When we tell people that each ZippGo box can be reused more than 500 times, the first reaction we get after “wow, thats totally cool” is “how do you clean them?” Well, I decided it was time to write a blog post about our box cleaning methods and what we use to clean them. Two things motivated me to want to write this post. First, I think its important that people know the plastic moving boxes they receive from ZippGo are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before they are delivered and second I am really excited about sharing the cleaning product we use to do the cleaning. Its one of the coolest and most eco-friendly product innovations I’ve seen in a long time. The idea is so simple and pure genius at the same time. Consumer adoption of this product will significantly reduce the waste created from all those plastic cleaning bottles millions of Americans use each day.
Most cleaners are made up of 10% concentrate and 90% water so you are basically paying for lots of water each time you buy one of these cleaners. Additionally, because these bottles are full of water, they weigh more, increasing the amount of gas used while the product is being trucked in from the factory and ultimately increasing the negative impact on the planet. To make environmental matters worse, every time one of these cleaners in a plastic bottle runs out most people throw it away and go buy another bottle. Well, there is a solution.
Replenish solves this problem with an innovative yet simple solution. Replenish has created a reusable cleaning bottle system. First you buy a specially designed Replenish plastic bottle and pods full of concentrated Replenish cleaner. 
You attach the Replenish pod to the bottle, add water from your tap to the bottle, flip the bottle over, squeeze the pod once until a few drops of concentrate come out, and then shake to mix. Thats all. You now have a full bottle of Replenish cleaner that is earth friendly and yet two times as powerful as most cleaners. When this bottle runs out, you simple add water again, squeeze the pod, and mix. Voila! Another full bottle of cleaner. You can do this 4 times with each pod. When the pod runs out, you simply pop in another pod and you’ve got 4 more bottles of environmentally friendly cleaner. Each of the replacement pods cost about $4 so your cost per bottle is around $1. Much cheaper than buying a new bottle each time you run out.
After we pickup the ZippGo boxes from our customers and get them back to our warehouse, we place all the dirty boxes in a special area of our warehouse to separate them from the clean ones. Most of our boxes are used by clients to pack clothes, kitchen items, and books so more often than not they are returned to us without much dirt or debris. Regardless of how they are returned to us, each ZippGo box goes through the same rigorous cleaning process to ensure every box is dirt and bacteria free before it is delivered to our next customer.
The first step in our cleaning process is to remove any small debris left in the box or any dust caught in corners using high pressure air. After the high pressure air, we do a visual inspection and remove any labels placed on the box. The last step is when we use Replenish to sanitize the box and remove any dirt or stains. We take box cleaning very seriously so our ZippGo plastic moving boxes look new each time they go out to a client.
If you’ve used cardboard boxes in the past to pack then you know they can hold lots of dirt, bacteria, and moisture. This is especially true if you are reusing someone else’s cardboard boxes, get them from a grocery store, or dumpster dive in the back. When you’re packing all your precious items like clothes, blankets, and kitchenware you want to make sure they go into a box which is ultra clean. Next time you move, call ZippGo and not only will your belongings stay clean, but your move will end up being faster, cheaper, and much simpler. We bring our reusable moving boxes directly to your door and pick them up after you’ve unpacked at your new place. No more building boxes, no more tape, and no more clean up.