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The Biggest Mistakes New Oven Cleaners Make (And How to Avoid Them)
9 Plays1 day ago
Are you making mistakes that are holding your oven cleaning business back before it’s even had a chance to grow?
In this episode of The Oven Cleaning Podcast, Ian shares the biggest mistakes new oven cleaners make — and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
From underpricing and offering discounts to buying the wrong equipment and rushing through cleans, this episode is packed with honest advice and lessons learned from real experience.
Ian explains why trying to be the cheapest rarely works, why proper training matters, and how a quality clean and excellent customer service will always beat clever marketing.
You’ll also learn why reviews become more valuable over time, how repeat customers create predictable income, and why treating your oven cleaning business like a business from day one can make all the difference.
In this episode, we cover:
• Why underpricing can damage your business
• The risks of using harsh caustic products without training
• How to choose the right equipment
• Why a cheap van can become an expensive mistake
• The hidden opportunities in upselling hobs and extractor fans
• Why rushing a clean can cost you more than time
• When to ask for reviews
• How to stay in touch with past customers
• Why branding, systems and consistency matter
Whether you're considering an oven cleaning business, just starting out, or looking to improve an existing operation, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and build a business you're proud of.
Because success in oven cleaning isn't about finding shortcuts.
It's about avoiding expensive mistakes.
To learn more before investing your hard-earned money, visit:
Recommended
Transcript
Pricing and Business Strategy
00:00:19
Speaker
The biggest mistakes new oven cleaners make and how to avoid them. If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice before I cleaned my very first oven, it would be this. Don't underprice yourself.
00:00:31
Speaker
Honestly, if you take one thing away from this episode, let it be that. Because underpricing doesn't just affect your income, it affects your confidence, it affects the quality of your business and ultimately it can determine whether you stay in the industry long enough to succeed.
00:00:46
Speaker
Welcome back to the Oven Cleaning Podcast. I'm Ian. Today we're talking about the biggest mistakes new oven cleaners make. Not because I want to put you off. Quite the opposite. I want to help you avoid the expensive lessons that so many people learn the hard way.
00:01:01
Speaker
Because the truth is, most mistakes in this industry are completely avoidable. I've made plenty myself. I've seen others make them. And if we can save you time, money and frustration, then this episode has done its job.
00:01:12
Speaker
So let's start with the biggest one of all, underpricing. When you're new, it's easy to think that being the cheapest is how you win customers. You lack confidence, you haven't got many reviews, you want the phone to ring, so you lower your prices.
00:01:26
Speaker
And then lower them again. Maybe you offer discounts, maybe you think you'll increase your prices later, but here's the problem. Low prices attract customers who shop on price. And if customers book you because you're the cheapest, they'll leave you the moment someone cheaper comes along.
00:01:40
Speaker
You work hard in this business. It's a manual job. You deserve to earn a good living. So don't race to the bottom. Compete on quality. Compete on trust. Compete on customer experience. Because someone will always be cheaper than you.
00:01:53
Speaker
Always.
Training and Equipment
00:01:54
Speaker
Now, another mistake I see all the time is buying the wrong equipment. and often that's because people skip the training. They jump online, buy whatever looks good and hope for the best.
00:02:03
Speaker
That's an expensive way to learn. I've seen people buy harsh, caustic products from shops without understanding the risks. These products can burn your skin, damage floors, mark kitchen surfaces and create problems for you and your customers.
00:02:17
Speaker
Training matters. Understanding how products work matters. and testing products before buying them in bulk matters. Just because a product works for someone else doesn't mean it'll work for you.
00:02:28
Speaker
Try it, use it, see how it performs, and then invest.
Enhancing Service Quality
00:02:31
Speaker
Another area people often overlook is their van. A cheap van can quickly become an expensive van. If it's constantly in the garage, you're losing money every single day it's off the road.
00:02:42
Speaker
Now if there was one piece of equipment I'd recommend investing in, it's a quality dip tank. A good dip tank makes your life easier. It improves the quality of your cleans and it saves you time.
00:02:53
Speaker
Which means you can focus on delivering a brilliant service. Now let's talk about customer service. Because this is where many new oven cleaners miss opportunities without even realising it. Customers don't always know what services you offer.
00:03:05
Speaker
They might not know you can clean hobs or extractor fans or replacement bulbs. So tell them, not in a pushy way, just let them know. You might be surprised how many customers say, oh, I didn't realise you did that.
00:03:18
Speaker
And suddenly you've increased the value of the booking while genuinely helping the customer. Customer service isn't just about cleaning an oven. It's about communication. It's about trust.
00:03:29
Speaker
It's about making people feel comfortable inviting you into their homes.
Prioritizing Quality over Speed
00:03:33
Speaker
Now here's another mistake. Trying to clean too quickly. I understand the temptation. You want to fit more jobs into your day. You want to increase your earnings.
00:03:41
Speaker
But rushing creates problems. Mistakes happen, parts get broken, things get missed, and customers notice. Even if they don't say anything, if you look rushed, customers might think you're cutting corners.
00:03:53
Speaker
Remember, people aren't paying for speed. They're paying for quality, they're paying for care, and they're paying for peace of mind. The speed comes naturally with experience. Focus on
Building Customer Trust and Loyalty
00:04:03
Speaker
quality first. Now let's talk about reviews, because if you're not asking for reviews, you're missing a huge opportunity.
