Katie Bradley’s “Simple Kit” Strategy for Faster, Safer, More Profitable Cleans

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Introduction

Hello, everyone. Welcome or welcome back to the Filthy Rich Cleaners podcast. I am your host Stephanie from Serene Clean. And today’s fabulous guest is Miss Katie Bradley from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the owner and operator of Maidbusters and she has been in operations for six years. And we actually discovered her because of all of her fabulous cleaning content on TikTok and we’re like, we need to have this woman on our podcast. So without further ado, Katie, thank you so much for joining us today.

Katie: Thank you so much for having me. I’ve been excited to come on.

Stephanie: And Katie just had to go through the ordeal of Stephanie being a boomer and not knowing how to operate for half an hour. So thank you for your patience. That was embarrassing.

Katie: No problem at all. Technical stuff always happens.

Creating Cleaning Content on Social Media

Stephanie: Oh my gosh, yes. So coming to tech, obviously we found you on TikTok. You have an amazing content library there. So what got you into making content? Was that always something that you wanted to do when you opened your cleaning business? Or was it just like, hey, let me throw something up and see what happens?

Katie: Honestly, no, I just kind of started doing it this year. I mindlessly scroll on TikTok and Facebook all day and so I just kind of thought, you know what, I might as well put some context into what I’m doing and put some point behind it. So I just really kind of started digging into it and saying, you know, I want to share, I want to kind of teach people how to clean, maybe give some business pointers to people who are just starting out because it’s such a crazy industry to get started and there’s so many different things and information across the board. So I just kind of jumped in and just have been really trying to stay consistent and showing up and trying to give good information.

Stephanie: Yeah, absolutely. And I love that you highlight the fact that there is a lot of misinformation because of the things that will get more views, things like really soapy floor or throwing a ton of soapy water on floors and then scrubbing them, and all of the things that are very eye-catching but in fact could be highly damaging, especially when we’re talking about a professional cleaner in a client’s house. And I’ve myself had cleaning techs who will ask if we can do something in a certain way because they saw it online, but that misinformation truly would damage a surface or a client’s home. So I’m sure you see that all the time.

Katie: Oh, I do. And you know, I think that looking at all of the tips and things that people put in there, and then you hear people on internet talk about, oh my gosh, my floors are ruined or I’ve got mold under my flooring now because I put a bucket of water on the floor. It’s just, it’s hard because you know when you’re watching these clips that it is just for views. And so really putting the information out there that is actually going to help. There’s so many different kinds of floors and countertops and things, and if you use the wrong thing, that’s it. And so I really, it’s hard to watch some of this stuff because it is just for clicks and for views. So it’s just different. It’s different on social media. I definitely know that that has come into play more this year, probably last couple years than I’ve seen the kind of just people trying to get that stuff out there.

Stephanie: Yeah, no, absolutely. And there’s, I think, a responsibility of us as professional cleaners to not be perpetuating that type of thing and just sticking to what we know is really the most risk averse behavior as possible because these aren’t our house, right? I will definitely try things out in my house for cleaning or do things that I wouldn’t necessarily do in a client’s house because it’s my house. I’m like, meh, if I damage this it’s mine, it is what it is.

Product Knowledge and Client Safety

Katie: Yeah, I think that’s one of the biggest things when I started a business is really knowing products and know what to use on things so that you’re not damaging people’s homes. Because there is, you know, I see that too a lot in a lot of these cleaners that are just starting where they might use the wrong thing on granite or they’re going to use the wrong thing on slate floors. And so really knowing the products and knowing what to use so that you can keep the integrity of your clients’ homes is so important because when they do hire you to come in, they want to know that you know what you’re doing.

Stephanie: Yeah. And, you know, it’s also something that we experience with clients themselves is they see things online or like, can you use this product? And I think it’s okay to tell clients no, and this is why I’m not going to use this product, right? Like, for example, Serene Clean doesn’t use any products with bleach in it. There’s for a variety of reasons. And if you respect the client and just educate them, because they’re asking for the reason they’re asking for, it doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable. Actually, I think it showcases that you are professional and know what you’re doing because you’ve thought about these things, right?

Simplifying Your Cleaning Kit with Concentrates

Stephanie: And that’s something, of course, I want to talk to you about is the products that you use. And you mentioned that you go more towards the use of concentrates so that you can cut down on the amount of products that you have in your kit. So I’d love to hear what does your kit entail now and what kinds of things have maybe you phased out previously that you’ve used before?

Katie: When I first started, I think I had every kind of cleaner that you could possibly imagine.

Stephanie: We all do that. We’re like, let’s try all this stuff.

Katie: And honestly, just carrying it all into people’s houses was just so much. And so really finding, you know, a good all purpose cleaner and a good floor cleaner. And obviously there’s certain kinds of floors that you need different kinds of cleaners, but for the most part, a pH neutral floor cleaner is going to be pretty versatile amongst all the floors. So I honestly, I use a lot of Zep products. I love Zep products. They are very concentrated and they’re very cost effective as well. So it’s just easy to manage. I use their multi-purpose cleaner. I make my own glass cleaner, just alcohol and water. I’ve gone through every glass cleaner that you could possibly imagine and I hate all of them.

Stephanie: Yeah.

Katie: Sprayways is okay. I have used that a little bit, but I really do like the alcohol and water. It just works better and it’s more cost effective. So in my caddy, I really think I have that. I’ve got the Zep multi-purpose spray. I’ve got Barkeeper’s Friend. That’s my go-to. I love the Barkeeper’s Friend. Dawn Power Wash, I use that all over the place. That one is really great in showers and really getting the soap scum for me. I’ve tried a bunch of different stuff and I think that, you know, especially in bathrooms, when you’re using the wrong thing, you can just, it’s so frustrating because you’re just scrubbing until your arm needs to fall off. So, you know, it’s just a lot. But so my window cleaner, my Barkeeper’s, Dawn Power Wash, my multi-purpose and my pH neutral floor cleaner, and that’s really my basics that I use in there. I do have other stuff for, you know, if I run into something, but majority of my cleans are maintenance cleans. So I kind of know what I’m doing each time. And so if I have something that comes up then I want to do a little bit of a deeper clean, I know I need to bring like a grout cleaner or things like that. Bleach, I don’t really use every blue moon. If I cannot get something off with hydrogen peroxide, I will. But I have had too many things with it drips and there’s like a spot on the carpet. And like, you know, I’ve had that happen twice now and I’m just like, oh, my God. And, you know, and so then you’ve got to deal with repairing the carpet and doing that sort of thing. So I agree. Bleach is that, that’s a no for me.

