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Eco-Friendly Family
Starting an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Business
I am strongly considering starting my own home cleaning business using all natural/ eco-friendly cleaning products. (Once I have recovered from having baby!)
If you needed a cleaning service, would you be willing to pay a little more (maybe $10 more a week) for someone who was going to use all natural store-bought products and homemade products with essential oils, etc?
Would you mind if your cleaning person brought their baby and set them up in a pack and play or bouncy seat while they were working, especially if they were not charging by the hour but by the room?
Thanks for your thoughts ladies. 
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Re: Starting an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Business
As eco-friendly cleaners tend to actually be less expensive than traditional cleaners, I don't think you'll be able to upcharge for that concept. HOWEVER, I would pick an eco-friendly cleaner-using company over one that uses harsh chemicals. So, while you may not be able to charge more, you may have a slight corner on your marketing.
Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with my housekeeper bringing her newborn to the house. However, I wouldn't be okay with an older, more mobile child, in my home.
On a side note, I can tell you from experience that having an infant at work is really, really challenging. Both of my babies spent the first several months with me at the office. While I wouldn't trade that time with them for anything, I do believe that it was frustrating for both myself as well as my children. I simply couldn't give them 100% of the attention they deserved; nor could I give my work responsibilities 100% of what they deserved. Bottom line: if there is any way you can arrange for someone to help you with your baby while you clean houses, please do so -- for your sake, and for baby's.
11 months
I completely agree with the posters... and especially the quote above. I am a WAHM and it is HARD to focus on the baby and business at the same time. They both suffer.
I'm about to have to hire a sitter to come to my house a couple hours a week so I can REALLY get some work done.
I've never looked into hiring a cleaner so I didn't know that the eco-friendly tends to run about the same rate as regular cleaners. However, if I had been looking I would have figured that out, and probably would not have picked your servie if you cost more than other eco-friendly companies. If you were about the same rate, I would definitely consider it - are you talking $10 more per room? Because that I wouldn't do, maybe $10 overall.
As for bringing your baby - if you were my neighbor and I knew you and hired you, no I wouldn't mind at all. However, if I looked you up in the phone book I would expect a more professional company and probably would think it's a little odd you had your baby with you, unless you advertised yourself as a working mom and baby.
Honestly i have not liked it when houseeepers brought children with them. I always feel responsible for entertaining the kids as I feel sorry for them being bored (obviously older kids) also I really rather have someone come in and finish quickly- not take time to feed and change the baby- I want my house back to myself asap when there is someone working here. Obviously if other EF services are the same price as regular I would not choose a company that was upcharging for it.
I I knew you already and hired you I would probably feel differntly about the baby thing- it's jsut if I were choosing from ore than oe company I woudl immediatly dismiss the more expensive company that came with a baby. Also havinga child of my own I would not be open to another child coming in when they might be sick etc.
This is why I love you girls - so honest and helpful.
The cost factor makes sense to me - my mom mentioned charging more but I wasn't really sure.
At what age do you think it would get really hard with a little one? (for what it's worth, I wouldn't really advertise as a professional company, just do it for neighbors or for people through word of mouth)
I returned to work with Joanie four weeks post c-section; with Joshie, I was six days post c-section. It was hard even at the very beginning. As the months wore on, it just became harder and harder.
I thank God every single day for my amazing mom. She is a survivor of stage four rectal cancer, flesh eating bacteria, grave's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and a host of other issues. She stepped up and began taking care of my babies during the day when Joanie was about six months old and added Joshie to the mix when he was about two months old. Without her, I honestly do not know how we would have made it. She even CD's Joshie (Joanie is PT), has her own stash of CDs, and launders them herself. My hope for you is that you will be able to find a similarly fantastic support system.
Once they are mobile it is soooo much harder. Abby started rolling at 3 months and since she learned to crawl it is next to impossible to get anything done--cleaning my own house is near impossible, I can't imagine trying to clean other people's. My baby is not content to be in pack-n-play. She is a mover and a shaker. Each baby is different, but it's not easy to get stuff done with a baby.