00:04:09
Speaker
And here's the good news, and it's simple. Ask every happy customer. That's it. Don't overthink it. The best time to ask is within 24 hours of completing the clean process. while the experience is still fresh in their mind, because reviews become more valuable over time.
00:04:24
Speaker
In the beginning, they might not move the needle very much, but eventually they become incredibly powerful. People want reassurance. They want to know they can trust you. And reviews provide that social proof.
00:04:35
Speaker
Another common mistake is forgetting about past customers. People spend so much time chasing new customers that they forget about the people who've already booked them. And honestly, repeat customers are one of the best parts of this business. They're easier, they're more predictable, and they already trust you. I always recommend staying in touch.
00:04:53
Speaker
Reach out around six months after a clean. And then again at 12 months, because life gets busy, people forget, and often they appreciate the reminder. Repeat customers also make your days easier.
00:05:04
Speaker
You know the oven, you know the customer, you know roughly how long the clean will take. With new customers, you never quite know what you're walking into. But with repeat customers, there's much less uncertainty.
Sustainable Business Growth
00:05:16
Speaker
Now let's talk about something bigger, treating this like a business, because that's where the biggest difference lies. Before I even started oven loving, I was thinking about branding. accounts, systems, processes, because I never wanted to build myself a job.
00:05:30
Speaker
I wanted to build a business. And there is a difference. Treating it like a business means staying on top of your accounts. It means marketing consistently. It means creating a recognizable brand. And it means delivering excellent cleans every single time.
00:05:45
Speaker
The oven cleaning itself is only one part of the business. Everything else matters too. Now, one mistake that cost me a lot of money was investing in Facebook ads and Google ads too early. They gave me exposure, but very few bookings.
00:05:59
Speaker
Another mistake that cost me a lot of time, leaflet dropping. Not because leaflets never work, they do for some businesses, but for me they weren't efficient. the reality is not everyone wants an oven clean and not everyone can afford one.
00:06:11
Speaker
So you're putting leaflets through doors without really knowing who's interested. For me, building a recognizable brand and focusing on visibility worked much better. So if I could sum up all these mistakes in one sentence, it would be this.
00:06:22
Speaker
Don't chase shortcuts. Build a proper business. Because success in this industry isn't about finding clever hacks. It's about avoiding expensive mistakes. And if you've just started, remember this.
00:06:34
Speaker
You don't have to know everything. You don't have to get everything right. You just need to keep learning, keep improving. and keep showing up because the oven cleaners who succeed aren't necessarily the most experienced. They're the ones who care the most, the ones who take pride in their work, the ones who build trust and the ones who treat every customer like the start of a long-term relationship because you're not just cleaning ovens, you're building relationships with people who will invite you back into their homes again and again and that's how you build a sustainable business.
Industry Insights and Training
00:07:08
Speaker
If you've been listening to this episode and wondering whether an oven cleaning business could be right for you before you invest thousands of pounds in equipment, training, or a franchise, take a look at the Oven Cleaning Training Academy.
00:07:22
Speaker
We've created practical online training designed to give you a genuine insight into the industry from equipment and products to pricing, marketing, customer service, and the realities of running your own oven cleaning business. No hype,
00:07:36
Speaker
No unrealistic promises, just honest advice from people who do this every day. So if you'd like to explore whether this industry could work for you, visit www.ovencleaningtrainingacademy.co.uk.
00:07:51
Speaker
That's www.ovencleaningtrainingacademy.co.uk. Now let's get back to the episode.
00:08:09
Speaker
Frequently Asked Questions.
Maintenance Recommendations
00:08:11
Speaker
And now it's time for the part of the show we all love to hate, to love the questions everyone's thinking, but not everyone asks. Today's question is, one every oven cleaner gets asked, how often should you have your oven professionally cleaned?
00:08:25
Speaker
And honestly, there isn't a one size fits all answer. It really depends on how often you use your oven. For most households we'd recommend a professional clean every 6 to 12 months. If you're cooking every day, have a large family or love a Sunday roast, you might want to book more regularly if you only use your oven occasionally.
00:08:45
Speaker
Once a year is often enough. The biggest mistake people make is waiting until the oven starts smoking or setting off the fire alarm. By that point the carbon build-up is much heavier, the clean can take longer and the oven may not be working as efficiently as it should.
00:09:00
Speaker
Regular maintenance keeps your oven looking better, smelling fresher and performing at its best. And here's the bonus. Regular customers usually have easier cleans, which means less disruption for them and a more predictable job for the oven cleaner.
00:09:16
Speaker
So if you're wondering whether it's time to book a clean, take a look inside your oven. If you're avoiding opening the door because you know what's waiting for you, it's probably time. And that's this week's Frequently Asked Questions.
00:09:32
Speaker
Thanks for listening. If you've enjoyed today's episode, make sure you follow and subscribe to the Oven Cleaning Podcast. And if you'd like to learn more about the industry before investing your hard-earned money, head over to www.ovencleaningtrainingacademy.co.uk.
00:09:49
Speaker
We'll see you in the next episode.