Stephanie: Yeah. And that really is what it is about just removing it from the kit means that all of a sudden you’re not damaging things. Cause I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my spray bottle on my hip, on my apron loop, it opens up and then I have water and luckily just Dawn in there and that’s what spills out instead of bleach.

Educating Clients on Product Choices

Stephanie: So what do you think about things like, you know, clients who oftentimes I’ll see even in the Facebook groups where people are putting oils on the stainless steel and their clients like it because it’s shiny or even like wood specific products or pledge those types of things. Like if a client requests that, how do you handle that request?

Katie: You know, honestly, I don’t like any of the oils and I really would, I hate it. I think it just causes a buildup. And I’ve tried stuff here and there but I feel like, and I’ll be like okay I’m gonna try this, you know, if it’s orange glow whether it’s like stainless steel cleaner, and then the next time I come I feel like there’s so many fingerprints on it and buildup and it just, it drives me insane. So, you know, I really just try to educate the client. Like, let me just show you, I can get this stainless steel looking beautiful with the system that I have. And typically when I go into a client’s home, I will do a deep clean of their stainless with the Barkeeper’s friend and then go in with my Zep antibacterial disinfectant, which surprisingly that stuff works really great. You just have to dilute it. But this stainless is beautiful every time. I don’t like the oils. I think it causes a buildup. So I think it’s really just about educating the clients about what it is. Now I do have like a bees and all natural beeswax that I’ll use on furniture if they really, really want, you know, to have a polish, but I really don’t have my clients, I think that they just trust me in their home. I’ve been with them for so long that they know, you know, I know what I’m doing. I know what products to use. I keep their furniture and everything looking beautiful and I just feel like it just causes buildup and I’m just explaining that to them. I think that really goes a long way.

Stephanie: I totally agree. And that some surfaces aren’t supposed to be shiny, right? Not all floors are supposed to have, you know, that orange glow glistening shine. It’s a matte floor potentially. So I love that. And for the listeners who are, you know, newer in the industry, I’d love to hear you describe your stainless steel process with the Barkeeper’s friend because many people are probably like, oh, you can use that on stainless steel, right?

Katie: Yeah, because it isn’t abrasive.

Stephanie: Yeah, exactly. So can you do a quick rundown of how you would tackle a stainless steel?

Katie: Yeah, absolutely. The first thing, I think the most important thing is to make sure that the surface is wet. So I’ll go in first with an all-purpose cleaner. And that can kind of be, you know, whatever you use, but just spraying the surface with the all-purpose cleaner and I’ll get a blue non-scratch pad and the powdered Barkeeper’s Friend. I just kind of make a paste to make sure that my scrubber is damp and I just go with the grain from one side back to the other. You know, you don’t want to do this because it’s going to scratch, but going all the way back and forth and really just getting all that buildup off and then getting a wet microfiber cloth and going through and rinsing that off really well. And then I’ll use again the all purpose cleaner as a secondary to just get any buildup off and then I just buff it out dry and it comes out beautiful every single time. So it’s really easy. I think the trick is just making sure that you’re going with the grain from one side to the other because if you go this way, you know, you’re definitely going to scratch the surface. And so I think that’s the most important part with that.

Stephanie: Have you ever used the soft scrub version of it? Do you like that, the cream version?

Katie: I don’t really care for the soft scrub. You know, I’ve tried because Barkeeper’s has so many products. I didn’t realize how many products they actually have until I went to their website and I was looking and I was like, oh my God, they have something for literally everything. But I tried the soft scrub and I just, I didn’t find it as effective. I think with the powder, you can make it either less or more abrasive depending on what you’re needing it for. You know, the drier it is, the more abrasive it’s going to be, the wetter it is, it’s going to be less abrasive. So I just kind of use that as what I’m needing it for. And I don’t use a ton. You don’t need a lot for the stainless. You really just need like a sprinkle on there. It’s just enough to kind of get that buildup off. But I don’t really care for the soft scrub. And I’ve tried all the soft scrubs. I’ve tried, you know, pink stuff and Barkeeper’s and all the things and I just I really kind of just prefer the powdered, the powdered form Barkeeper’s.

Finding Effective Solutions for Soap Scum

Stephanie: Yeah, we’re literally in midst of experimenting with replacing our Barkeeper soft scrub, which is like sacrilege coming from me, but because that’s always been the thing. But especially for showers, like that’s our go to product and it’s so hard to spread and then it dries down. So we’re experimenting. And I do love a Dawn Power Wash. So it’s interesting to hear that that’s what you’re using for soap scum.

Katie: I honestly, I have this one shower. I’ve been a client for now, I think about six months now and they use the bar soap and the bar soap just, it drives me insane. Nobody should use bar soap. But anyways, I digress.

Stephanie: No problem, yeah.

Katie: It’s hard to get off. But I have found that the Dawn dish soap or the Dawn Power Wash, if you, because I use that and then I’ll use a microfiber scrubber and I just literally make sure it’s all coated on there and I let it sit for about five minutes and then I go in with it and I scrub it and it comes right off. It literally is like the quickest process. So I really, really like it because I feel like with the Barkeeper’s in the shower, there’s always that residue that you’re rinsing off and then it’s like a double clean. And so when I clean, I really try to cut down on my time because time is money and, you know, you’ve got to, and I’m getting old and my body definitely feels it. So trying to do less work and less scrubbing. So the Dawn Power Wash really has been my go-to for anybody that’s got soap scum. That’s been really good. There is one product that I would love to try out. I see it, keep seeing it on the social media. It’s Quixi from Long’s product and it’s like in a bigger bottle. So it seems like it would be a little bit more cost effective. I think it’s like $10 for like a bigger bottle of it. But it’s a soft scrub that I would definitely like to try. So that might be something, you know, for you to look at and see. But yeah, just because you’re in the middle of the trying to figure out. And I feel like that’s always trying to figure out a new product, what works better and new ways to do things. And I think that’s one thing I love about the cleaning industry is really like seeing everybody’s opinions about what works and like, oh, my gosh, I didn’t know that or I’m going to try that and finding that it does cut a lot of time off of the clean.

Stephanie: Yeah, like you said, less wear and tear on our shoulders, you know. And so one thing I’m curious about is I have seen people do like Dawn Power Wash alternatives because it is kind of pricey. Have you ever experimented with making your own?

Katie: I did. I actually just started making my own. I had a couple of people on social media send me a link. They’re like, oh, my gosh, you should try this. And I was like, OK. And so probably I think two, about two times ago when I ran out, I tried it and honestly, I feel like it works the same. I don’t see really any difference because that’s why I didn’t use it before was because it is kind of pricey. And when you’re looking from a business standpoint, you know, you want, you don’t want to be shelling out six bucks for a thing that’s going to last a week. And, you know, and so I just started making, I got a big old thing of Dawn and then a little bit of alcohol and water and you kind of mix it up and I have not noticed any difference between the two. So I do, I do make my own.

