Real Clean
A unique service cleans the all-natural way.
Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency have found volatile organic compounds from cleaning products—many that pose serious health risks—are found in concentrations up to 10 times higher inside your home than out. Which means that, while you’re cleaning your house, you’re also polluting it. The alternative? Green cleaning.
Courtney Kellogg, founder of Ecolistic Cleaning in Lewes, has long understood the importance of using non-toxic, biodegradable products when cleaning. And she’s made it her business to help others do the same.
Kellogg was working part-time at a natural food store when she began cleaning her neighbor’s home in 2002. Less than a year later, Kellogg started Ecolistic Cleaning. The company has since grown to more than 100 clients.
Kellogg makes most of the cleaning products, and she shows others how to use vinegar, sea salt, purified water and essential oils to create their own products in classes she teaches at Whole Foods Markets.
The cost to clients runs about 20 percent higher than traditional cleaning services. “But I’ve seen a significant and steady decrease in resistance to pricing,” says Kellogg. “Every month I see more people willing to pay a higher premium for a green service because of the increased environmental awareness.
“I feel great that I’m not only helping to protect the environment and other people’s homes, but also offering employment to eco-conscious people, paying them a livable wage, and not damaging their health,” Kellogg says. “Our natural cleaning specialists are not breathing anything toxic.”
—Susan Oates
