Meet The Member - Phoenix Interiors Cleaning
phoenix interiors cleaning
We caught up with our member Linda of Phoenix Interiors to talk all things cleaning and how there is certainly more to it than meets the eye.
Hi Linda, it’s nice to speak to you today and is great to have you on board at We Are St Albans. You’re a family run-business. When did the company start and who is part of your team?
Hello, lovely to catch up today! We started our company in 2015 however Mathew has been in the curtain and interiors industry for over 30 x years! (Since he was 18). Part of our team is Me - Linda, Mathew my husband and our eldest son Kodi. We also have people behind the scenes that do regular work for our website and accounts etc.
What were the reasons for you founding Phoenix Interiors Cleaning?
We wanted a service we could provide our high-end clients with. We couldn't find a company that we felt confident enough with when handling high end curtains and upholstery fabrics.
You’re award-winning specialists in your field. What are your areas of expertise?
Curtains and curtain restoration. We also clean upholstery (sofas) and carpets, but curtains are definitely a niche area that not everybody is comfortable handling.
What geographical areas do you cover?
We are based in St Albans, but we also cover London, all of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire.
You run domestic and commercial projects. What’s the largest job you’ve done to date?
Oohh, there have been many! For curtain cleaning it would have to be Sea Containers in London. Literally the cinema alone is huge let alone the restaurant and offices that all have curtains. For upholstery cleaning it would be Warner Bros Studios where we cleaned 120 airline chairs for a plane scene for a film- that was fun! For carpet cleaning it would have to be schools where all sorts of spillages happen as well as very high traffic areas that need lots of attention.
You are certified professionals within the cleaning and restoration industry (including the Institute of Inspection Carpet and Restoration Certification and the National Carpet Cleaners Association). What kind of criteria does it entail to be members?
Blood, sweat and tears ;) Joking aside the studying involved and the live exams are literally like studying for a chemistry degree. Cleaning is a science and definitely isn’t a quick thing or an easy thing and takes years of practice and experience to achieve the desired results.
What do you like most about what you do?
Customer satisfaction! It really is amazing to have clients that have be with us loyally for years and to be recommended by them. To have people send us an email saying how delighted they were with our service is why we do it. (Obviously getting paid to do this is also something we like!)
How do you keep on top of cleaning developments in the industry?
Training, training, training and then more training!
We’ve all been there... what should someone do if they spill red wine on their sofa or carpet?
Do not clean it with anything!! We literally can’t shout this out enough. Please only put white kitchen paper on the red wine and keep changing the layers as the wine soaks into the tissue. You can even put a stack of kitchen papers on the red wine and a heavy book to draw the wine out. Please don’t add white wine, water, or any cleaning products. Just call in professional asap and your carpet or sofa will be saved!
Lastly, when you’re enjoying the soft furnishings and not cleaning them, where do you prefer to go in St. Albans?
We love Per Tutti for Italian food and Prime for steak. We had our wedding reception at Sopwell House, so we also enjoy popping there from time to time for drinks or dinner. We also love the decor of all the above places!