000 Botaniclean Q&A May 2016:Layout 1
29/04/2016
12:15
Page 29
Style Business
Ethical Green Cleaning Cotswold Style talks to Lucinda Farrelle about her company botaniclean Hi Lucinda, it’s lovely to meet you. So can you tell us about your company botaniclean? botaniclean is an ethical, green cleaning company based in Gloucestershire and Bristol. We use 100% natural cleaning products which we make ourselves using pure essential oils and other natural cleaning ingredients. We provide a high-end service at a reasonable cost.
What inspired you to set up botaniclean? I’ve worked in recruitment for 10 years but my passion for it was wavering and I wanted to start a business in which I could be creative. I am bit of stickler for natural, ethical products and brands; whether it be food, cosmetic products and obviously cleaning products. I started making my own cleaning products around a year ago (thanks to my Aunty) and enjoyed cleaning with ingredients that I knew weren’t full of seriously harmful chemicals... not only that, but I can’t stand the smell of bleach. I’d much rather my home smelled of essential oils. I thought it would make a great business and felt passionate enough about the idea to drop everything and start it up. The competition among cleaning companies must be tough, what makes botaniclean stand out? Well firstly as I mentioned, we make our own natural, environmentally friendly cleaning products. These products are antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial- there really isn’t a need for harsh chemicals. Secondly, being ethical is very important to me. When I set up this company, I wanted it to deliver on all the things that are important to me when choosing a brand; honesty, integrity, loyalty, customer care and environmental awareness. Staff are the engines that keep the business running, so ensuring that they are happy and rewarded for their hard work is vital. I ensure that the housekeepers are paid a living wage and
Lucinda Farelle
that bonuses are in place for continuous good work. I also understand that work isn’t everything, people have families and other commitments and so allowing some freedom to tend to those things is important too. And thirdly, the service we provide is of a very high standard. All staff are trained, trustworthy and all-round fab humans. They all understand that cleaning is a very personal service; it takes a lot of trust to allow a stranger into your home, so we try to do all we can to make our clients feel comfortable and to prove how important it is that they are happy with our service.
What kind of cleaning services do you provide? We clean residential and commercial properties. We undertake regular aroma cleans, spring cleans, one-off cleans, after builder’s cleans, end of tenancy cleans and special occasion cleans. What are special occasion cleans? Special occasion cleans are part of a package. They are perfect for launch parties, birthday parties, moving in parties or a romantic evening at home. The packages consist of a regular aroma clean, rental of burners for our homemade soy wax scented melts, homemade natural candles and vases and
flower arrangements. We aren’t party planners, but if there is anything else our customers require to make their home or office look ready for a special occasion, we will always try to deliver.
Fantastic. So which essential oils are your favourite? There are so many amazing, healing essential oils but I use the ones considered safe for everyone to use and which have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. However, I will always check if our customers are allergic to any of the oils we use, just in case. I personally love Geranium, Lavender and Orange oil. Pure essential oils have many health benefits, physically and emotionally but they must be therapeutic grade. I am studying for my Diploma in Aromatherapy as we speak. This sounds like a great business, so what are the plans for the future? To continue to build my client base in Bristol and across Gloucestershire and when the time is right, expand the business. We’ve got some great online reviews, so the most important thing for me right now is to ensure the standard of service remains high. www.botaniclean.org.uk
COTSWOLD STYLE MAY 2016 29