RentaKleen: Cape Town woman leaves stable job to start thriving deep-cleaning business with wife

Words: Jade Rhode **/**Bona Magazine

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After leaving the media space in 2024, Cape Town-based entrepreneur Ashleigh Johnson made an unlikely career pivot: starting a deep-cleaning service, RentaKleen. While her wife, CJ, had her doubts, the former visual merchandiser joined Ashleigh, helping make RentaKleen a sweeping success.

From glamour to grime… in the best way possible

It is not often one finds someone leaving a career filled with golden opportunities—such as dealing with celebrities and attending spectacular events—after two years.

However, for Ashleigh, life in the glamorous lane didn’t matter.

‘[I walked] away from a guaranteed salary each month for the sake of my mental health, my future, and the life I want for myself and my family that I’m building,’ she told BONA.

‘Currently, we don’t have a fixed salary, but thank God we’ve always had what we needed and enough to share.’

Ashleigh’s new career kicked off after she cleaned her friend’s house and posted her work on social media, which has since caught the attention of media publications.

Ashleigh, a mother to a 10-year-old, admits that giving up her safety net to focus on building her business wouldn’t be a choice everyone would make. She added that not everyone is willing or able to make such a big sacrifice.

‘In the beginning, the thought crossed my mind: ‘Should I just go back to my job?’ because going back to the thing you walked away from is so much easier than the unknown. But there is so much beauty in the unknown. So even in the quiet times when nothing is happening, we remain grateful and faithful to God.

‘We are already living in answered prayers.’

Believing in the vision

CJ has proved to be a supportive spouse, also leaving behind a stable job to enter the world of cleaning.

Speaking of her wife’s idea to start the business (a* ‘female-oriented powerhouse’*), CJ confessed to BONA, ‘I thought she was crazy; one of her many business ideas. I frowned upon the idea.’

But when things started to pick up after Ashleigh’s cleaning video blew up online, CJ said,* ‘It became more real, and she needed me. I quit my job at adidas and came to RentaKleen.’*

Picture: Supplied

Now, CJ is a proud member of the team.

Throughout the journey, CJ says Ashleigh has taught her patience and to appreciate the process when it gets overwhelming.

‘People think this job can be given to anyone, and when their expectations aren’t met, they blame the person, not the value of what they paid for what they got.’

A booming business

The proudly Coloured parents, who said their* ‘I dos’* in 2024 after being in a relationship for five years, have successfully turned Ashleigh’s passion into a sought-after business in just over a year.

RentaKleen has grown from just Ashleigh and CJ to four more staff members eager to tackle what many wouldn’t. Their services have also expanded from homes to offices and offer assistance with moving and organising.

The team have also booked well-known clients in the entertainment industry, secured a radio interview, and been afforded the opportunity to volunteer at a children’s home.

‘Rentakleen isn’t just a business; it’s a mission,’ explained CJ.

‘The people who need us will find us. 100% of the time, that has been the case,’ Ashleigh confidently noted.

Picture: Supplied

The future of RentaKleen

Ashleigh hopes to expand the business nationwide, growing RentaKleen into something people not only know but also trust.

‘Our ladies will be proud to work with and for us, and we are going to change the game in this industry! Not to sound cocky, but that’s how much I believe in this business and believe that we will make a huge success of it.’

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**Picture: ** Instagram/@ashleigh___johnson

Words: Jade Rhode **/**Bona Magazine

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