Apartment Therapy San Francisco

Emma's Eco-Clean is a worker-owned business that provides professional, environmentally safe residential and commercial cleaning services to the residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

We've used Emma's Eco-Clean for years, every time we've moved from one apartment to another, and have always been very happy with them. Not only do they do a great job, they use non-toxic cleaners, they're very friendly, and their wages go directly to the members of the cooperative.

Emma's Eco-Clean travels as far north as South San Francisco, south to Sunnyvale, east to Fremont, and west to Portola Valley. They charge $25 per hour, per person, and work in teams of two so they can work faster and more efficiently.

Emma's Eco-Clean opened its doors on Earth Day 1999. They started with five founding members who participated in a yearlong business training program through WAGES (Women's Action to Gain Economic Security), a non-profit organization in Oakland that helps empower low-income women to start their own business cooperatives.

Other WAGES cooperatives include Eco-Care Professional Housecleaning in the South Bay (from South San Jose to Hollister) and Natural Home Cleaning Professionals in the East Bay (from Oakland to southern Richmond).

Image: Harvard Green Campus Initiative