The Story Behind Turbo Tank Cleaner

A tool that started with a real maintenance problem

Turbo Tank Cleaner was developed by Craig Muehleip after years of repairing older rental properties himself. Water heaters repeatedly presented the same frustrating job: sediment could settle and harden near the bottom, while ordinary flushing often moved mostly water.

Craig wanted a practical way to reach the buildup, break it loose, and use the tank's own water flow to carry it out. That question led to prototypes, testing, and eventually Turbo Tank Cleaner.

Craig's path from landlord to inventor

Craig began buying run-down properties with the goal of fixing them himself. A limited budget meant learning the repairs rather than hiring out every job. Over time, that hands-on work included many older water heaters.

He could spend hours digging sediment out of a tank. The normal drain-and-flush approach did not solve the whole problem when heavier buildup stayed settled or could not move through the stock drain valve. He kept coming back to a simple idea: what if a purpose-built tool could loosen the material inside the tank and use pressurized water to remove it?

Craig started building prototypes around that idea. The final approach became a flexible, drill-driven agitator, an internal auger and processing chamber, a clear housing, and a garden-hose discharge path.

Why the design is different

Turbo Tank Cleaner is not just another way to open the drain valve. It changes the cleaning action inside the tank:

• Mechanical action reaches the buildup. The flexible spring moves across the tank bottom instead of waiting for water to carry settled material toward the drain.
• The stock drain valve is removed for cleaning. Loosened material does not have to squeeze through the valve's smaller internal path before entering the tool.
• The tool processes what it collects. The auger pulls material into the chamber, where it mixes with water before leaving through the hose.
• The clear housing shows the removal process. The user can see sediment and water moving through the tool during the job.

That combination is why Turbo Tank Cleaner can tackle the kind of stubborn sediment that a passive flush may leave behind.

Watch the Turbo Tank Cleaner product demonstration.

A family-run company in Idaho

Today, Craig runs Turbo Tank Cleaner with his son Paul. Craig developed the product and remains close to how it is built and used. Paul manages the digital side of the business, including the website, customer education, and the systems that help people understand the product before they buy it.

More than 40,000 Turbo Tank Cleaner units have been sold. The goal is still straightforward: give homeowners, property owners, maintenance professionals, and plumbers a purpose-built option when deeper sediment removal makes sense.

What we want customers to understand

Water-heater maintenance can involve hot water, pressure, gas, and electricity. We believe a useful product page should explain both what the tool can do and what the job requires.

That is why this site includes:

• a Water Heater Sediment Learning Center for understanding buildup and removal options;
• a plain-language job overview for deciding whether the project fits your tank and experience;
• a current product demonstration; and
• official operating instructions and product support for owners.

We make and sell Turbo Tank Cleaner, so our product explanations are first-party. We also use water-heater manufacturer and government sources for broader maintenance facts and keep the important safety boundaries visible.