Steam Cleaning is poised to change Northwest Ohio

The days of washing the car with detergent and chemicals is over. Goodwill Industries, through their Contracts department, is starting a steam cleaning business. Mark Downing, who has years of OSHA certified experience with hydrotechnology, will be leading the endeavor to rid Toledo of harmful chemicals when cleaning vehicles.

Run off from washing a car contains detergents, oils, metals and solvents. This run off travels through drains, sewers and other means into creeks, streams and rivers, eventually contaminating Maumee Bay and Lake Erie. Goodwill’s steam cleaner uses no chemicals, detergents or solvents. All the cleaning is accomplished by steam power.

In 2011, the Anderson’s Fund helped finance the steam clean project, called Eco-Wash, with a $20,000 grant to purchase a vehicle so the steam cleaner can be mobile. Thayer Ford helped also by donating $4,900 to the project.

Mark, who has been cleaning cars, vans and trucks at Goodwill for the past few weeks, says the steam cleaner is efficient and more effective than traditional methods of washing. The cleaner, an Optima Steamer DM, holds five gallons of tap water. The diesel engine generates steam power for up to 10 hours. There is no run off or other chemicals used. Mark says the machine works great
on any vehicle and is safe on the upholstery and even leather.

Ray Byers, who had his car washed, said, “Wow! Sparkling clean and the wheels have never looked so good!” Mark’s work was impressively thorough, he even cleaned the door panels and under the seats.

Mark will be with the Goodwill booth at the Glass City Marathon Fitness Expo on Saturday, April 21. He will be handing out information on the steam cleaning project and answering questions. The Expo will be at Savage Arena on the campus of the University of Toledo. And he will be at Goodwill’s14th Annual Golf Classic on Monday, May 21 at the Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green, cleaning golfers’ vehicles.

The steam cleaning was designed to be mobile from its conception. The van used to transport the Optima Steamer also holds extra water, diesel for the machine and a generator to power the shop vac. Ideally, Mark and the steamer will be mobile across Lucas and Wood counties cleaning privately owned vehicles as well as public cars and vans. The machine also works very well cleaning solar panels and can be used at any of the many arrays around the area.

For those who would like to come downtown to the Goodwill building to have their car washed, please call Julie Roloff at 419-255-0070 to set up an appointment. Appointments can be made Monday through Friday 9am until 4pm. A car wash cost $10, $15 for SUV’s, vans and trucks. If the inside is also cleaned, the cost is $20 for cars and $30 for the larger vehicles. Read More News