The history of Ben’s Cleaner Sales in Seattle, WA

Our founder, Ben Meyer, started his company as a cleaning business only, using a steam cleaner he built himself using a high volume Hardie pump and a Clayton boiler.  He was very mechanically inclined and taught himself how to repair his own equipment. Many of Ben’s customers already owned steam cleaners that they used for small jobs, hiring Ben for the major cleaning applications.  Shortly after Ben’s customers learned that he repaired his own equipment, they began asking him to repair theirs as well, and eventually asking to purchase new units through him since he would be repairing them anyways. By 1969, Ben shifted his primary business strategy from his contractor business to strictly selling and servicing equipment.  Soon after, Ben & his wife Doris leased a building and together opened Ben’s Steam Cleaner Sales and Service. Ben’s three sons Gordon, Ron and Jerry, worked for the company on and off throughout high school and college, and eventually full time.  In 1982, they purchased the company from their parents and incorporated the company.  The name of the business was changed slightly from Ben’s Steam Cleaner Sales and Service to Ben’s Cleaner Sales to more accurately reflect what their business entailed. Today, Ben’s Cleaner Sales is one of the largest and oldest full service steam cleaner and pressure washer distributors in the United States.  We sell, service and rent cleaning and commercial equipment as well as chemicals, parts and accessories.  We carry many of the major pressure washer brands including Mi-T-M, Alkota, Whitco, Karcher, HydroTek, BE Pressure and many more. In 1996, Ben passed away at the age of 86.  Sadly later that year, Ron passed away from ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Today, Gordon and Jerry still own and operate Ben’s Cleaner Sales, with the help of Gordon’s wife Bobbie and three children, Russell, Melinda and Christopher, and Jerry’s wife Dee Dee and son Lynn, along with many other valued employees! Ben’s has come a long way, from Ben’s first location, to the sales and service buildings, and now to our current building which was built in 2005.  Pressure washers have also come a long way; in the 1960’s the pressure washers were rated up to 400 PSI, now they run up to 6000 PSI. Ben’s prides ourself in taking the time to learn exactly what the customer needs and finding or customizing the right equipment to fit that need, rather than fitting the customer to the equipment.  A huge portion of our success is due to the passion and care we have for our customers’ individual needs, and the friendships we hope to form.  Thank you for helping us celebrate 70 years of business!