In The Green

Sustainable Sanitizing

Kylee and Mike Brinkman didn’t wait until after college to start their careers. Instead, they planted the seeds for their green cleaning service while still students at Florida Gulf Coast University.

As business majors with a concentration in entrepreneurship, the recently married couple developed a plan for an eco-friendly commercial cleaning company. They submitted their idea to FGCU’s 2007 business-plan contest and walked away with first place and $500 in cash.

After graduating in 2008, they started their company, Bonita Springs-based Green Leaf Cleaning, in earnest, concentrating first on cleaning residences to gain expertise. A few stories in the newspaper and membership in the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce helped get their name out, but what the Brinkmans have relied on most is word-of-mouth. Today, they’ve pretty much gotten out of the residential realm, focusing on commercial clients (they currently have about half a dozen) along with vacation rental properties.

What makes Green Leaf Cleaning different from traditional cleaning services? The company scrubs floors, counters, and other surfaces with only Green Seal-certified cleaning products, which means the cleaners have gotten a thumbs-up from an independent third party that’s checked out their environmental claims as well as their cleaning powers. Reusable, microfiber cleaning cloths replace single-use paper towels, and high efficiency particulate air backpack vacuums help remove even the tiniest particles (dust, mold, dander) from the air.

The eco-friendliness doesn’t stop there. “The entire business itself is green,” says Kylee, 25. The company chooses recycled products when available and reuses as much as possible, such as printing on both sides of paper. This attitude is why it’s never done any paper-based direct marketing, relying on other methods to promote the business.