A CLEANER from Sale is on a mission to “clean up” her industry’s reputation.

Louise Trehearn, is the owner and founder of Helpful Home, based in Hampson Street.

And she has now been appointed as director of the Domestic Cleaning Business Network (DCBN), which is a trade association formed late last year to provide advice and resources to domestic cleaning companies across the UK.

She is already helping cleaning businesses with risk assessments, employment contracts, terms of service and products.

Trehearn wants to arm them with the skills to run profitable businesses while maintaining high standards.

Helpful Home – which operates across Sale, Altrincham, Urmston and Chorlton – primarily looks after family homes.

But Louise expanded her business during lockdown to risk-assess and clean businesses ranging from shared workspaces and opticians through to large sports stadiums.

She is now looking to ensure her colleagues across the industry are given the same recognition as other front-line staff have been afforded through the pandemic.

Louise said: “Cleaners are now permitted to go back into people’s homes and workplaces, which is a huge responsibility.

"So I firmly believe we should be regulated and trained accordingly.

“Since lockdown, there has been a lack of clear guidance and funding from the government so, despite best intentions, many domestic cleaners were and are putting their clients at risk.

“There are over 100,000 domestic cleaners in England, who have been regarded as ‘essential’ during lockdown.

"Yet we’re not in the supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE) and expected to buy it.

“Cleaners were confused, struggling with conflicting guidance and unsupported, that’s something we must change to ensure long-term consumer trust and break the chain of infection.”

The government announced as early as mid-May that certain occupations, such as cleaners and nannies, were permitted to return to work, under certain safeguards and provisos.

She added: “Covid-19 might be a new threat but there were always threats such as E-coli and we owe it to our clients to get it right.

“Many domestic cleaners are women juggling part-time work with families – they deserve professional guidance and resources, keeping both themselves and their clients safe.

“Pre-Covid, it was important that the standards of the cleaning industry were upheld – now it’s essential.”

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