We sat down with Richard Figueroa, the mind behind Mr. Steam Clean Services, who specializes in giving BBQs and outdoor equipment a new lease on life. As the founder, Richard noticed folks ditching their grills due to cleaning challenges. His solution? A mobile service that cleans on-site, covering BC from Whistler to the Okanagan!
What is your business called and what does it do?
Mr. Steam Clean Services. We specialize in steam cleaning BBQs professionally. BBQs of all shapes and sizes, outdoor kitchens, smokers, pizza ovens, food trucks and range hood filters.
What made you want to do this work?
I noticed a lot of people discarding their BBQs for spring cleaning all over the city simply because they were too greasy, had mould or were accidentally in a grease fire. I wanted to provide a service that made customers excited to use their grill/equipment again seeing as they are a big investment upfront, it’s nice being able to rescue them and bring them back to life.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
The biggest problem was owners discarding or abandoning the use of their grills/equipment because of the daunting task of cleaning it to a high standard, especially when dealing with food-safe protocols. Another big problem was the safety of homeowners, especially in a highrise setting with communal BBQs. With heavily used grills, it’s only natural they will be a cesspool for grease and carbon residue making them more susceptible to a fire. I wanted to solve that problem by providing a service that brought their investment back to life by rejuvenating their equipment and extending its life without the use of any chemicals for a fraction of the price of replacing it or buying parts.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Most of our clientele are people who love to grill, whether it’s only seasonal or all year round. People who have a BBQ, smoker, pizza oven or outdoor kitchen and wish to use it more often but simply are put off by it because of the hard work in restoring it.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
we are a mobile business, we come to the location of the grill/equipment. We only ask if we can have power for our steamer and a source of water. We set tarps up below and around the area and leave no mess behind. We meticulously go through each layer, piece by piece and clean it with our proven methods, finishing with a protective polish. The customer is then invoiced via email after the service is done and provided with before and after pictures.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We service anywhere from Whistler, West and North Vancouver including downtown, the entire lower mainland from Tsawwassen through to Chilliwack and the Okanagan area as well.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
The best question is subjective. Some potential customers are concerned about the time. We are pretty efficient but we don’t cut any corners. We pay attention to detail and pride ourselves on a standard that always leaves positive feedback. So if our time seems to be over comparing services it’s for a good reason. especially if we end up redoing someone else’s work. That’s always indicative of a cheaper alternative not being the best option so we like to think of ourselves as a premium service, especially when dealing with equipment that is very expensive to replace and repair.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part of what we do is definitely seeing the reaction on the client’s faces when they see their grill/equipment for the first time after the service is done. The disbelief that it’s the same grill/equipment because it looks “new again”- hearing their excitement also about how they can’t wait to use it and also raving about how they wish they knew of the service earlier on in their lives.
The worst part is probably the traffic getting to the location, but everyone in BC shares that experience regularly.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Why did the BBQ steam cleaning company hire a comedian?
Because they wanted to make sure their jokes were as clean as their grills after a steam cleaning!
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
Shot Proper by Joseph Murphy
