Meet Mrs. Clean - Alicia Sokolowski

Achievers Magazine (Autumn, 2004)
Lyndon Grove

Meet Mrs. Clean - Alicia Sokolowski

Achievers Magazine (Autumn, 2004)
Lyndon Grove

"Cleanliness is, indeed, next to Godliness,"sermonized John Wesley. In which case, AspenClean, Vancouver’s chemical-free, nature friendly home cleaning company, is almost saintly.

It is a giant leap from launching mobile telephone networks around the world to running a home cleaning business, but that is the leap Alicia Sokolowski and Chris Solodko made. Alicia, a chartered accountant with a bachelor of commerce degree, and her husband, Chris, an engineer specializing in high technology communications, were born in Lodz, Poland’s great manufacturing centre. But they met thousands of miles away, at the University of Toronto. International contract assignments for the duo were rewarding, but, Alicia says, "I always wanted to run my own business." How she came to form that business—AspenClean, described as "Nature’s Home Cleaning Service" — came about because she and Chris are confessed cleanliness freaks.

"We’re very health conscious. We believe in good nutrition, organic products, recycling, environmental protection." They were also determined to guard the health of their children, a daughter, now six, and a son, now two. Wary of conventional cleaning products which contain toxic chemicals, chemicals that leave residue and can be absorbed by the body months after their use, Alicia and Chris began to explore natural, chemical-free methods of house cleaning. Alicia purchased microfibre cleaning products from a German distributor, and found that they cleaned everything better, from windows to hardwood floors. After that, she says, "we decided to start our own cleaning service, to meet our standards of health and home environment." AspenClean opened its West Vancouver office a year ago, and has built a client base on the North Shore and in Vancouver’s city centre and west side. Next year, a second office will open, and AspenClean teams will cover more of Greater Vancouver. Even now, a challenge may lure them into more distant suburban areas. The company cleans stores and offices, but the majority of its work is done in residences, from one-bedroom studio apartments to multi-level homes—the largest, so far, 10,000 square feet. AspenClean also imports and sells cleaning products. "For the initial cleaning," says Alicia, "we may work five to eight man-hours, bringing the level of cleanliness to a state we’d like to maintain. After that, we return bi-weekly. The time spent depends on the size of the home and its condition. Cleaning can take from two man-hours for a relatively clean one-bedroom apartment to forty man-hours or more for detailed cleaning of a mansion. "We always work in teams," she says, "and you won’t even know we’re there."

Jim Brickley, who lives in a West Vancouver townhouse, says, "I like the fact that they come as a team. It hastens the process. They’re reliable, they’re dependable, they’re on time." The average cost of regular, bi-weekly cleaning of a one-level, one-bedroom apartment is $70. Cleaning of a mid-size, two-story house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms averages $140. Initial estimates are free, and persons interested can fill out a form on the Internet that will lead to an estimate. AspenClean’s web site: http://www.aspenclean.com. In the form, simply check off the work you would like done, which may include such non-standard services as washing windows and changing linens and towels. AspenClean would probably dust all the books in your library, if asked. "The only other person I know who can clean that well is my mom," says Linda Morgan. She and Alicia, who met at a Board of Trade event, have a lot in common. Linda is director of business development for Hangers Cleaners, a new company that cleans clothes with carbon dioxide, instead of the usual chemicals. Obviously, a proponent of chemical-free clothes cleaning is going to be interested in chemical-free house cleaning.

If the AspenClean team turns up at your house armed with vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, you may think it’s someone’s mom or even grandma come to do the cleaning. "These traditional cleaners are oldies but goodies," says Alicia, "but we’re always experimenting with new products." In addition to microfibre wipes and mop heads, AspenClean employs botanical soaps and essential oils, filtration collection vacuums, and, when necessary, steam. "Everything is one hundred percent natural—unscented and non-toxic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-microbial. Nature doesn’t use toxic cleaners. Neither does AspenClean." AspenClean has reams of data to frighten people away from toxic household cleaners. They will tell you that floating around in the average home are more than 150 substances that can be linked to cancer; that household cleaners are the leading cause of poisonings among children; that chemical cleaners can lead to a number of ailments, from breathing problems to depression; that indoor air can be up to seventy times as polluted as outdoor air; and that every year in North America more than 32 million pounds of household cleaners are poured down drains and into the environment.

An integral part of AspenClean’s success is the quality of its staff. It’s important, Alicia notes, "to get the right people. Many come to us from other cleaning companies, and they appreciate the opportunity to work in a chemical-free environment." Even experienced workers, however, go through two weeks of special training. "It is important," says Alicia, " for them to believe in our philosophy, our mission, our values." A certain attitude is essential. "We hire for attitude," says Alicia, "and train for success." Once the right people are hired, "you must treat them the right way and reward them appropriately. We have a pay for performance bonus program on top of salary. We try to promote a healthy way of living, with team work, exercises to keep backs in shape, bottled water on the job, and business hours—no evening or weekend work. "And listening is important. Listening to employees, listening to clients." Alicia Sokolowski is a good listener.

"There is no other house cleaning company in this area that is entirely chemical free," she says. "AspenClean hopes to set the standard for the industry."

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