I did something the other day that I have never done before. Something I never dreamed I would do. My guilty secret? Reader, I employed a cleaner.

I had my reasons. (1) Much loved relations were about to descend on my humble apartment. (2) I am not as energetic as I used to be. (3) I now have a few bob to spare and discovered I didn’t mind parting with some of it to have my home spruced up. Recession? What recession?

The advertisement for the cleaner appeared in the last edition of ‘NewsFour’ so I didn’t have to look very far to find Anna who arrived full of youth, enthusiasm and energy at the requested hour, 8.30 am.

I had obtained all the usual cleaning equipment for her to use and written a list of tasks I wanted her to tackle. I started with the things that were absolutely essential, vacuum, wash floors, wipe surfaces and after that a list of ‘if she had time’ things. These included cleaning out the cupboard and changing the sheets on the bed. I said goodbye to Anna and left for work.

Arriving home that evening I swear I saw the place twinkle. The place was clean. Eat your dinner off the floor clean. Everything I asked for had been completed and I could have hugged Anna but she wasn’t there so I just thanked her silently instead.

Patricia O’Neill is the founder and managing director of ‘Aboutime’, a cleaning company catering to the requirements of both homeowners and businesses. A qualified accountant, Patricia set up Aboutime when she found difficulty in sourcing cleaners interested in meeting the very varied cleaning needs of homeowners.

Like most young couples, she and her husband both worked outside the home and found themselves in harmony in most areas of their lives except in the matter of cleaning. Preferring to stay married and outsource the cleaning, she set about the task of finding a cleaner. Discovering great difficulty in finding a domestic cleaning service that was professional, trustworthy and consistent, she concluded that there was a distinct niche within the cleaning sector for the provision of professional cleaning services specifically designed for and targeted at homeowners. In 2005 Aboutime was born.

Today Aboutime is the largest provider of cleaning services to Irish homeowners, covering Greater Dublin and surrounding counties. The work has been complemented by the addition of carpet and upholstery cleaning, window cleaning, patio/ deck cleaning, wheelie bin cleaning and a commercial division All their cleaners are carefully vetted and trained to meet clients’ needs in a service that emphasizes quality, professionalism and consistency above all. Services start at €15.89 per hour inclusive of VAT with the average three-bedroomed home requiring three hours for a weekly service.

Arriving in company vans, complete with equipment and supplies, Aboutime’s Managed Service is second to none with uniformed, supervised staff catering to the client’s individual requirements with meticulous attention to detail. “Quality, consistency and professionalism is the mantra of the company,” explains Patricia. “We aim to please, and to do it over and over again. Many clients come to us for a one-off clean for post building works, pre/ post party service, moving in/ out or a general seasonal cleaning and end up as regular clients when they experience our cleaning and our customer care. We always say that we never want to lose you once we have you!”

Well Patricia, I am hooked. Expect a call in a few week’s time whether the relations are visiting or not.

Visit www.aboutime.ie or phone 894 0444.