Our Story

A cleaning company built on honesty and care

We started small, learned a lot, and never stopped caring about doing the job right.

Team at work Cleaning supplies

How We Started

From a simple idea to a trusted service

Cleaning House began in 2018 when Maria Caldwell, a former office manager with years of experience organizing and managing teams, decided to do something more hands-on. She noticed that most cleaning services in Ottawa were either too expensive, too unreliable, or treated their work as purely transactional. She wanted to build something different — a small team that genuinely cared about the homes they worked in.

The first year was mostly word of mouth. Maria and one part-time colleague cleaned eight homes between them. They made mistakes, learned quickly, and kept every client they took on. By 2020, the team had grown to six people and a steady client base built entirely on referrals.

Today, Cleaning House serves over 1,400 homes across Ottawa and the surrounding region. We've added services, refined our approach, and onboarded new team members carefully. The company has grown, but the underlying idea hasn't changed: do the job well, communicate clearly, and respect the spaces you're trusted to clean.

Our Journey

How Cleaning House has grown

2018

The Beginning

Maria launched Cleaning House with one assistant and eight regular clients. Early focus: standard home cleaning in central Ottawa, learning through doing.

2019

Building a Team

Hired three additional cleaners. Developed our internal onboarding process and first service checklist. Started deep cleaning as a distinct service offering.

2020

Adapting Through Challenge

COVID-19 changed everything. We updated all protocols, introduced health-safe practices, and communicated openly with clients throughout. We lost some clients but kept most through transparency.

2021

Eco-Friendly Program Launched

Anne joined the team and brought real expertise in sustainable cleaning methods. We introduced our eco-friendly cleaning option using verified low-impact products.

2022

Expanding the Service Area

Extended coverage to Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, and Barrhaven. Added move-in/move-out cleaning to handle the Ottawa real estate market. Tom joined as move specialist.

2024

Where We Are Now

12 team members, 1,400+ homes served, 98% client retention. Still booking by phone and email. Still focused on quality over volume. Still the same core idea.

What We Believe

The principles behind our work

These aren't slogans on a wall. They're the things we've actually had to think through and decide on over the years.

Honest Communication

We don't oversell. If your home needs something we can't do well, we'll say so. If we make a mistake, we tell you and we fix it. We've found that clients stick around longer when they trust what they're being told.

Consistency Over Flash

A home that's cleaned well every visit is more valuable than one that's spotless on the first visit and inconsistent after that. We prioritize repeatable quality — doing the same job well each time.

Respect for Homes

We work in spaces people care about. That means handling things carefully, not rushing through rooms, and taking note of what matters to each household. Every home is different and we treat it that way.

Fair Treatment of Staff

Our team is paid fairly, given proper equipment, and treated with respect. We've seen what happens to cleaning companies that burn through staff — the quality suffers and clients notice. We hire carefully and try to keep the people we have.

Environmental Awareness

We don't pretend to be a green company, but we think about our impact. We've reduced unnecessary chemical use, offer a full eco-friendly option, and try to avoid waste where we can. It's an ongoing process, not a finished claim.

Privacy and Trust

We're often in homes when no one else is there. We take that seriously. Staff go through background checks, we have a clear privacy policy, and we never discuss client information outside of necessary coordination.

Our Approach

What we actually think about cleaning

Professional cleaning is often talked about in terms of sparkle and shine — the gleaming surfaces, the scented air. Those things matter, but they're outcomes, not the process. What we focus on is the process: moving through a space methodically, knowing what needs attention, using the right tools, and leaving things in order rather than just in appearance.

We've noticed that clients who feel the most satisfied aren't always the ones who get the most glamorous results. They're the ones who feel like the team understood their home — knew not to move the stack of papers on the desk, knew that the cat's water bowl stays in the same spot, knew to vacuum the hallway last because the dog sheds most there.

That kind of familiarity comes from the same team returning to the same home. It's one of the reasons we prioritize continuity, and one of the reasons our repeat rate is high.

"A well-cleaned home isn't necessarily the cleanest one. It's the one that feels right to the person who lives there." — Maria Caldwell, Founder
Professional cleaning in action Cleaning supplies organized