Stephanie: Interesting. OK, yeah, I’m definitely going to write this down and we’re going to be experimenting with this in Serene Clean.

Learning From Early Mistakes

Stephanie: So I was really excited to have this conversation with you because I’m like, I know that you’re constantly innovating when it comes to efficiency and all of those things. Is there anything looking back on the beginning of your cleaning business that you’re like, oh my gosh, that was such an inefficient either method of doing things, system of working through the house, or potentially a product that you’re like, you know, this just isn’t necessary, but you think probably a lot of people go to because maybe they’ve only ever cleaned their own house before, right?

Katie: You know, honestly, the beginning of my business, it was like, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I was like, let me try this, let me try that and I’m going to see what this does. And, you know, and so it’s really been kind of just learning as I’ve gone. I, you know, I used to start with the most powerful cleaner and now I don’t do that. I really try to kind of start with less and work my way up because you can’t, you know, if something gets damaged, that’s it, you’re shot. So, you know, I used to use the CLR a lot. I love CLR brilliant bathroom but it definitely has a time and a place for it. But I used to use it like every single clean and I’d be choking myself out because the smell is just so strong. And so that’s probably one thing that I don’t use quite as much and I’ve replaced with the Dawn Power Wash. And honestly, for the soap scum, it really works the same. I think the only thing I really use the CLR for now is if there’s a lot of hard water buildup and I don’t want to sit and scrub, if I use that and just kind of let it sit for about 15 minutes, it really just kind of gets that buildup off of the glass and stuff like that in the shower. So that’s about the only thing I use it for now.

Stephanie: Yeah, that makes sense. And it’s always just this, yeah, back and forth of effectiveness but then also safety and risk of damage and safety of your own health or your cleaner’s health. So that’s something, yeah, whereas in my house, I will definitely use things that are not in Serene Clean’s case. I’m like, well, no, I was raised in a house where we used a lot of chemicals and sometimes I want that.

Katie: Yeah, well, and I think that when I first started, I really, because I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, I really looked at a lot of social media and Facebook groups and I got a lot of information through that. So hearing people say, you know, like, I’ve been cleaning for 10, 15 years and I’ve got, you know, cleaning induced asthma because of these chemicals and the cleaners, and you don’t think about it when you’re cleaning that you’re inhaling all of this stuff. But then all of a sudden, you’re just like, man, I can’t, I can’t breathe. And so I really, you know, tried to kind of switch that. At first I was like, okay, I’m just going to use all natural stuff, but that’s hard. It’s also because it doesn’t always work as good as you need it to. And so there is a time and a place for natural stuff and then a little bit, you know, deeper clean and a harder chemical. But I really, you know, I don’t want to be 60 and not be able to breathe because I’ve been soaking in all these chemicals and stuff like that.

Stephanie: So that showcase that people who are in janitorial positions have much higher rates of lung related diseases and obviously due to the chemical exposure. So totally in agreement. But I do think people like, we definitely err towards, we want to use the most natural products that are effective, right? As natural as possible, but still effective, right? We’re, you know, cleaning an oven, sometimes you only got a couple hours. You need that oven to start cooking, right? Quickly cleaning ovens is a challenging thing to do when you are using a baking soda vinegar paste.

Katie: Right, cut it, let it sit for five hours.

Stephanie: And then, yeah, yeah. You’ve got to be practical of like, we are on a time crunch and so it is this balancing act. And, and you know, I’ve even, I’ve said, oh, we just, our all purpose is literally Dawn water and essential oils. And I’ve had people be like, well, Dawn’s not natural. Like not clients, clients don’t give a shit, but other cleaners are kind of doing the superior support priority dance that we like to do as business owners sometimes. And it’s just like, all right, that’s fine. Then don’t use it in your business, but it’s pretty good.

Katie: Yeah. Now people are very quick to tell you what you’re doing wrong and like, oh, that’s not this or that’s not that. And it’s like, you know, there’s, there’s a million different ways to clean. None of them are, you know, the correct way. You’ve got to just do what works for you and if the clients are happy, that, that really at the end of the day is what it boils down to.

Stephanie: Exactly. And really, you know, just there is a balance too with natural products. Something that we had to really ensure is making sure that our cleaners are adding enough essential oil for scent and we actually introduced a room spray to finish off the rooms because sometimes when you use really natural products, that means that the olfactory is not happening. They’re not smelling that clean smell when they walk in. And we’ve had that comment before and that’s when we do introduce more heavy usage of other things just to make it smell nice, even though it is clean. People like that smell when they walk in.

Katie: They do. It really does make an impact.

The Case for Feather Dusters

Stephanie: One other thing I noticed was your usage of feather dusters and that is something that is really interesting to me. And I’d love to talk about Swiffers because the reason I bring this up is I have seen many times people posting in the groups or whatever saying, oh, Swiffers are so expensive. Like, where do you source your rewashable Swiffer dusters? And our answer is we just don’t use Swiffers. So we’re just using microfiber and then dry dust and only introducing moisture when necessary, of course. But for you, feather duster, tell me about that. That’s so, you know, retro.

Katie: You know, honestly, I am a klutz. I felt like I was like, I’ll run the Swiffer and I hit something and then it falls over and I feel like I just, I’m just clumsy. So I was actually at a thrift store and I saw a feather duster and I was like, huh, I’m going to try this just because, I mean, these have been around forever and I’m going to try it. And I absolutely loved it. I felt like, you know, you can really just kind of get in between the really fragile stuff and the delicate stuff without knocking things over and you can lift it and it kind of, and it also gets, you know, really into those fine details of the little trinkets or, you know, furniture that’s got the little grooves on it and stuff like that. And it doesn’t necessarily pick up the dust, but I mean, we’re just vacuuming anyway. So it’s kind of like, you know, floofing off. And if I have an area that needs to be dry dusted or with a little bit of moisture, I’ll do that. But for the most part, the feather duster is great. I have a bunch and then I just wash them at the end of the week. You just, yeah, you just soap and water and then you kind of just put them up to dry and there you go. And they’re very cost effective. And I get them on Amazon for like seven bucks a piece and they last until all the feathers fall out. So, yeah, that’s it. But it’s something I definitely love. I don’t use anything except a feather duster.

Stephanie: That’s so cool. I literally don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody actually using those. It’s always been like, oh, a Swiffer, Swiffer alternative kind of thing. So that’s really cool. And I just don’t really like Swiffers, honestly. I don’t find them particularly effective, frankly. And they just get so coated really quickly if you’re dealing with a decent amount of dust.

