Save on Your Spring Cleaning

Before Katie Neal and her husband, Jay Fisher, moved into a their new Durham home in 2010, they wanted to make sure the space was neat and tidy.

With both working full-time, they decided to call in some help.

Using a Duke employee discount with local cleaning company People's Pride, Neal said the house was vacuumed, dusted, scrubbed and then some to make sure the space was ready for move-in. Four years later, the couple still rely on owner Vincent France to come by each month to provide a thorough cleaning so Neal and Fisher can focus on their full-time jobs and 1-year old son, Robert.

"I work at Duke Hospital, so I work long days for one week, then have a week off and I want to spend my time with my family doing fun stuff and not worry about cleaning," said Neal, a physician with the Duke Hospital Medicine Program. "Vincent spends a whole day taking care of our home if he needs to and he helps us stay organized."

Through the end of March, all Duke faculty and staff can get a head start on spring cleaning and take advantage of a special discount with People's Pride. France is offering a 30 percent discount for his "Initial Home Cleaning Service" package that can save employees up to $390. The discount is part of PERQS, Duke's employee discount program.

Depending on the size of a home, People's Pride offers discounted services to clean homes up to 1,000 square feet for $560 all the way to 6,000 square feet homes for $910.

As part of the cleaning service, all supplies and equipment will be provided for each home and left after each cleaning at no additional cost. France cleans a variety of appliances and spaces, from light fixtures and ceiling fans to sinks, showers, floors and ovens. Cleanings typically take a full day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"My philosophy about cleaning is simple, I give people back their most precious gift - their time," said France, who has operated his cleaning business since 2004.

France's level of attention is what keeps bringing him back to Neal’s home.

"At the end of the day when we leaves, it's nice to come home to a clean house," Neal said.

To set up an appointment or get an estimate for discounted home cleaning, call People's Pride at (919) 931-5834. After March, Duke employees will still be able to receive a 20 percent discount with People's Pride.