When Felicia McGee was 15 years old, she began to work with her mom, who owned her own cleaning business. She fell in love with it, and when the time was right, she continued on the tradition by starting her own business here in Athens. It’s called TCL Cleaning Services, and I am happy to tell you about Felicia and her crew. “I genuinely love what I am doing,” she told me at the start, and I knew she meant what she said. I must confess, cleaning is something that on a good day I only like, and I am intrigued by someone who claims such a love, let alone one who has parlayed said love into a thriving business.
TCL opened for business in 2011, and at the time was known as The Cleaning Ladies. Felicia was able to quit her full time job in Decatur, and when they opened up the commercial cleaning “side of the house,” she changed the name. Her mom came out of retirement to help her get going, and a handful of loyal “raving fan” customers quickly spread the word. “I have a heart for working moms, and property owners,” she said. She knows that both sets of folks have specific sets of needs, and she goes the extra mile to meet them.
We have a passion for cleaning your house like we would clean our own;” she said, and they specialize in making your home “lived in, but tidy.” They are licensed and bonded, and Felicia not only does a background check on everyone she hires, but she prays about every hiring decision. “We build a passion for what we do in everyone we hire,” Felicia said. “We customize packages for our customers, and tailor make the service package to meet their needs,” she added. Her prices are competitive, and the price for a basic cleaning, (dusting, vacuuming) a 2,000 square foot is $85.00. A deep cleaning of a house of the same size is $150.00. That would include baseboards, blinds, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the exterior of kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
For the holidays, Felicia has a special for readers of Athens Now. If you mention this ad when you contact her, she’ll knock $10 off the price of your cleaning. That price will extend on into the New Year while people are at the height of “resolution season,” and have a desire to get their homes organized. She also gives discounts for referrals given by existing customers.
I asked her if she is “green when she cleans.” “I’ll ‘go green’ now as the need arises,” she said, “and I am going to expand my cleaning green service in 2014.” Right now TCL customers who want a “green clean” provide their own products, and in the New Year, when Felicia finishes her research on the best products to use or make, TCL will provide the products for their clients.
Another service she loves to offer is steam cleaning of carpets. She shampoo steams carpets for between 25 to 30 cents per square foot.
One of the things I appreciate about Felicia is her love for the community and desire to give back. She gives gifts to her customers during the holidays, but it doesn’t stop there. She gives gift bags to the homeless. “They are not homeless bags,” she says, “They are hand up bags.” She is also the co-founder of the North Alabama Business Network, and recently I attended a business expo that they sponsored. She worked hard, managed the event well, and I was glad to be a part of it. TCL is also involved in donating to the Family Resource Center.
Felicia has a simple but strong philosophy when it comes to her clients. “You have invested in us, and we want to make good on your investment.” She also added that The Cleaning Ladies “clean, do a good job, love our customers, and they become an extension of our family.”
Here are some comments made by clients in the Athens area in regards to the quality of the work provided by TCL.
“A HUGE thank you to TCL!! I came home to a spotless house this afternoon. After working 50+ hours a week, this was a huge weight off my mind. And I trust them wholeheartedly! Great job! Definite recommendation from me!”
“Thank you cleaning ladies. My nasty, disgusting carpet looks awesome. The best part was just leaving my key and trusting my home to you, I know it is safe in your hands. I love working with people who have integrity like you. I would recommend you to anyone.”
“Thank you TCL Cleaning Service for the terrific job you do for our office. Housekeeping was a task that we tried to manage internally for way too long. You do a better job than we could for ourselves, and allow us to focus on serving our clients. I would strongly recommend you to anyone who is in need of commercial cleaning services.”
I believe that says it all, don’t you?
TCL Cleaning Services
256-497-8927
tclcleaning@mail.com
www.tclcleaningserv.com
facebook: facebook.com/tclcleaning
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