Katie: Yeah, and they’re pricey. Like when you’re, you know, when you’re using them every single day for multiple houses, it definitely adds up with the price. So I know a lot of people do use those washable ones and things like that. But I just I really try to be cost effective on on what’s going out of my pocket because I like to have stuff in my pocket.

Simplifying Your Cleaning Supplies

Stephanie: Well, yeah, especially when you do start to bring other people and if you just have this huge array of products, if I could speak, array of products that they have to try to remember what everything is for and then they’re using the wrong things in the wrong places. It’s the simpler we can keep our kits, not only is it easier for your staff, it’s easier for yourself and it’s easier on the wallet and you’re not lugging around the entire house. So what does your kit, I know, I know we’re nailing a lot of practical things, but usually we don’t talk about these things at all on the podcast. So that’s why I’m asking these things. But how do you transport your supplies? What is your actual kit look like?

Katie: I just got, I used to use a husky tool bag, like a big husky tool bag and I loved it. And that was my go-to. A friend of mine was like, let me buy you a tool bag for Christmas. I’m like, Nope, I use this one. I’m not using anything else. And then I started thinking like, okay, let me get one with rollers and the little caddies. And so I honestly have a bigger one. It’s got the rollers on it and then inside of it has different pockets that you can kind of keep all of your chemicals separate. And so I’m able to keep everything in there. And it’s got, so it’s got garbage bag pocket, it’s got the side pockets for your wet stuff. I mean, it really just is a big carry all for everything. And one thing I’m having a hard time with is the heaviness of it just because I am too used to that husky bag. But I really do like that I don’t have to bring in two bags when I bring, if I have extra stuff I need to bring in. So I just, I try to use that roller. I got my mop and my vacuum and I go.

Stephanie: Yeah, no, I get that. What about in the winter time? Like, do you have any issues? Do you have to wipe the wheels off or anything with snow or?

Katie: I do. Yeah. I usually, once I get into the house, I’ll kind of stop and wipe everything down so it’s not tracking, you know, stuff through the house. But that’s been, it’s, it’s been a little bit of an adjustment with the wheels on it, but it definitely, like I said, my shoulder and my back is like, what are you doing? I hate you. And so anything I can do to make it easier on myself, I’m doing it.

Stephanie: So yeah, no, I love it. And it’s all those small little improvements throughout the entire operational process that really do make a difference and start to add up. So it is, it really is a constant tool. Like you’ve been doing this for six years. I’ve been I’ve been pretty much right there with you. And it, I think people, they want when they start out in business, they’re so anxious about nailing it and getting it right and not making a mistake. But I think that that’s the complete wrong way to go about this thought process is like, listen, we’re years in and we’re still tweaking stuff, right?

Katie: I think that’s a forever ongoing thing. It’s, you know, just really testing things and, and that didn’t work. So let me kind of shift over here and try that. And I, you know, this year, I really, I’ve been kind of toying with the idea of do I expand? Do I not expand? Do I hire people? Do I not hire people? Kind of sitting in that space of fear, right? And where you’re just like, there’s so many different avenues. And so I just, I’m really trying to hone in on my systems and what I need to do that if I do bring somebody in, I can have a system in place to be able to kind of hire effectively. Cause I do have my daughter that helps me. Actually when she comes in, I can kind of see where my flaws are like, oh, that’s not very effective for somebody else coming in and being like, where’s this or what’s that. And so that kind of has helped me kind of pinpoint down because I haven’t been the best at systems since it’s just me and I kind of just fly by the seat of my pants and kind of go. So that’s been one thing that I’ve been really trying to just hone in on and being like, how do I, you know, drive this business into what I need it to be as my life is shifting and changing? And I think that that’s one thing I really love about the cleaning industry is you can really make it whatever you need it to be with wherever you’re at in life. And I mean, you can just be just yourself and you can, you know, when I started, I was going to the dollar store and buying, you know, products to use because that’s all I had and I kind of would just upgrade as I went. So it’s just it’s very versatile. And I really do, I love that about this industry.

Katie’s Journey From Homelessness to Business Owner

Stephanie: I do too. And that it really is the cost to entry is so low because, you know, when we start out our businesses, we’re usually broke, you know, and that, and this is a, we need to do this thing. And that’s, that’s your story, right? That’s, you know, transitioning into your background. I would love for you to share with everybody your story because it’s quite inspirational and, and you had to go through a lot of turmoil to get to where you are today.

Katie: I did. I, you know, I was in the restaurant industry for most of my life and I kind of got, I got into a domestic violent relationship. And so I ended up moving back home with my family in Idaho for about four years. And I was just like, you know, I’m going to move back, I’m going to start over, got out of the relationship. I was kind of just trying to find my footing and being able to support my kids. And I knew I didn’t want to go back to the restaurant industry. I just, it’s great for what it is, but it’s a lot and it’s just not my cup of tea anymore. And so I really was just trying to figure it out. And I never had thought about cleaning. It was never something that was on my radar at all. And I feel like that’s a lot of people’s stories is it just kind of falls in your lap. You’re like, oh, OK, this could be something. And so I actually, my fiance at the time, she kind of connected me with somebody that needed help for the weekends at her restaurant cleaning. And I loved it. And I was like, okay, this is good money for a couple of hours of work and I can kind of do my thing. And, you know, her and I chatted about residential cleaning. She used to own a residential company and she’s like, you should really, you could do really well at that. And so I went and I started working for a lady. I answered her ad. She had an ad on Facebook or whatever it was and she hired me on the spot. And it was a shit show. There was no training. It was just kind of like I was supposed to go work with this girl and she didn’t show up and she’s like, can you go clean? And I’m like, okay.

Stephanie: That’s what you, literally, I swear when you start hiring.

Katie: I did. I literally just kind of went and I worked and I was with her probably about six months and I was just kind of watching kind of how she ran her business, the goods, the bads, kind of everything in between. And I, you know, the old story of don’t let your cleaners see the money because they’re, you know, they’re gonna be like, oh, oh, this is what you charge, you know? And so she had me take a check from one of the clients and I honestly, I looked at it and I was just like, man, this is something I could really, really do to support my family and be able to kind of stand on my own two feet and find my value again. And I just really started digging in and being like, okay, you know, Google and Facebook and YouTube and I found free training stuff and I just really kind of just went from there. And I realized that if I built bi-weekly clients, it was just, it’s a repeat business. You know, you’re not having to go look for new clients. It’s just, I need to fill these five spots and these five spots and it’s going to turn over and then if I need to add or remove, I can. And I think it took me probably about four or five months till I had a full schedule. And most of my clients I’ve had since the beginning, a majority of them I have, I’d say probably about half I’ve had since the beginning. And they’ve just been really great to me. They’ve kind of just shown me, you know, the support and love that I’ve needed. And I’ve let go of some that didn’t work. So yeah, so it’s just it’s been quite an adventure. And but it’s really just shown me the stability that I needed. And, you know, taken me from literally being homeless and living in my car to being able to just live on my own and be a single mom and and be able to take care of my family by myself.

