Houston, TX-based cleaning company founded on nature’s best cleaning and disinfecting power branches into product development as an extension of customer service.
CBT: Tell us about when and why you started Naturalcare Cleaning Service.
KW: I started Naturalcare in August of 2008. Having been a stay-at-home mom for many years, I was ready to go back to work. I knew a lot about cleaning and so decided that opening a cleaning company would be the best choice for me.
CBT: How large is your company now and how big would you like it to be?
[EasyDNNnewsToken:Left Justify Embed 300 x 250]DH: We currently have 18 employees and are on target for $650k in annual revenue for 2014. We would like to double our revenue over the next several years, putting us around the $1.25M mark by the time we hit our 10-year celebration.
CBT: Of all of the industries you could have chosen for your business, why cleaning?
DH: I had experience cleaning, and I love figuring out the best way to do it. As a stay-at-home mom, I was making my own laundry detergent and homemade soap and was already experimenting with different cleaning methods.
CBT: What got you started creating your own cleaning and disinfecting products for your business?
DH: When I started Natuarlcare, we had our core cleaning method, which involved using a dry vapor steam machine to clean. I was trying out commercially available oxy products in our service and cleaning procedure, but was not happy with the results. They also had a lot of unnecessary additives, colors and fragrances that we did not need to clean a home, and I hated paying for the “stuff” in products that don’t help me clean and disinfect. My philosophy has always been to keep it as simple and pure as possible.
CBT: What steps do you take to make sure you meet EPA requirements for a professional cleaning company?
DH: We worked with several different chemists to make sure our formulations were safe, and we met with an OSHA representative to make sure our products meet all of the requirements for 1) a product for use by a professional cleaning company and 2) a product for sale to the consumer.
We also created proper Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and bottle labeling for all of our cleaning bottles used by our technicians in the field.
CBT: Do you have plans to make your products available for customers or other cleaning businesses to purchase?
DH: Yes, right now we give samples away to clients and potential clients at events and shows; this helps introduce them to our company and the way we clean.
Beyond that, the marketing value of selling our product to consumers is to have another way to have my name in their homes, to lock them into our brand and services. At Naturalcare, we are the local experts, so of course they will buy products from us. In addition to our house cleaning products, we plan to offer our clients a full line of in-home cleaning products: laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and more – all as part of the service.
We have long-term plans to offer these products to other maid services through a private label service.
CBT: You’re one of the most credentialed cleaning services in the nation. What is the value in those credentials to you and to others?
DH: Currently I am an ARCSI member and am personally an IICRC-certified House Cleaning Technician. It’s not enough to just be a member; I actively participate in the professional network that drives progress in our industry and especially encourage you to make the annual convention part of your budgeting – it’s that valuable for both education and networking.
CBT: You’ve been in business for eight years now. What are your goals for the 10-year mark and beyond?
DH: Over the next few years our goal is to roll out our cleaning products for wider consumer purchase in our local market and beyond.
