial business owners complained not only of the smell but of the unsanitary condition of the pad in which their dumpster rested upon. I remember contemplating all the things that needed a good cleaning. The one thing that always stuck in my mind were trash cans…disgusting trash cans! Why is it so difficult to clean residential trash cans? One thing was evident. Both market segments stated that they would utilize a service like this if it were available.

I also found that numerous neighborhoods managed by Homeowner Associations make it a point to keep their cans inside their garage, which keeps them out of sight, but definitely not out of mind! A major problem occurs when temperatures heat up during the hottest days of summer (June, July & August) and the stench takes over the garage. Not to mention what’s growing on the inside! They are disgusting to open for frequent trash disposal and incredibly hard to sanitize by hand. I knew there had to be a better way than using a garden hose and a gallon of bleach! This idea was also the solution for the waste hauler.

The Solution. Since June 2014, life has brought me through many positions within the waste industry, but eventually, I came back to my trash can and dumpster cleaning idea. Finally, in September 2020, after dealing with the unfortunate loss of my wife of 37 years, I resigned from my position as District Manager in Clarksville, TN. Along with my partner Mike Welker, a lifelong local resident of Clarksville and a 15-year veteran of the solid waste industry, we continued to assess our potential market and put years of waste industry experience together to offer an efficient and affordable trash can and dumpster cleaning solution. Dumpster Bath was born.

Mike and I both believe bacteria-free trash bins make our communities cleaner. We saw the need and did not stop our planning until we found a solution that allowed cleaning and sanitation options for the multitude of our market possiblities. This belief cannot be understated while we remain in the middle of a seamingly everlasting Covid-19 pandemic where sanitation of the many things we all touch is so important. We believe something as simple as a trash can and dumpster cleaning service can reduce or eliminate the spread of this terrible virus and ultimately make life easier for our potential customers. And, simply put, we believe our trash  cans and dumpsters finally deserve to smell better!

Our Company. Dumpster Bath, LLC is a local Clarksville, TN based veteran owned and operated professional service company that offers eco-friendly residential and commercial power washing services in Clarksville, TN; Dickson, TN, and the Nashville, TN and surrounding areas. We do it with a niche twist: we clean and sanitize trashcans and dumpsters to eliminate harmful bacteria, combat bad odors, eliminate maggots, parasitic breeding grounds, and wild animals, mitigate employee slip, trip and falls, and boost curb appeal. Our team of ex-solid waste and PWNA certified pressure washing industry professionals are committed to a healthy and clean environment and have designed our service offerings to tend to a multitude of often-unattended residential, commercial and industrial cleaning situations.