Stephanie: Oh, that is such a beautiful testament to also the empowering nature of of owning your own business, you know, and regardless of the size of it, I think it really changes us because it shows us what we’re truly capable of. And that’s like, we built this, we did this. And though it’s a lot of pressure at times, I find for me, it’s like, I know I can count on myself, you know?

Katie: Yeah. Like nobody can take this away. I, you know, even if I’m tired, I can still show up. I’m going to do it. And I, and I’m, if I need more money, I’m just going to go get another house to clean and I’m going to make it happen. And I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve been so reluctant in hiring is because, you know, you hear that the old, you know, nobody can clean the way that you can or nobody can do it, you know, nobody is like that. And so it’s really hard for me. And I know that, you know, where I’m at now is about the max of where I can be. And so I really have been looking at like, OK, as I’m getting older, you know, what do I want this to look like for myself? And really looking at where do I want that to go? And I think I just need to get out of my own way and set that fear down and be like, okay, this worked for me for a long time. Now let’s kind of transition into, you know, maybe getting a little bit bigger because, you know, I watched a lot of your podcasts and I see so many stories of these people are making so much money and I’m just like, what am I doing? Why am I just sitting here in this little comfort zone of like, okay, I’m just gonna sit here in this little bubble and be fine and it’s fine. But, you know, I could be doing bigger and better things and helping more people. And like one of the things I noticed with you and watching your podcast is you giving people the opportunity to work for a great company and giving them that drive and desire to say, I do work for a great company and giving people that opportunity. So I think looking at it in that way, it kind of has shifted a little bit for me of, you know, how I want the next five years to look instead of, you know, consistently just sitting where I’m at and sitting in my comfort zone.

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The Impact of Growth and Giving Back

Stephanie: That’s one of my favorite kind of angles or frameworks to look at the business, that we can grow, is the amount of impact that we can have in multiple levels, meaning ourselves, our personal finances, of course, our time freedom, but then to be a great boss and then to have that be, you know, serve more clients, help more people. And then, you know, if you so choose giving to the community as well. Money is like, we got a bigger shovel, you know, that we can do more with. We can dig better and bigger. So I, but I also completely empathize with that, you know, very well-founded fear because it’s like right now you are in control and you know the work that you can perform and that you can stand behind that. And so I think just knowing, going into it, not in a cynical way, but more so of knowing, almost very, like I would, I would say very stoically saying people are going to disappoint me, but that doesn’t mean I need to stop trusting in them. You know what I mean? It doesn’t mean the next person is going to be like that because guaranteed the first person that you hire, other than hopefully your daughter, is not going to work out.

Katie: Well, and I think it’s honestly just trusting in yourself enough to know that shit’s going to happen. And, and so being able to know like, okay, I know it’s going to happen. How am I going to process it? How am I going to deal with it? And I think, you know, all of my upheavals in life and in the last six years has really taught me boundaries. And that is something that I was very much lacking in the beginning of my business. And, you know, you’d have customers be like, oh, can you do this? And you’re like, oh yeah, sure, no problem. Like, you know, I have a funny story that I was sitting here racking my brain. And when I first started, I had a lady who she asked me to come over and clean and I showed up, she ran a daycare, but she wanted me to clean while the daycare was open. And I did, right? And it’s like I’m cleaning while crumbs are and she’s like, why is there crumbs on the floor? I’m like, well, you’ve got seven little kids here. What do you mean? Like, you know, and so I eventually I let her go. But it was kind of like recognizing all of these issues are my own issue. Like when I don’t put in place at hard stop, I’m not doing this or this doesn’t work for me in my business. You know, I think with hiring, that’s one thing to keep in mind for myself is just recognizing, you know, really looking at people probably will disappoint me in areas. But how am I going to handle that? And what systems do I have in place to be like, well, the policy is X, Y and Z and so we’re just kind of going to go back to this because I suck at saying no sometimes.

Setting Boundaries with Clients

Stephanie: So, yeah, you’ve heard me say, the joke is Stephanie doesn’t talk to customers because we’ll be doing things that we shouldn’t be doing. Okay, so I can totally relate to everything that you’re saying of no boundaries, inability to just wanting to make people happy and then pissed off at them, even though I should be pissed off at myself, right? Because it’s like they are going to take as much as you are willing to give. So if they’re, you can’t be mad at them because you’re the one who said yes, right? And sometimes that’s a hard pill to swallow. And it’s so much easier to be like, why are they acting this way? It’s like, because you’re allowing them to act, you’re allowing it.

Katie: Yeah, yeah. And I think too with on the client side is, you know, we’re in the cleaning business every single day. So we know the process. We know how it’s supposed to run. We know what’s included and what’s not. But we forget that sometimes, I think. And so when you’re looking at a customer standpoint, they don’t know that dishes aren’t included or the baseboards are deep clean or, you know, however it works for people’s businesses. And so I think being able to be like, hey, that’s not included, you know, this is an extra cost or, you know, because the pricing is so different through every company of, you know, I know you do hourly with your stuff and I kind of do a flat rate and add on and things like that, but really being able to explain to people like, this is what it is, this is my boundary. And really I, one good thing I did in the beginning was make a contract and I do contracts for all my clients so that I can just be like, well, you know, if you go back to the contract, I can do that, but it’s X amount of money because I would just be like, oh sure, I’ll do it. And then it’s an hour later and, you know, and you’re like, dang, I didn’t make any extra money on that because I just went along with it. And so that’s a big, big part for me that I really.

Stephanie: Yeah, happy you brought that up because that’s highly, for all of our individual cleaners who are listening right now, you don’t have to be a certain size or weight to get these protective mechanisms in place. You can have client guidelines or a contract that is signed. There is, there’s no reason to not do that. If you’re going to behave like a business, then you need to behave like a business and that is a business practice. And all it does is it makes sure that the expectations are well laid out so nobody gets upset. And you also mentioned even what’s included, what’s not. Well, there is no standard to that at all. Your business probably, we don’t even have the same packages or whatever you want to call it. So you can’t be mad at the client if they ask you to do something when you’ve never laid out what is the scope of work that’s included here. So just being very communicative. And I know that that can be annoying sometimes because, why don’t you just know it? Especially, but a lot of times one, you’re not just dealing with them that they’ve never had a cleaning company before, but they also are probably really nervous and feel super awkward, right? Because you’re in their home and you’re in their most intimate spaces and you’re, you know, you’re cleaning their bedroom and you’re doing all the things. And that can feel invasive, you know, to some people. So being able to, I think, really walk people through what the process is, you know, and how to set up and prepare for you coming, you know, really laying it out, this is what you need to do to prepare for me to come. It makes my job easier. It also gives them to where I’ve seen online, people are like, I have a cleaners coming for the first time. What do I need to do? How do I need to prepare? And I’m like, well, your cleaner should be telling you what to do and how to prepare because it’s different all the way across the board. So I think really just kind of setting up those expectations for the client and for cleaners. If you’re hiring cleaners of, this is what the guidelines are, this is what the expectations are, this is what we’re looking at. So I think that’s really big just in the business all the way across the board of just really laying it out. Kind of like people are in kindergarten. This is what we’re doing.

