BEHIND THE SCENE OF TOUCH OF CLEAN ABERDEEN

Hi, I am Alessia, founder of Touch of Clean Aberdeen!

Hey! I’m so glad to see you made your way to my page. My name is Alessia, and I am the founder of A Touch of Clean Aberdeen, an Aberdeen-based industrial cleaning company. In 2013, I took the bold step to move from the country of my birth, Italy, to Aberdeen. I don’t know what I was thinking, to be honest. 

The changes I needed to adapt to were ginormous, the time zone, the weather, the food . . . it’s been 12 years and I still haven’t adjusted, but because Aberdeen is such a boiling pot of cultures and the people from all around the world add so much colour and warmth, I found reason to call it home. 

When I arrived, my industrious self needed to hit the ground running, so I began working part-time in a fast food restaurant while building my business as a baby photographer, Alessia Galeffi Baby Photography.

Newborn photo session

Then the world came to a halt when COVID hit, and no babies were coming for my cuddles anymore. 

When COVID hit, like many small business owners, I had to let go of something I loved—my photography business. It wasn’t easy, but I knew I had to keep moving. So I turned to something I could do from home: crafting. That’s how The Crafty House Aberdeen was born. I started creating cake toppers, party bags, and handmade bits to bring joy into people’s celebrations, even in the middle of uncertainty.

Cake toppers and party set

Later, through my church community, I felt inspired to start Worship with Paint—a small project where I designed Sicilian-style mugs and canvases featuring Bible verses. It combined my love for art and faith. While the business didn’t take off the way I’d hoped, it was a special part of my creative journey.

Mugs and canva with verses from the Bible

Then came a moment that truly changed everything.

One day, I helped a Christian couple from my church (King’s Church Aberdeen) clean their new home. I’ve always loved cleaning, there’s something incredibly satisfying about creating order, bringing sparkle back to a space, and helping others feel at peace in their environment. For me, it never felt like a chore; it felt purposeful. After we finished, they insisted on blessing me financially to start my own business. That act of kindness gave me the nudge I needed.

I started with what I knew, cleaning homes. I worked long hours, often using harsh chemicals, but I didn’t mind the hard work. I loved the feeling of making a space shine, of seeing a home transformed and knowing I’d helped someone breathe easier in their own space.

Fast forward a year, and my business has grown in ways I never expected.

Today, I focus entirely on cleaning offices and commercial spaces. I begin work early in the morning, which gives me the rest of the day to spend with my husband and children, a rhythm that suits my life beautifully.

As the business grew, so did my awareness of how much plastic and chemical waste I was producing. That didn’t sit right with me. I care deeply about the spaces I clean, but also about the planet we all share. So I began making the switch to eco-friendly products and sustainable practices.

My business now lives by a simple but powerful motto:“Fill. Refill. Respect.”

It means one bottle for life, refilled locally, reducing plastic waste and doing my part for the environment. I believe every small action adds up to something meaningful.

Looking back, I never imagined that something as ordinary as cleaning would become a source of so much purpose and joy. But it has. Through every twist and turn, from crafts and canvases to cleaning contracts, my journey has been shaped by faith, community, and a love for creating beautiful, healthy spaces.

And I know this is just the beginning!