Molly Maid Offers Cleaning While Serving The Community

When you hire cleaners, you’re not just paying for a clean home. You’re buying your own time.

Those are the words of Michael Reilly, a partial owner, along with his mother, Donna, of Molly Maid of Central Anne Arundel County. He pointed out that a lot of people spend a good portion of their weekends cleaning.

“That’s time you can be doing stuff with your kids, enjoying whatever your hobbies are, do what you want to do and not scrub the toilets,” said Michael Reilly, who also serves as the general manager.

Donna Reilly first started thinking about working for herself as her kids got older. She also knew she wanted to be a part of an established brand and franchise.

“The proven systems they have in place were appealing. Why reinvent the wheel,” Donna Reilly said.

As the family matriarch was contemplating industries that she would be interested in, she settled on something that she knew how to do — clean a house.

“I had also utilized several of the services over the years and felt there was room for a service that offered top-notch customer service and really cared that our clients got what they pay for,” Donna Reilly said. “From there, Molly Maid was attractive because the people in the home office had a like mindset when it came to customer service.”

The mother and son duo at the helm of Molly Maid of Central Anne Arundel County credit customer service, treating employees right and dedication to the community for staying in business 25 years, a mark the company will hit this month.

Molly Maid of Central Anne Arundel County works for any client’s cleaning needs, offering free estimates for customized cleaning plans and schedules, along with one-time cleanings. Molly Maid will also work within a client’s budget to optimize their resources. The company guarantees all its work and will send somebody out the same day or the next day to fix any deficiencies.

The younger Reilly joined up with his mom’s business ambitions almost 15 years ago. Although he had worked at Molly Maid as a teenager after the final bell rang at nearby Broadneck High School, the cleaning industry wasn’t initially on his radar. Instead, he turned to leading construction crews.

After realizing the construction business was taking a toll on his body, his vision started expanding into a long-term career.

Running a crew of construction workers requires a different set of interpersonal skills than overseeing a cleaning crew, but Michael Reilly settled right in.

“I like the challenges of it,” Michael Reilly said. “It’s something different every day.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Molly Maid of Central Anne Arundel County was dubbed an essential service and the business was only out of operation a single day.

During this time, Michael Reilly would be the only one in the office, and he would arrive early to fill the cleaner’s supplies and load them up. It was this dedication to employee comfort and ease during a worldwide health scare that also led the Reilly duo to guarantee certain wages for cleaners during the pandemic, no matter how many clients they serviced.

The Reillys also have the luxury of multiple employees with more than 15 years at the business, many of whom have plaques honoring national award titles from corporate headquarters lining the local company’s office.

“That is a long time in this business,” Michael Reilly said of his longest-serving employees.

With life and business models returning to normalcy, the Reillys’ crew of 25 workers arrive at the Arnold office around 7:30am to load up supplies and go over paperwork before heading out for the day.

The Molly Maid cars are loaded with tracking units that enable the office staff to track progress for the day and notify customers if there might be a potential delay.

Besides cleaning clients’ homes, Michael Reilly said his company’s proximity to the YWCA allows their business to serve the community in other ways.

The YWCA is a nonprofit known for being an advocate for women, including victims of domestic violence. Donna and Michael’s company donates a portion of proceeds from every cleaning toward raising awareness about the topic. Molly Maid of Central Anne Arundel County is also a major sponsor of an annual gala at the local YWCA.

The Reillys have also provided free cleanings for area organizations and even families that are battling major and life-altering health conditions.

As to cleaning crews being something that only wealthy people utilize, Michael Reilly said it’s a different tune in 2023.

“I think that stereotype is gone,” Michael Reilly said. “A lot of people have cleaners now.”

Donna Reilly said having a legacy to pass on to her son, and perhaps grandchildren one day, gives her satisfaction. That’s not the only thing, though.

“What makes me most proud having started Molly Maid and kept it going is the difference we have made in the lives of our employees and customers,” Donna Reilly said.

Information on the company and services is available at www.mollymaid.com/central-anne-arundel-county.