Katie: Yeah, I always, you know, jokingly, but not really say that employees and clients are like children, right? They’re going to wherever the line is. Kids don’t know where the lines are. They’re going to push it, right? And it’s not even in a nefarious way. Like, you know, it’s like I think I just shared on the podcast, it’s like they’re going to ask you. Employees are going to ask you for pay advances. They’re going to ask you for personal loans. They’re going to ask you to live with you. Stephanie did that. Let an employee live with her. Literally in the first year of business in my two bedroom apartment and her chihuahua pissed all over my house. Like, but you know, who didn’t say anything? Stephanie, right? Who’s funny? We are the source of all of our problems.

Charging for Extra Work and Managing Expectations

Katie: We definitely are. And it’s funny with clients, especially this year, because I think, you know, what I’ve come to realize this year is I was growing some resentment and just some, I would go to work and just be like, wow, just kind of grumbling because I’m like, why are you grumbling? Like, this is your own doing, you know, if this house isn’t picked up enough for you when you’re coming, do something about it. You need to talk to them, set some boundaries. And so I did start implementing this time that if I come into the house and it’s a big mess, I’m going to charge you $75 for me to pick that up because it’s going to take me extra time to pick it up. And I had a client that I did that and she was just like, what do you mean? And I was just like, I’m sorry. And I felt so bad. But I was just like, I have to. It’s kind of like your mom. You’ve got to lay down the wall. This is what it is. And so I’ve really been trying this year to kind of just, I’m not doing that. I’m not going extra. These are the rules. This was what we agreed on and you’re going outside of that agreement. And so we need to go back to the basics so that I’m not angry and upset and not want to drop you as a client because my job is harder. And instead of taking five hours, it’s taking me seven hours and I don’t charge hourly. And so it’s just, it’s a, it’s a balance. It’s definitely a balance of boundaries and saying no and where those lines are and how it all runs together.

Stephanie: And I think, you know, on the opposite side of that, you’re making me think of something that has happened time and again with particularly female clients is that they will not say something is bothering them or little things that maybe we missed until even if we ask, even if we ask for feedback, and then three months later, they fucking explode and cancel and be like, and this, this and this didn’t get done. And it’s like, you didn’t say anything. It reminds me of, you know, my best friend, Maddie, she always says a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. And it goes both ways. Meaning if we are sitting here feeling resentful, like I noticed that in my work yesterday, just in some side work, I was like sitting there pissed off doing this work because I’m like, this is taking so much longer than what is in my contract, blah, blah, blah. And I’m like, then go add it to the bill, Stephanie.

Overcoming Pricing Guilt and Running Your Business

Katie: I really struggled with is raising prices and, and, you know, living in this state of guilt and running my business for my clients needs instead of my own needs. And, you know, and because I’ve been with them for so long and I’ve formed these relationships with them, just being like, I know I need to raise it. I know that, you know, what I’m charging them is not enough because I had no clue what I was doing when I first started. And so to raise them where they should be, that’s uncomfortable to do that. And so I actually, this year, I actually met with a business coach to be able to go over my pricing and be like, why am I charging what I’m charging? What do I need to be charging? And really get an idea so that I can then go and raise the rates that I need to raise and run my business for myself instead of running it for them. Because, you know, at the end of the day, it’s my business. And so in order for me to be able to do a good job for them and, you know, get new products and get new items to be able to clean properly, I have to be making a profit. And so I’ve just really been trying to get out of people’s pockets and really just being like, you know what, this is what it is, this is the cost, this is my strategy for raising. Because I think one of the reasons I haven’t raised is because, you know, you’re afraid of losing clients. And at the end of the day, I have so many people who are like, are you cleaning? Do you have openings? Do you have, you know, and so it’s just like, I can get new people, you know, I’m giving the option of like, I’m sorry, I do have to raise because of X, Y, and Z, but if you want to continue, we can, this is the price. If not, then, you know, it’s been lovely working with you and then, you know, go and replacing. And so that’s, that’s been something that’s been really hard for me because I know that I need to raise my prices quite significantly for some of my clients and I’m just like, I can’t do it. I, you know, living in that, in that place of guilt. So it’s been hard.

Stephanie: I totally know. And I’m glad that you said the, you know, stay out of people’s pockets, because that’s been reiterated time and time again on the podcast by so many different guests of, we do not know somebody’s financial situations, even by their house, you don’t know their financial situation. Some of the cheapest bastards I’ve ever met have a giant McMansion. They’re, you know, dying in debt and so they don’t have it. But the reasonable, modest houses, they don’t blink an eye at a price increase. So we just, we cannot assume it’s just, this is my price. So it’s almost, it’s empathy to the detriment of our own needs of, oh, but you know, they got two kids and grandma’s sick and all this stuff. It’s like, guys, this isn’t, frankly, it’s not our problem. You know, we got our own problems. And it’s funny saying that because it’s like, you feel, you’re just like, oh, it’s not my problem. But that makes me sound like such an asshole. But at the end of the day, it’s not like, you know, I’m putting your needs over my needs and I’m not able to run my business as I need to because I’m putting you in front of me. And I see that so much on the Facebook groups with cleaners and asking pricing and, what should I do for this price? And I can’t raise. People are like, oh, just raise it $10. I was like, if you misquoted in the beginning and they’re at $120 and they should be at $280, unfortunately, that’s what I need to raise you at because I’m taking a hit every time I come and clean your house when, and I’m sorry, that sucks. And, you know, maybe you’ll go find some quotes and realize that, you know, I come back because I do know what I’m doing and I show up every time and I’m consistent and I’m all the things that, you know, I hear people complain about, but, you know, at the end of the day, this year, I’m just like, there’s just no more explaining. There’s no more apologizing. I’m done living in guilt. I’m just going to run my business how I need to for myself. Whether that means raising the rates or saying no to things or expanding and hiring people and just getting out of my own comfort zone and just hard stop. And that’s it.

