Most of the time, when we talk about hiring someone to clean your house, we talk about getting your Saturday back.
Less scrubbing. Less vacuuming. Less wondering how the bathroom got dirty again approximately six minutes after you cleaned it.
But sometimes, having someone take care of the cleaning means something much bigger. Sometimes it means having one less thing to think about while you’re going through cancer treatment.
And that’s why EcoVita Clean has become a proud partner of Cleaning for a Reason.
What Is Cleaning for a Reason?
Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit organization that connects cancer patients with professional residential cleaning companies willing to donate their services.
Since the organization began in 2006, Cleaning for a Reason and its cleaning partners have provided free home cleaning services to more than 65,000 cancer patients and their families across the United States and Canada. Today, approximately 1,400 cleaning companies participate in the program.
That is a lot of bathrooms cleaned, floors vacuumed and kitchens wiped down. But more importantly, it is thousands of people who had one less thing on their list during a time when that list was already much too long.
Because “Let Me Know If You Need Anything” Can Be Hard to Answer
When someone we know is going through cancer treatment, we often want to help.
We say, “Let me know if you need anything.” … and we mean it. But asking for help isn’t always easy.
What do you ask for? A meal? A ride? Someone to pick up groceries? … and somewhere way down the list is probably, “Could somebody please clean my shower?”
Cleaning for a Reason makes that part a little easier.
Eligible cancer patients can be matched with a local participating cleaning company for two free general home cleanings, typically one cleaning per month for two months. The program is available to people with any type of cancer who are undergoing treatment, recovering from cancer surgery or receiving hospice care.
Why EcoVita Clean Wanted to Be Part of It
At EcoVita Clean, we talk a lot about the fact that cleaning isn’t really just about cleaning.
Yes, we want your floors clean.
We definitely want that suspicious sticky spot in the kitchen gone.
But the bigger reason people hire us is usually time.
When we clean your home, you get a few hours of your life back. Usually, that might mean spending the afternoon with your kids, going out with friends, getting some work done or simply sitting on the couch without feeling guilty about the laundry room. For someone dealing with cancer, those hours can mean rest.
They can mean spending time with family. They can mean going to an appointment and coming home without thinking about everything that still needs to be done. They can simply mean having one less responsibility for a little while.
We know cleaning.
So when there is an opportunity to use what we already know how to do to make somebody’s life a little easier, it makes sense for us to do it.
It’s Not About a Perfect House
We don’t believe anyone needs a perfect house. Honestly, most houses aren’t perfect. People live in them. There are shoes by the door, dishes in the sink, toys under furniture and a mysterious amount of dog hair that seems capable of reproducing overnight.
A home doesn’t need to look perfect to feel good. But there is something comforting about walking into a freshly cleaned space, especially when the rest of life feels anything but normal. That’s what we hope to give through our partnership with Cleaning for a Reason.
Do You Know Someone Who Could Use This?
Cancer patients can apply directly through Cleaning for a Reason, and caregivers, family members, friends, doctors and nurse navigators can also submit an application on someone’s behalf with the patient’s permission. There is no cost to the patient for the cleaning services provided through the program.
If you know someone going through cancer treatment, please tell them about Cleaning for a Reason. You may never know how much it could help.
And if EcoVita Clean happens to be the team that walks through their door with our vacuums, mops and cleaning supplies, we’ll be very happy to be there.
Because sometimes cleaning a house is just cleaning a house. And sometimes it’s a small way of taking care of someone.
