In April this year, I was incredibly proud to win the Women in Business Award for Women in Cleaning Services. I collected the award at a ceremony held in the Premier Suite at Bolton Wanderers Football Club, and it was a moment that meant a huge amount to me personally and professionally.
Shiny and New Cleaning Services was founded in 2018 after I left a toxic working environment and decided I wanted to create something better for myself and, ultimately, for others too. I started completely on my own carrying a mop bucket, cleaning products and a determination to make the business work. In the early days, I mainly provided domestic cleaning services while slowly building a loyal client base through hard work, reliability and word of mouth.
Just as I was preparing to take on staff and grow the business further, lockdown hit and everything paused overnight. Like many small businesses, it was an uncertain and worrying time. However, I rebuilt steadily and carefully afterwards and have since grown the business into a team of 10.
From 2022 onwards, the business moved firmly into commercial cleaning. Today we provide cleaning services for offices, estate agents and a range of commercial premises across Bolton and the surrounding areas. What I am most proud of is that the growth has been sustainable and values-driven. I have never wanted to become the biggest cleaning company; I have always wanted to be one of the most reliable.
Quality over quantity has been my approach from day one. I only take on work that I know we can deliver to a high standard because I believe businesses deserve consistency and professionalism from their cleaning company. We don’t overpromise and underdeliver. Every client matters to us, whether they require a small office clean once a week or a larger daily cleaning contract.
One thing that means a lot to me is the loyalty of our clients. Several of our commercial clients have been with us for years, and in the last 12 months alone we have taken on 10 new clients while retaining all existing ones. For me, that says more than any marketing ever could.
I also care deeply about creating a positive workplace for my staff. The cleaning industry can have very high staff turnover, but I work hard to create an environment where people feel supported, respected and valued. We pay the Real Living Wage because I believe people should be properly rewarded for the work they do, and I know that investing in good staff leads to better service for clients too.
One of my proudest moments as a business owner has been supporting one of my team members to progress from cleaner to supervisor. Watching people grow in confidence and responsibility within the business is incredibly rewarding.
Over the years, we have also focused on becoming more environmentally conscious. We avoid single-use plastics wherever possible and I have developed our own eco-cleaning spray using mild detergent and essential oils, which we now use across our sites. Clients regularly comment on how lovely their workplaces smell afterwards.
Winning this award was not just recognition for me personally, but recognition for the hard work of my whole team and the values we have built the business around: reliability, consistency, care and high standards.
From one woman and a mop bucket to an award-winning commercial cleaning business with a team of 10, it has been a journey I am incredibly proud of, and we are only just getting started.
