With the help of her husband David, Ruth Horn created Happy House Cleaning Service, LLC in 1993 in Ohio County. She initially embarked on the business venture to have more time at home with her young sons, growing and evolving it into an established business.
Horn was already cleaning a few houses and enjoyed it and decided it was the perfect opportunity to become her own boss. As her sons grew older and entered school, she expanded her clientele and “spread her wings to different locations.”
“I prayed that the Lord would bless this decision, and He surely has,” Horn said. “With God’s help, I slowly built up my clientele, and they began to tell others about my quality of work. Within just a few months, my schedule was full.”
After 11 years of exponential success, Horn named the business Happy House Cleaning Service (HHCS) because, as she put it: “A clean house is a happy house.” She said the name fit perfectly with her logo.
Shortly after deciding on the name, she purchased a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner from a local distributor, who gave her name to a client looking for a “good” house cleaner. Not long after, her quality of work began to speak like wildfire.
“By this time, I began to have too much work to do it all by myself, so I hired a few ladies I went to church with,” she said. “Those days were, for sure, good times to reflect upon. We had such a good time working together. We could laugh and work all at the same time.
“Not only that, but we could freely talk about Jesus and pray with one another. It was often to praise God for being so good to us all.”
She said the feelings are similar today as she considers HHCS a ministry.
“Sure, we clean, and we do it well, but when we can be a blessing or an encouragement to one of the families we serve, that is when we are the most fulfilled,” Horn said. “I want our clients to come home to a house and feel refreshed after a hard day’s work and feel relieved not only of the chore of housework but also knowing that there was someone in their home that cared about them and someone they can trust.”
Horn met David at church in 2012, and the two married two years later. After retiring from the Moore Automotive Group, David boasted extensive business knowledge and became the HHCS business manager.
“With David’s guidance, we’ve carved out a little niche’ in the cleaning business, catering to the client who desires a detailed type of cleaning and has grown weary of paying for subpar service. At HHCS, we set the bar high and work very hard to meet that standard every time we clean. It’s well worth the effort and the fulfillment we get when we look at our finished product.”
The business was experiencing monumental growth until, like many businesses, it was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Horn said the effects weren’t entirely adverse.
“The pandemic helped us grow again but in different ways,” she said. “Many independent cleaners were too afraid to work, or their clients wouldn’t allow them to clean their homes. Other times, it was because the independent cleaners were making more money on unemployment or government incentives.”
Horn said the pandemic helped her team to work smarter and provide a better service simultaneously. They followed protocols and learned and improved their disinfecting techniques, which they still follow today.
“We are so very thankful for the Lord’s Watch Care over our little business during a tumultuous time in our lives,” Horn said. “It is amazing what God will do in a person’s life and how He can take such a terrible situation and make things turn out better than before. That’s exactly what He did for HHCS.”
HHCS provides professional and detailed cleaning services for homes and offices using their supplies and equipment. Horn added that they proudly purchase only USA-made supplies, tools, and equipment and support other local businesses when possible.
She attributes much of the success to her clients’ support, especially during the formative years.
“If it wasn’t for the support that I received from my clients during the early days, I think the road would have been much more difficult than it was,” she said. “Along this journey, we have been amazed by the many friends we have made and the support amongst the community.”
David Horn wanted to reiterate that they are a Christian-based company that treats their clients and employees like family.
“I need to give a big shout-out about the workers that provide their services to HHCS that go into people’s homes and offices and do what they do,” David said. “They are professionals; they are not “the help.” The ladies that we have working for HHCS are highly skilled and trained by Ruth and have been with us for years.”
To learn more about HHCS or schedule a consultation, call David at 270-281-4502.
“Ruth is the face of HHCS,” he said. “She has a fun and winning personality you can see and feel. She loves the Lord and His Holy Word. Our clients know this, which is one of the many reasons why HHCS has succeeded.”
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.
Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].