Stephanie: I love that. It’s so true. And, and you already have, you know, this evidence supporting that there is a demand for you. And so every time slot is opportunity cost that you could be making more with another client. And that’s not to be cold hearted, but frankly, they drop us in a heartbeat. So we got to make the decisions that’s best for our families and our businesses. And sometimes that means replacing a client or, you know, it’s not even you want to replace them. You just want to make the money that you can make at that time.

Katie: Yeah. I think that’s where some of the resentment comes in is when you’re cleaning, knowing that, man, you know, I just hired on this new house and they’re making X amount of money and this house is the same size and I’m making half of that. And so then you’re grumbling the whole time you’re cleaning because you know that it should be more. And you know that your time is good. And, and what I was charging six years ago is not what I should be charging now because I have all this experience and I have all this expertise of how to clean and things to do. And so it is hard to find that balance. But you know, I have so many people are like, why are you not expanding? I have so many people that ask me about a cleaner that I want to refer you and I don’t because I know you’re full. And so, and I’m just like, okay, I’m just comfortable right here. But I think I, in the last couple of years, getting new houses and charging what I know that I should and even being afraid to charge that high of a price and they’re like, okay. And then I’m like, oh, okay. Well, all right. Well, if one person would pay this much, there’s a million others that are going to pay that price also, because I watched one of your podcasts and you were talking about raising your hourly rate and how you always just thought it was the cap, that you’re at the top, I can’t go anymore. And then realizing, no, I’m not, this is, you know, I can go up and just because it feels uncomfortable, it’s just, you know, yeah.

The Value of Reliability and Dependability

Stephanie: And those new people coming on don’t know that you were at X amount of dollars. And so being able to be like, well, this is what my rate is. And they’re like, okay, that’s great. You’re going to come clean my house and I don’t have to and I could just walk in at the end of the day and just kick my feet up, you know? And I think that that’s, you’re selling time and you’re giving them their time back. And so really being able to sell that, people are going to pay you for that and pay you for your expertise and your knowledge and actually showing up when you say you’re going to show up. Because that’s something I hear a lot when I go to new houses and do estimates. And they’re just like, man, my cleaner, she just was unreliable or she didn’t show up or she had too much stuff going on in her life. And I’m just like, I’m here. It’s my livelihood. I’m going to be here, you know, hell or high water. You can count on me. And so I think that that really plays into, you know, how much you can charge because I am reliable and I do know what I’m doing. And so I just have to kind of remember that and put it in my back pocket.

Stephanie: Absolutely. And one thing that I like to kind of prompt out of my current customers when I’m looking for feedback to to specify specifically the areas that we could have a competitive advantage, even as individual cleaners. And for example, what you just highlighted is dependability. If you are somebody who is capable and you’re in your life right now to show up, come hell or high water, get your current clients to say that in a review, because that’s what’s going to stick out to people because it’s like, yeah, they’re a good cleaner. If they just say you’re a good cleaner, well, so is everybody else, right? But you show up. That’s your part.

Katie: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And that’s not to put down anybody who doesn’t do that. However, I’m, you know, just going to be blunt here, then maybe go get a job somewhere else. And not, you know, because people are going to get pissed off about that and that is going to be one of the reasons that they leave. And again, it doesn’t mean we don’t have to cancel on clients. Sometimes that does happen. Of course it does. But we do everything in our power to make it up to them or make it right in whatever capacity that that looks like. So it’s not saying that you need to be perfect 100% of the time. But if you even a quarter of the time to a client you’re having to reschedule, well, it may not seem like a lot to you because you have 20 clients and you’re like, oh, it’s just not that big of a deal. But that client, that’s their their only experience with you, right? It doesn’t matter about you showing up to all the other clients houses. They don’t give a fuck about the other clients houses. They give a fuck about their house and you’re not showing up to it. So it is, that dependability, it really, it’s kind of like a big stereotype of our industry is that cleaners don’t show up. They’re not dependable.

Katie: Yeah, I hear that a lot from people. And I’m just like, well, you know, I’m like, okay. So, you know, and that is a big thing because when you don’t show up and, and, you know, I’ve had times where I’ve had things happen with my kids and, you know, you’ve got it, but I try to definitely, can I come on a Saturday or a Sunday? You know, I don’t work weekends, but I’m going to come and I’ll take care of it. But when you don’t show up, then they’re having to clean and they’re having to take their time to do things that you were going to do. And so you’ve just put a big wrench in it. So if you cancel once and then, you know, the next time you cancel again and then you do a clean and then you cancel again, it’s just kind of like, are you dependable? Are you going to show up and they’re going to start looking for somebody else because it really does make a difference to them.

Stephanie: Oh, yeah. Even if your quality is pretty good but not stellar. Like, you know, I’ve got a house cleaner now or a house cleaning company, a smaller outfit and they miss some things sometimes, but you know, they show up every time. And so I really just don’t want to go through the shopping process. They’re good. That’s what I need. I just need good because I really don’t care. The point is the majority of it is good. You know what I mean? And they’re showing up and I don’t have to worry about if they’re going to show up. And so that dependability to me is actually a huge thing. And so as a customer. So I think that that is a really important thing to highlight. And also, you know, if you’re like, well, easy for you, Stephanie, you don’t have any children. If you guys have a bunch of kids and you’re the sole, you know, support system for them and that means you’re the one who has to call out if they have something happen, I would suggest not booking yourself solid. Leave yourself some wiggle room in your schedule, at least one time slot a week that you can push appointments to. So you’re not completely canceling, you’re just rescheduling or rearranging the schedule. Because otherwise, it’s like you’re just, if you book yourself solid, and this is another reason why you want to price high is so that with less appointments, you’re making as much as you would with fewer.

Katie: Yeah, that’s right. Yeah. And I, you know, I did that, you know, when my kids were a little bit younger and was kind of going through some things, I don’t work on Mondays because I just needed that flexibility. And my life was chaotic, to say the least. And so, you know, really being able to have flexibility. And, you know, and again, my clients were great and they really did, you know, support me during all the chaos that was going on in my life. But, you know, they at the end of the day, they’ll be supportive, but they want their house clean. So you’ve got to be able to, you know, to adjust and come and do what you need to do. And so, you know, I mean, everybody has kids, everybody has problems, everybody has all the things. It’s just about managing your time and and doing what you need to, I guess, for your business with where you’re at in your life, you know, and kind of what, what is sitting in front of you.

Creating Content as a Cleaning Business Owner

Stephanie: Absolutely, absolutely. So how do you, I’m curious with coming back to the content piece of everything that you do, how do you balance that with doing the actual cleanings? Like, I mean, do you set yourself a content goal for the week? Like, is that so? Or is it truly just like a passion project thing?

