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Give Your Spa a Fresh Start This Spring

By Lisa Starr

Spring is in the air. Is it in your spa facility? It’s been a long, tough, winter; it’s time to dust out the corners, open the windows, and freshen up the facility for spring business.

We know that spa clients are particularly sensitive to cleanliness in spas, as they should be. Any place that you enter and disrobe in the name of commerce has to be clean and comfortable for the guests. Many spas will organize a blitz-cleaning session several times a year, and the change of seasons is the perfect time. But who is the perfect person? Even if you have a regular cleaning staff or outside service, just like in your home they develop a tendency to gloss over things. It’s not intentional, it’s just human nature that we don’t see particular stains or dirt over a period of time. 

In this instance, it can be most beneficial to hire an outside crew. They may be a company that you use once or twice a year, and so they are not immune to the dirt that has built up over time. If you are open 7 days, it may be necessary to close for a half-day, unless they can work overnight. Although there is something to be said for cleaning in daylight; you just see more of the dirt. The blitz crew will bring in ladders and do ceilings and HVAC vents, they’ll vacuum behind doors, under furniture, clean glass and windows, and get the top shelves of cabinets that are impossible to reach on a regular basis. It will cost a few hundred dollars, but the difference will be noticeable. On the other hand, if you have a staff that is amenable, you could turn it into a team activity, with prizes for the best job. One advantage of this is that they are working there every day and they know where the dirt is.

Beyond cleaning, what can you do to freshen up the look of your spa? It can be fairly easy to make the facility look like it’s had a face-lift without spending a small fortune. A fresh coat of paint makes everything look sharper, but perhaps you’re ready to change the color, or just to add an accent wall of sea blue or pear green, something that is consistent with your look and logo, but provides an unexpected pop of color. New pillows and throws for lounge furniture also freshen things up. A small area rug can even be placed on top of an existing rug, especially commercial-grade carpeting. Replacing a worn-out coffee or end table with a new version is not too expensive. Perhaps a new retail cabinet? Or just adding lighting to the ones that you have. New artwork always makes the spa look refreshed, or even just moving around the art that you have.

World Market, Pier One, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware are good places to scout around for a few inexpensive pieces or accents. OneKingsLane is a great website on the “daily deal” model, but for furniture and accessories. There are numerous web options if you take the time to poke around. What have you done to step into spring in your spa?

About the author:

Lisa Starr Headshot

Lisa Starr

Principal

Wynne Business Consulting

Lisa is a frequent collaborator with Mindbody and the Principal of Wynne Business Consulting & Education, which specializes in spa, wellness, and salon businesses and brands. She has over 35 years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry, spending the last 22 years as a consultant and educator helping wellness businesses optimize their operations while providing exceptional experiences for their guests. Lisa is the Task Force Chair for the Global Wellness Institute’s Consulting Initiative, a Contributing Editor at Spa Business Magazine, a regular contributor to global trade publications, and a highly rated speaker at industry conferences. She also offers live spa management courses both online and around the globe. 

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