Jennifer Trudel has lived in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area since 1996. While serving the community as a pharmacist in Tampa, she dreamed of one day owning her own business.
When the stress of her job pushed her to consider early retirement, she started researching what to do next. An acquaintance in another part of Florida raved about Jennifer’s sparkling clean trash bins on social media, and Jennifer recognized the opportunity to bring an innovative business that would be totally new to Wesley Chapel — and the perfect fit for her admitted neat-freak personality.
That’s when Jennifer launched Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning, a service that comes to your home as often as you desire — from just four times per year up to once a month — to make sure the trash and recycling bins you drag back into your garage aren’t stinky and nasty, but immaculately clean and smelling fresh.
It all happens with Jennifer’s custom-designed truck, which was delivered to her last December, allowing her to begin serving clients since January of this year.
One of her first customers was Joshua Green, who lives in Seven Oaks.
“I saw an ad and thought it seemed like a really good idea,” he says. “Our trash cans are always in the garage and smelling. It’s gross and no one wants to deal with it.”
He says he figured, “Why not try it? Let’s get them cleaned.”
The results? “They’re nice and clean and look brand new,” Joshua says.
The Process
Scrub-A-Dub’s customers leave their bin out on trash day, after the truck has picked up their trash and/or recycling. That’s when Jennifer comes by, opens the bin and uses a grabber to pull out any trash left behind, then loads the bins into her truck, and the “magic” begins.
The bins are raised above the truck and centered around a head that spins and blasts 190-degree water. “It’s basically a high-pressure power wash that lasts about 30 seconds,” explains Jennifer.
For an initial cleaning, Jennifer then uses a scrub brush and biodegradable degreaser to clean the inside of the bin, then runs it through the truck again.
She pressure sprays the outside of the lid, wipes the handles and the inside and outside of the lid — anywhere your hand might touch. Then, she says the bin no longer smells, but she wants it to smell good, so she adds a deodorizer, then wipes out any excess water.
“It’s overkill, but I do it because I’m a type-A person,” she laughs. “I want the bin to look beautiful, and want every customer to be wowed.”
Jennifer says some people might say, “It’s a garbage can. It’s supposed to be dirty,” and she says she can understand that. But, she counters, “Who wants to deal with a nasty garbage can? There’s a concern about germs, too.”
Environmentally Friendly, Too?
Jennifer explains that Scrub-A-Dub bin cleaning is not only easier on you, it’s also better for the environment.
All of the cleaners that Jennifer uses —including degreaser, disinfectant and deodorizer — are biodegradable.
“Let’s say you use vinegar; that doesn’t kill bacteria,” she explains. “Bleach kills bacteria but it’s super toxic and bad for the lakes and ponds.”
With Scrub-A-Dub, all water for cleaning comes from a 525-gallon tank inside the truck, filled with fresh water. It’s heated to a temperature much higher than you would use in your home.
The dirty water that is rinsed out of the inside of the bins goes into the truck and is disposed of according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.
Getting Started
To sign up, go online to ScrubADubBins.com. You pay an annual fee up front, based on how often you want your bins cleaned and whether you have one or two bins. Prices start at just $55 for the year. Jennifer generally schedules your initial cleaning within one week of signing up. One-time cleanings also are available.
She emphasizes that there are no contracts and you can stop your service at any time. If you move or change your mind about the service, she will prorate your refund.
“I haven’t had to do that yet,” she says, because so far, she says, her customers have been thrilled with their service. “People pay for all kind of things, like mowing the grass or pulling weeds,” Jennifer’s client Joshua says. “It’s just stuff we honestly don’t want to do, and I think it’s worth it.”
He adds that the service has been easy, and not something he has had to think about. “She comes on trash day when the bins are already out there, so it’s not like I have to do anything extra.”
Jennifer sends a reminder text the day before, giving customers the opportunity to confirm their appointment or to let her know if they need to postpone their service due to going out of town or for any other reason.
Not Just A Job
“This is not a job for me,” says Jennifer, “it’s my life.”
She says that while she always loved serving her community as a pharmacist, being a business owner is different.
“I moved to Cross Creek in 1996 and then to Seven Oaks in 2003. I feel connected to the area and I’ve seen it explode. Now, I feel more a part of the community.”
As a pharmacist, she says she used to sit in a room all day and, at the end of the day, she would leave the same four walls and experience the shock of being outside for the first time each day.
Now, she says she loves driving around Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, meeting people at their homes, and she especially loves driving the truck. “It’s so fun!” she beams.
Jennifer’s husband Jeff now helps her with the business, while also working for a pharmaceutical company. Their grown children are now 26, 21, 19 and 18.
As she works to build her four-month-old business, her online customer reviews are already sky-high. Every one of her Facebook and Google reviews are 5 stars (out of 5), such as Andrea DeNoble-Cormier’s review on Facebook:
“Unique service – one you don’t realize you need until you start using it. Excellent, personalized customer service!”
Jennifer’s goal now is to build her business. “I just want to get the word out,” she says, and has done so by joining the North Tampa Bay Chamber, attending and even taking sponsor/exhibitor booths at community events like the Taste of New Tampa and the Fresh Market at the Shops at Wiregrass, and advertising in the Neighborhood News.
“It’s a personal service,” she says. “It’s not just some company that cleans your bins; it’s Jennifer from Scrub-A-Dub.”
To sign up for Scrub-A-Dub Bin Cleaning or for more information, visit ScrubADubBins.com. You can also call Scrub-A-Dub at its toll-free number, (844) 727-8229, or 844-SCRUBBY.
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