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The Benz Softwash Story

We are the most experienced and trusted "one-stop shop" who supply both softwash chemicals & equipment to the UK & Ireland

Ben Hawkins, owner of Benz Softwash Ltd and Benz Softwash Services – softwash expert


Benz Softwash Ltd is a family business co-owned and run by a son & father team: Ben and Leo Hawkins. We are supported now by a team of enthusiastic, knowledgeable and skilled people who do everything from packing products, administration, marketing, customer support to hands-on soft washing, jet washing and window cleaning.

In the beginning ...

Before starting his own business, Ben worked for 12 years as a construction and maintenance contractor in the petrochemical industry.

A highly skilled and sought-after steel fabricator, he held both "hands-on" and management positions. He was responsible for the construction, repair, demolition, and maintenance of massive petroleum storage tanks and associated chemical process systems.

In addition to obtaining Appointed Person rigging certification and Welding Inspection certification, Ben also earned City & Guilds qualifications in Health and Safety, which include awareness of today's increasingly important environmental issues. Furthermore, he is qualified in Process Plant, Plant Services, and Processing Fluids.

Time to settle down..

With the arrival of a young family, Ben decided not to continue traveling for work in the petrochemical industry. Instead, he left the industry to start his own business, allowing him to stay at home.

Ben's first business was window cleaning, which became a full-time occupation within three months. He then expanded into pressure washing and the emerging soft washing industry, eventually moving into soft wash product sales.

Benz Softwash emerges

Ben was instrumental in the development of the soft washing industry. He contributed to creating the essential equipment, legally compliant chemicals, and application techniques and procedures that are now the industry standard, used by thousands of contractors across the UK and EU.

As time went on, Ben recognised the need for more powerful and cost-effective soft wash products for his business. Finding nothing on the market that met his standards for high quality at a low price, he began sourcing his own.

The idea for "Clean & Maintain" soft washing

The idea for using Benz Bio Cleanze as a post-treatment following jet washing originally came from Ben’s embarrassment.

He noticed that algae rapidly re-grew after he had jet washed a customer’s property. (Jet washing – aka power or pressure washing – was his first attempt at solving his customer's problems).

His customers soon began drawing his attention to this fact in no uncertain manner ...

Ben realised that his customers wanted a better way to keep their patios, drives, walls and roofs clean. In particular they wanted their pre-coloured render – which had been stained by unsightly red, green, yellow and black biological growths – cleaned without damaging the render through high pressure power washing.

So he set out to find a solution that was cost-effective for both his company and his customers.

Searching for a solution

Ben embarked on an in-depth trial and error exploration to discover the best way to give his customers what they wanted. 

His first step was to use the existing products on the market, which worked to some degree albeit at a very high price. But results, although in the long-term could be okay, were slow in showing up.

Finding the solution

Ben came across problems in removing the heavy black stains left behind where red algae had been growing for a long time. Also when black algae and mould had been allowed to grow into a property's surfaces.

He eventually found a product that removed the black – but it was too expensive to be commercially viable.

Then he experimented with raw industrial sodium hypochlorite and soon discovered its inherent dangers and limitations in practical use – including receiving severe chemical burns.

Eventually he developed Benz Lightning Cleanze, which is much safer for surfaces, humans and animals while at the same time being more effective – and a lot safer – than crude industrial sodium hypoclorite.

After considerable technical research into the ecologically safe and effective use of softwash cleaning agents, Ben was able to put together the range of softwash products and services you can see today.

These products offer you the possibility of enjoying a permanently clean property – all year round – through Benz "Clean & Maintain" softwash systems.

The soft washing revolution

The last 10-15 years has seen rapid growth in the softwashing industry. Many cleaning contractors now include soft washing as an additional service to their existing business.

The search for equipment

To meet the high demand that has resulted from this expansion of the softwashing industry, Ben has developed a range of high-quality professional application equipment to enable contractors to apply our chemicals safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.

Initially, out of necessity, Ben adapted some existing equipment, including the soft wash spray nozzle for the Water Fed Poles (WFP) that had become popular for high-level window cleaning. This was hugely successful and was imitated by many.

With nothing of sufficient quality available on the market, Ben became involved in a long period of trial and error testing to create the best possible soft washing system. This included building complex van installations, powered by both petrol and 12V electric.

This rigorous approach eventually led Ben to discard many commonly used softwash application systems, even his van-mounted system. And led him to invent our "Zapplicator" range of mixing and delivery systems, including our unique low and high-pressure softwash triggers.

We are a family business

As the concept of Benz Softwash grew, Ben invited his father, Leo, to join him to help promote his products throughout Ireland and the UK.

Leo Searle Hawkins, co-owner and director of Benz Softwash Ltd – softwash products and soft wash services

Already a qualified electronics engineer, Leo started a window cleaning business 1986 to support his studies of psychology, personal coaching and creative writing.

He then spent another 10 years working as a freelance management development trainer, He specialised in teaching oral and written communication skills along with stress reduction methods for high-level corporate executives and SME business owners.

Leo's corporate clients include the Meteorological Office, Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency, UK Ministry of Defence, Hewlett-Packard and the UK Environment Agency.

Since 1994, Leo has coached several hundred individual clients, including successful small business owners, corporate managers and at least one multi-millionaire.

He brings his knowledge of sales and marketing, along with website development and copywriting, to Benz Softwash.

Ecology and our environment

We are passionate about caring for our planet. Indeed, Leo was a member of the UK Ecology Party back in the early '70s way before it was renamed The Green Party. He also supports the Worldwide Fund for Nature and other organisations that promote the care and protection of our environment,

We continually strive to find more ecological and socially responsible ways to operate a soft washing business, thus protecting the health of our customers, our staff, and the environment upon which we all depend for our survival.