Pressure washing has been good to Michael thus far. Steamaway’s revenues paid his school tuition and living expenses, his first home and vehicles. A recognized leader in the industry, Michael is a well-respected power wash instructor and has served as the President for a non-profit trade association, Power Washers of North America (PWNA).

  Steamaway Mobile Power Washing specializes in fleet washing and kitchen exhaust cleaning, with the work divided approximately 70 percent and 30 percent respectively. For truck washing Michael prefers a hot water pressure washer operating between 2,000 and 3,000 psi at 5 gallons per minute. He uses detergent purchased from Delco Cleaning Systems of Fort Worth to make the cleaning process more efficient.

  For many years truck washing was the heart of Steamaway’s business. In recent years, however, the company has branched into commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning. “It’s a whole different business,” remarked Michael. It took the better part of a year for Steamaway Mobile Power Wash to implement systems and make their kitchen exhaust division run as efficiently as Michael had first envisioned. “When all of the work is performed late at night and you are dealing with sensitive mechanical systems there is a lot to balance. Thanks to advice from colleagues in PWNA like Daryl Mirza and a few others, we were able to master the balancing act and now look forward to expanding our restaurant customer base,” Michael said.

  Steamaway occasionally takes on projects to clean factories, plants and building exteriors. According to Michael, one of their largest and most challenging projects was cleaning the exterior of a seven-story building. Although he enjoyed the challenge, Michael says he will probably shy away from bidding high-rise cleaning in the future and leave the work to those who specialize in it.

  Michael’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington has been a tremendous asset to Steamaway Mobile Power Wash. His studies also included a number of business courses. According to Michael, “the biggest mistake I see in the industry is when new companies are started by people who don’t seek management training. Knowing how to manage time, money, and employees is crucial to business success.” Not surprisingly, Michael’s role as an instructor in Delco’s Mobile Power Washing School includes training in bookkeeping and business management. He also teaches fleet washing techniques and marketing. Showing contractors how to obtain new accounts is one of his specialties.

  Steamaway Mobile Power Wash led the charge into the environmental power washing arena in the early 1990s. Michael was the first contract cleaner in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex to get certified for Correct Environmental Washing Procedures. He was also the first mobile washer to obtain a Sanitary Sewer Discharge Permit. Although the industry has advanced on environmental issues, Michael says that demand for environmental power washing has declined in recent years. All the same, Steamaway is equipped to perform zero discharge power washing upon request.