Let’s face it, mopping floors, washing dishes, doing the laundry, dusting surfaces and cleaning countertops, isn’t fun. But when the homeowner has cancer, chores aren’t just a bore, they can be downright debilitating.  Which is why Cleaning for a Reason is about much more than sparkling kitchen floors or freshly cleaned clothes.

 
The non-profit organization, founded by Debbie Sardone and supported by the American Cleaning Institute and several member companies, serves the entire US and Canada by partnering with maid services to offer free, professional house cleanings to help women undergoing treatment for any form of cancer.

 
“Women love walking into a clean home,“ explained Sardone. “It makes them feel better and makes them feel like a part of their life is under control. Many women have told us that Cleaning for a Reason makes them feel normal.“

 
Since its founding in 2006, Cleaning for a Reason has helped more than 14,000 women battling cancer by providing more than 17,000 cleanings (a value of  more than $4 million). Over that time, Cleaning for a Reason has partnered with over 1,000 cleaning services in all 50 US states and four Canadian provinces.

 
For Sardone, the fight against is personal—her father died from the disease and her mother has ovarian cancer. Yet, besides that emotional link, Sardone understands what a clean home can mean to someone battling cancer. As the owner of her own cleaning service called Buckets & Bows, she recalled a phone from 20 years ago from a woman undergoing chemotherapy treatments who couldn’t afford a maid service. Right then and there, Sardone made it company policy to help cancer patients.

 
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“Cleaning for a Reason is a tangible, program,“ explained Sardone. “The story is simple and clear and that why it resonates with people.“ 

 
And it resonates with corporations, too. Sardone said the maid service industry is eager to give back by using their talents; especially when they know that they are making a practical difference in people’s lives.

 
“Business owners tell us that it is the most rewarding thing that they’ve done in business,“ Sardone told Happi. “They tell us that Cleaning for a Reason also inspires their employees and makes them the most proud that they’ve ever felt.“

 
Cleaning for a Reason is expanding beyond the cleaning service industry and is building relationships with organizations such as the American Cleaning Institute which, in turn, led to relationships with Swiffer (a P&G brand) and Walmart, as well as Dow Chemical and Shell Chemical, but Sardone wants more.

 
“If we could find more sponsors, we could double the number of women that we help overnight,“ she insisted.

 
In return, sponsors would get plenty of free publicity both in print and online, such as these YouTube spots. See:  http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Cleaning+for+a+REason
 

“Every media outlet wants to do a local story,“ explained Sardone. “By joining Cleaning for a Reason, member companies get instant recognition in their communities.“

 
Sardone’s goals for Cleaning for a Reason are anything but modest. She is determined to make the program known throughout the household and cleaning services industries and hopes that the Cleaning for a Reason pink bow logo becomes as ubiquitous as the Good Housekeeping Seal on product labels. That’s a big-time goal for a big-time cause; after all, nearly everyone knows someone who has cancer.

 
“Our cause has real meaning for most people,“ noted Sardone. “Cancer isn’t controversial, it’s universal.“