Katie: You know, right now, I’m still kind of trying to figure it all out. I will get kind of ideas in my head. I’ll sit down on Sundays and kind of figure out, okay, what do I need, want to show people? Because I feel like if I don’t have some sort of idea, I’m just kind of going in, I’ve cleaned this house for the last five years. So to me, it’s just the same thing. And so, you know, I’ll kind of try to focus on, okay, I’m going to do sinks and stainless this week and just little tidbits of stuff. And sometimes I’ll be cleaning, I’m like, ooh, this is good content. I’m going to, you know, I’m going to show this one thing. But I just kind of do, I just film and film and film and then I’ll kind of go back through and figure out what I want to show and teach. And like I said, it’s still very much a learning process right now for me of what people actually want to see and watch. Because as you know, social media, you got about two seconds to catch people. And so it’s like, okay, what am I going to put forward? You know, what’s going to really stop the scroll and be able to be like, okay. But I tell you what, when people reach out and they’re like, I love your content, it’s making me want to clean my house or it’s, you know, giving me this motivation, I’m like, OK, all right. I was about to pause, but, you know, let’s keep going. And so it’s really, you know, I just I love being able to share stuff that is doable in people’s homes. And, you know, if that means I’ve got to stop and pause the cleaning to be able to video, and honestly, I just kind of set up my tripod and I just kind of video while I’m cleaning and then kind of take that for what it is while also being like, okay, I need to video me cleaning a sink or me cleaning the stove or the bathtub or how to deep clean a grout line or whatever it is. And I just kind of try to figure what’s hard for people. And I do ask a lot of the Facebook groups, what’s something that’s hard for you to clean? What do you want more information about so that then I can go back and really give people, you know, valuable information on what they’re looking for?

Stephanie: I love that. I personally love clean with me content. That’s actually even how all of this came to be is because I followed Melissa Maker, you know, on YouTube and she has all this cleaning content on YouTube for a homeowner and renter as I was renting at the time. And that’s how I even stumbled upon her course to open a cleaning business. And here we are six and a half years later. Yeah, it all came from clean with me content because I love to watch that. I find or, if I’m going to clean my house, you bet your ass I’m going to put on a video of somebody cleaning their house. You know, I mean, some people don’t know how to clean. You aren’t taught or you’re just like, how the hell do I clean? How do you clean a whole house? And, you know, in three hours. And really just knowing, watching how people do a process, I think is very informative. And, you know, it just kind of goes back to just giving people little bits and pieces of what helps. And, you know, a big part of my content is just that, we’re all human and nobody’s house is perfect. And, you know, the social media can be so just so frustrating sometimes because people put this perfection forward. And I’m like, that’s not what people’s houses look like. I’m in people’s houses all the time. They’re lived in. We are busy. We’re moms, we’re, you know, doing all the things. And so really having just, you know, don’t be so hard on yourself. Come back to center and just realize, even if you can only clean 15 minutes a day, that’s good enough. It’s not a big deal. Like, let’s just figure out how to, you know, what’s the worst part and I’ll help you clean it. I’ll help, you know, I’ll come with you.

Stephanie: I love that. It’s so true. And, you know, especially I think we, whether that be business content or house content or whatever, I think that social media is wonderful for connection, but it makes us feel very lonely or ashamed at times because everything is perfectly curated. I mean, look at this room, what you guys see right here. All right, all of our listeners right now, just go ahead and look at that. That is not what you see usually and now it’s beautiful again, right? So not that it’s real.

The Reality Behind the Scenes

Katie: I always joke that I’m like, man, if half of my clients saw my house, they would be like, oh my God, why are you cleaning for me? Because, you know, after I come home from cleaning, the last thing I want to do is clean my house. And so my house does get neglected. And I know that a lot of cleaners, their houses get neglected because you just, you don’t have the time or the energy. And so, you know, I always laugh that my house definitely does not look like a cleaner’s house for sure. But, you know, I know how to clean, but my house is hot shambles sometimes.

Stephanie: Oh, yeah. The shoemaker shoes or whatever. And no, I know what you mean. I’m a very messy person, as we just saw. I’m a messy person. It takes a lot. I wouldn’t say I’m a filthy, dirty person. Like, I mean, there’s cleaners, obviously. But all the time, messy is what it is. I just kind of, as have been lovingly called a tornado by my managers when I come into the office and just there’s a path of destruction behind me. And so, yeah, I think it’s very funny. And I love the highlight of, yeah, cleaners houses get dirty just like everybody.

Katie: Yeah, no, I always laugh. My mom, she always laughs. She’s like, oh man, you’re a cleaner, but you’ve never been clean. I’ve always been a mess, my room. You know, when I was younger, it’s like you had to clear a path to get through. And I mean, I, it’s very ironic because I’ve not always liked cleaning. And so for me to actually be a cleaner and really love and enjoy and really thrive in it, it’s, it’s kind of ironic, but.

Stephanie: So funny because my dad for years, as I opened the business, he’d be like, don’t understand it. Stephanie always lived in a pigsty. Her room was always filthy. A cleaning business, this doesn’t make any sense.

Katie: Look at us now.

Stephanie: Look at us now, still just messy, but you know, now we do it for other people.

Connecting with Katie

Stephanie: Oh my gosh. Well, this has been amazing, Katie. I’m so happy that we were able to get you on the pod. If people want to check out your content, where can they find you?

Katie: I’m on across all the social medias. On Facebook, I’ve got either my personal profile, which is just Katie Bradley, and I do content on there, but I’ve also got Maidbusters as well. TikTok is come clean with Katie, and Instagram is come clean with Katie as well. So check out all three and I try to kind of do some different things and some the same and I just want to reach all the people. So that’s all.

Stephanie: We’ll be sure to link all of that and it really has been amazing to hear your journey, hear your tips and tricks and everybody definitely give her some love down in the comments. If you guys are going to implement any of the things that we talked about today, we’d love to hear what you think. Or if you got a product suggestion, obviously leave it down below guys. So we can all continue to improve and evolve on our cleaning journey. But thank you so much, Katie. This has been amazing.

Katie: Thank you so much for having me on. It’s been a great experience. I appreciate it.

Stephanie: You betcha. And everybody hit that like, hit that subscribe if you’re not subscribed and we’ll see you on the next episode of Filthy Rich Cleaners. Bye.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Filthy Rich Cleaners podcast, please be sure to leave us a five-star review so we can reach more cleaners like you. Until next time, keep your work clean and your business filthy rich.

Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity and readability.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Zep Products
• Barkeeper’s Friend
• Dawn Power Wash
• Sprayway Glass Cleaner
• Melissa Maker – Clean My Space
• ZenMaid

Social Media:

• Katie Bradley on Facebook
• Maidbusters on Facebook
• Come Clean with Katie on TikTok
• Come Clean with Katie on Instagram

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