(This post is sponsored by CottageCare. I was given a complimentary house cleaning by CottageCare; however, all opinions are 100% my own.)
I have never had my house cleaned…by anyone other than myself. (Okay, and my husband, but he doesn’t count in this case.) So the thought of having a housecleaning service come to my home made me both giddy and a little nervous. I sort of wanted to clean before they came…umm, so not the point. I’m a recovering perfectionist, so other people seeing my dirty laundry (literally) can make me uneasy. Don’t worry, I set all that crazy aside and excitedly moved forward to set up my cleaning appointment with CottageCare.
When I called CottageCare to set up the appointment, the sweet woman on the phone explained very thoroughly what and how they would be cleaning. She made sure I didn’t have any other questions and, easy peazy, step one was complete. I got a follow-up call to confirm my appointment and a couple of emails to remind me they were coming, along with a video about how they clean. I would say that communication with the customer is a very high value.
Getting to know CottageCare
I wanted to do a little research before they arrived, so I went to CottageCare’s website. I have to say, I love when a company sees way beyond just the service that they provide to a much bigger mission, and CottageCare does just that.
Here are the things that stood out to me that I love about CottageCare (even before they cleaned my house):
- CottageCare’s value statement: Act Justly. Be Generous. Walk Humbly. This flows from the leadership to their employees and then on to their customers.
- They chose the name CottageCare because they didn’t want “maid” in any part of the business name. They are not a maid service but a professional cleaning service. They chose the word “Cottage” because it indicates that it’s affordable to anyone as opposed to a castle and “Care” because they care about the customer as well as the employees.
- They value time efficiency and quality efficiency, which makes it more affordable to the customer.
- Their team cares, treating each home gently (as if it were their own), giving it the best possible cleaning.
- You can get a price quote for your home over the phone or online.
- Over 25 yrs of experience providing eco-friendly housecleaning.
- They are 100% green, environmentally friendly, and all the products are non-toxic, non-abrasive and essentially odorless. They have been environmentally friendly since their roots in the mid-70’s, well before it was a popular trend to do so.
- They give back. They support and are heavily involved with a charity for widows and orphans in Rwanda called The Rwanda Project.
- They are available in 22 states and 2 countries and have a high credibility rating.
The part where they cleaned my house!
Okay, so the day of the cleaning I was really excited, I’m not gonna lie. They said they would arrive between noon and 1. Ruth showed up within that window and the first place she started was upstairs in my daughter’s room and the guest room. Friends, she spent more time in there cleaning that I have since we moved in… 3 years ago. It’s embarrassing I know, but I just don’t have time to do the thorough cleaning that she did or the patience because I know my kids will mess it up. I sat downstairs working and kept thinking, “That statement of theirs, Freedom from Housework…It’s a fabulous feeling!, It’s really true!”
During the cleaning, CottageCare Portland’s manager Melissa stopped by to meet me. She was kind and pleasant to chat with and it was obvious they take it very seriously that their customers are happy. She even called back the next morning to make sure that I was happy with my cleaning and to make sure nothing I wanted done had been missed.
The hours ticked on and Ruth cleaned from top to bottom, each room in my house. It was literally sparkling and smelled fresh (not like chemicals) and clean. When my kids got home, even they mentioned how nice their rooms looked and that the lamps looked “pretty and shiny.”
I love a clean house and I clean consistently, but not to this level because, well, I’m a mom who works and volunteers and likes to be present and I just can’t get it all done, all the time.
If you’re a busy mom like me (and I know you are) you may want to give CottageCare in Portland a call (serving Portland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Happy Valley, Milwaukie, Clackamas and beyond). Maybe you want a great cleaning once a year or maybe every week is what you need. CottageCare can meet those needs. I was so happy with the professionalism of this company and highly recommend them!