Green Cleaning Service

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by Scott Bennett

Diane Howson is what I call a greenpreneur (a green entrepreneur). She started We're Cleaning Green to meet the growing demand for green cleaning services and has become a green success story.

Diane had an existing cleaning business and noticed that the residents in her community were looking to go green. She also realized how much cleaning products they were going through, that in some cases, damaged skin and clothing. Diane was determined to find a better way.

Diane and her team did some research and testing to find better cleaning products. There were a number of things Diane was looking for. She wanted green cleaning products that were:

• Cost effective
• Available in bulk (to reduce waste)
• Good for the staff to work with
• Likeable by the customer
• Effective cleaners
• As local as possible

They tested over a dozen solutions, including homemade green cleaners before finding the right green cleaning product. Vinegar was one of the cleaners they used, and while it's a great natural cleaner, it gave the staff headaches when working with it for long periods. Diane chose green cleaning products by Natura for her business, and in August 2008, she changed her existing cleaning business to We're Cleaning Green.

The Natura products are available from Home Hardware Stores in bulk, which helps Diane reduce the waste from the business. She also feels better that the cleaning products are biodegradable and won't cause issues for her staff. Even the customers comment how "the house smells fresh when they're finished, not like chemicals" described Lori Williams. "You can't even smell it after a while." It seems like a win for everyone.

Congratulations to Diane on running a successful green business!

For more ideas on how to go green, see our green tips for products and services.