Cancer patients in Washington, DC and Montgomery County can get free house cleaning through Cleaning for a Reason, a national nonprofit that matches patients with local partner cleaning companies such as Cris’ Cleaning Squad: the patient, or a caregiver, nurse, doctor, friend, or family member, applies online, and once matched, the patient receives two free home cleanings at no cost. Any type of cancer qualifies, whether the patient is in treatment, recovering from cancer surgery, or in hospice care.
Below is how the program works, who is eligible, how to apply step by step, what to do if you are applying for someone you love, and how our team takes part as a local partner in DC and Maryland.
What is Cleaning for a Reason?
Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit that provides free home cleaning to people battling cancer. It is a signature charity of ISSA, the trade association of the cleaning industry, and it works through a network of professional residential cleaning companies that donate their time. Since its founding in 2006, it and its partners have provided free home cleaning to more than 65,000 cancer patients and their families across all 50 states and Canada.
The nonprofit handles the application and the matching. The partner company in the patient’s area handles the cleaning. That split matters, because it explains both how to apply and what to expect afterward.
The program at a glance
| Question | Answer |
| What the patient receives | Two free professional home cleanings |
| Cost to the patient | None |
| Who is eligible | People with any type of cancer who are in treatment, recovering from cancer surgery, or in hospice care |
| Who can apply | The patient, or a caregiver, nurse navigator, doctor, colleague, friend, or family member with the patient’s approval |
| How to apply | Online application on the Cleaning for a Reason website |
| Is a match guaranteed? | No. The nonprofit does its best to find an available partner in the patient’s area |
Who is eligible
According to the nonprofit’s patient application page, the program serves people with any type of cancer who are going through active treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, hospice care, and other therapies, as well as people recovering from treatment. No type of cancer is excluded, and the patient does not need to be an existing client of any cleaning company.
How to apply, step by step
- Talk with the patient first. If you are applying on someone else’s behalf, the nonprofit asks that you check with them before you apply and make sure they are willing to accept the service.
- Complete the online application. Go to the Cleaning for a Reason application page and fill out the form with the patient’s information and home address.
- Watch for a reply from the nonprofit. A member of their team follows up after the application. If you don’t receive an email, you can call Cleaning for a Reason at 877-337-3348.
- Get matched with a local partner. Once the patient is matched with a qualified cleaning company in their area, the two free cleanings take place at the patient’s home.
Because partners are local businesses that support a limited number of patients at a time, it is worth applying as early as you can rather than waiting until the house feels unmanageable.
How Cris’ Cleaning Squad takes part
We are a proud partner of Cleaning for a Reason in Washington, DC and Montgomery County, Maryland, including Rockville, Bethesda, and Silver Spring. When a patient is matched with us, we complete both free cleanings within a month, so the help arrives while it is needed most.
The nonprofit requires every partner to be insured and to run background checks on its employees. Our cleaners already meet that standard every day: they are our own employees, not contractors, trained, insured, and background-checked, and they arrive uniformed and clearly identified, so the patient and family always know exactly who is in the home. Our products are pet-friendly, and we can use eco-friendly products on request.
Our trained, uniformed team, proud partners of Cleaning for a Reason in DC and Montgomery County.
Applying for someone you love
Many applications come from the people around the patient, not the patient. That is often the easier path, since someone in treatment may not have the energy to fill out forms. A few things help:
- Ask before you apply. Some people are glad for the help and others need a moment to accept it. The nonprofit asks for the patient’s approval for a reason.
- Use the patient’s own address. The cleanings take place at the patient’s registered home.
- Tell the care team. Nurse navigators and social workers can apply on a patient’s behalf, and cancer centers can register with the nonprofit to share the program with more patients.
- Share it. If you know someone in treatment in DC or Montgomery County, sending them this page is a simple way to help.
What one patient shared
Here is what one patient in our area wrote in her Google review after her free cleanings:
“They are AMAZING! I am going through cancer treatment and have been too debilitated by chemo to do much of anything around my home, which was stressing me out. The cancer center recommended Cris’ Cleaning Squad because they generously offered FREE cleanings for people going through chemo/radiation. Carolina came in and spent hours making my home *sparkle*. Even mopped under my bed! It really helped my mental well-being and I’m no longer embarrassed to have visitors. I am so thankful for them and highly recommend their services :)”
— Laura C. · Cleaning for a Reason
Know someone in cancer treatment in DC or Montgomery County?Apply for free cleanings through Cleaning for a Reason. Questions about our partnership? Call us at (240) 418-8467.
Frequently asked questions
How can cancer patients get free house cleaning in DC or Montgomery County?
Through Cleaning for a Reason, a national nonprofit that matches cancer patients with local partner cleaning companies, including Cris’ Cleaning Squad in DC and Montgomery County. The patient or someone on their behalf applies online at cleaningforareason.org, and once matched, the patient receives two free home cleanings.
Who is eligible for Cleaning for a Reason?
People with any type of cancer who are in active treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or hospice care, as well as people recovering from cancer surgery or treatment. The patient does not need to be an existing client of any cleaning company.
Can I apply for free cleaning on behalf of someone with cancer?
Yes. Caregivers, nurse navigators, doctors, colleagues, friends, and family members can apply for a patient. The nonprofit asks that you check with the patient first and make sure they are willing to accept the service.
How many free cleanings does a cancer patient receive?
Each matched patient receives two free professional home cleanings. When a patient is matched with Cris’ Cleaning Squad, we complete both cleanings within a month.
Is a match with a cleaning company guaranteed?
No. Cleaning for a Reason cannot guarantee a match, but it does its best to find an available partner in the patient’s area. Applying early improves the chances of getting help when it is needed.
Does the free cleaning cost anything?
No. There is no cost to the patient. The cleanings are donated by partner companies through Cleaning for a Reason, and nothing is asked of the patient in return.
Fatima Cristina is the founder and owner of Cris’ Cleaning Squad, a family-owned cleaning company serving Washington, DC, Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring. With over a decade of hands-on experience in professional cleaning, she built the company on trained, insured, and background-checked cleaners and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Her team has cleaned 500+ homes across the DC and Maryland area and partners with Cleaning for a Reason to offer free cleanings to patients battling cancer in the region.
Program eligibility, applications, and matching are managed by Cleaning for a Reason. For the most current details, visit cleaningforareason.org.
