Happy Friday Daily Groomers!

Winter is coming and nothing slows down a grooming business faster than a van that won’t start, heat, pump water, or keep up with the day’s demand.

Whether you’re running your very first van or managing an entire fleet across multiple markets, a well-maintained mobile grooming rig is the difference between thriving… and canceling clients when you can’t afford to. (Talked to someone today or canceled their week because of a generator issue…)

That’s why we have these convos with mobile groomers and even the manufacturers like Wag’n Tails to release the Mobile Grooming Maintenance Checklist…. the same checklist hundreds of van owners use to keep their rigs running 10+ years.

👇 Download the Free Checklist

🧼 Why Maintenance Matters (Especially in Winter)

Your grooming van isn’t “just a vehicle.”

It’s your salon. Your workstation. Your revenue engine.

Keeping it healthy means:

• No Sudden Breakdowns — Avoid winter no-starts, frozen lines, overheated generators, or electrical failures.

• Lower Repair Costs — Prevent $1,500–$7,000 repairs with simple daily habits.

• Longer Van Life — Many owners get a full decade or more out of their rigs with routine care.

• More Consistency for Clients — A reliable van keeps your schedule full and your reviews 5-stars. (Groomers are showing them off as a value proposition to getting your dog groomed conveniently!)

This checklist helps you stay ahead of problems instead of reacting to them.

📋 What’s Inside the Mobile Grooming Maintenance Checklist

Here’s a preview of what’s included:

1. Morning Routine — Start Your Day Smoothly

• Check generator oil level

• Confirm gas & propane levels (never let gas drop below ½ tank)

• Refill the fresh water tank

• Detach the fresh water fill hose

• Quick visual scan for leaks, drips, or low tire pressure

2. Evening Routine — Put the Van to Bed Right

• Drain & close gray water tank valve

• Vacuum clipper vac, overhead vent screens, furnace return vent (if used)

• Empty shop vac, wastebasket & towel hamper

• Clean air conditioner filters, dryer filter & grooming tools

• For inverter/battery systems: Plug in shore line for overnight charging

• Run distilled vinegar through the sudser

• Flush drains with a splash of bleach to prevent odors

3. Weekly Tasks — Prevent Small Issues From Becoming Big Ones

• Check tire pressure

• Check auxiliary battery charge

• Clean & lubricate grooming hydraulic arm

• Clean Kool Dry filter, AC coils & vent screens

4. Seasonal + Annual Tasks — Protect Your Investment

• Spring: Service air conditioner

• Fall: Service furnace

• Replace water heater anode rod

• Inspect propane system

• Check fire extinguishers & expiration

Keep this routine, and your van will thank you all winter long (and for many years after).

I’ll be honest… I’m not a “van guy.” And most groomers aren’t either. I’ve met hundreds of mobile groomers who crush it with clients and dogs… but freeze up when they’re staring at a generator wondering whether it takes gas or diesel.

When I was up in South Bend talking with the Wag’n Tails team, I kept coming back to the same question: What really happens after you drive your van off the lot?

You’re excited. You’re motivated. You’re ready to build a business.

But once you’re in the day-to-day, the van becomes just as important as the grooming.

And that’s the part no one teaches you so download the resource.

Mobile Grooming Maintenance Checklist

So we asked the people who build these rigs every single day what groomers actually need to know to make their vans last. This checklist is the result. Consider it your roadmap to keeping your business rolling literally all winter long and for years to come.

For the love of vans,

Alex

That’s all folks! Keep calm and groom on 🐶🤘