About Us
In 2004, a small residential cleaning service consisting of two friends, each with a car barely large enough to hold our supplies, opened for business in Clear Lake, MN. We had pretty business cards printed with a catchy logo and left flyers all around town. We quickly filled our schedules with cleaning jobs and built a good reputation for our efforts.
As a lifestyle I've always lived sustainably...since before it was called living "green". But as a business, I filled bottles with conventional cleaning products that I purchased at a discount whenever and wherever I could. I spent a load on paper towels and disposable wipes for convenience sake, thinking customers don't care how I got the job done, as long as it got done well. I came home every day with headaches and smelling of bleach.
It did not take long to tell myself that if the customers don't mind how the job gets done, I certainly did. There was too much waste, and my health was at risk too. I started mixing simple household ingredients like I did for my own home using baking soda, borax and vinegar. I bought micro fiber cloths and loved how well they performed together with my simple solutions. I started experimenting, mixing solutions in my kitchen using organic oils and pure castille soaps. I added pure essential oils knowing that tea tree oil is cleansing and kills germs and bacterias. Eucalyptus, lavender, mint, citrus...MMMM...it all smelled so good and these oils all possess disinfecting and cleansing qualities. I found I was having more fun while working. I came home tired from a long day, but feeling good about it. I smelled fresh, and so did my vehicle from the bag of micro fiber cloths that needed washing so they could be used again. I totally changed how I operated my business, being conscious of schedules and routes to burn less gasoline. I became a Green Cleaning Service, and began to advertise as such, claiming to be the "Green Clean Solution". As my customers learned of the change, many by noticing the nice aromas when they entered their homes, others by inquiring "What are you using on my wood floors and where can I get some?" I realized I was wrong about my customers. They do care. They were happy to know that I cared for my health and the environment. They wanted to have access to the products I made and use them between their scheduled cleanings. They told friends about it and they wanted to try them too. So, "Green Clean Solutions" was launched.
Having product properly mixed, bottled and labeled, ready for sale to the consumer was a project that took well over a year. Sometimes the task seemed overwhelming and I wondered if I should follow through. Every evening after cleaning homes all day, I spent hours researching what was required to start a small business that manufactured its own product. Shopping online for just the right bottles took many hours. The label designs took a lot of time too, but I am very happy with them. I really like their bright and fun look. Most important though is what is inside the bottles. Many hours were spent working on the formulas to ensure their simplicity, and yet be effective cleaners and degreasers and also smell great, while having a long shelf life. I converted a tractor garage into a shop where I mix, bottle and label products by hand. It has truly been a lot of work, but it has been well worth it. I know I am offering you a product that I can stand behind and believe in.
As time goes on I hope this website can be a source of information and inspiration to help you learn more about how you can live the green life, and more sustainable lifestyles, by making simple changes at home, in the workplace and in our communities. I believe that those small changes collectively can make a huge difference for the planet and help reverse the effects of global warming.
All that is left to say is "Thank you" for visiting my website and using my products. I wish you and yours a healthy and happy 2008.
