In business, especially in the cleaning industry, you learn pretty quickly that not every customer is a good customer. Some homes sparkle after a clean. Others? Well, they leave you needing a deep clean… for your soul.

I’ve always told my staff that when we make a mistake, we own it. No excuses, no passing the buck. If there’s even a 1% chance we were at fault, we take responsibility and make it right. That simple rule has kept us honest, respected, and growing for years.

But there’s a flip side: what do you do when it’s 100% not your fault, yet the customer insists it is? That’s where things get tricky.

The “Bleach Incident”

Take Carol R., for example. Over a decade ago, she left us a one-star review claiming our team had bleached her carpet. Her review wasn’t pretty and neither was her tone. But here’s the thing: back then our cleaners didn’t even carry bleach. It’s our policy to avoid it entirely to prevent exactly that kind of accident. Even if they had carried bleach, Carol R. had requested the cleaners not to clean the room, therefore our team never had entered to room in the first place.

The real culprit? Her teenage son’s friend bleaching his hair in the bathroom connected to the room with the carpet spots.

Situations like this can be tricky. It would be easy to take the blame just to avoid a negative review, but we can’t do that because it’s important to set the right example for our team. Our staff take pride in their work, and they’re rightfully offended when we consider accepting fault for something we didn’t do. I learned that years ago after getting an earful from our cleaners for even thinking about it. They know right from wrong, and rewarding a wrong isn’t right. That’s why it’s essential we stand by our team and set the proper example.

Fast Forward to Today: The “Dust Disaster”

Recently, we had another one-star review from Chinwe A. This time for a post-construction cleaning. The customer said we were overpriced and didn’t clean properly. What really happened? The job required a deep cleaning due to massive dust, tape residue, and other post-construction debris, but the customer didn’t want to pay for the time it would take to do it right.

Our team, being pros, explained the need to upgrade the service. The customer refused. They didn’t want to pay extra, but still expected showroom results. That’s like ordering a salad and expecting a steak.

They tied our hands, and when the job didn’t meet their inflated expectations, they complained. And worse, they were rude to our staff. Now, my mom taught me something simple but timeless: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Some folks seem to have missed that day in kindergarten.

Protecting Your Team Is Protecting Your Business

We learned something from that experience. You can’t let bad customers drain your time, your morale, or your energy. One of my favorite phrases from another cleaning business owner is what she had called, “the 2%’ers”. Two percent of customers are the ones that cause all your issues (along with a few extra gray hairs). And she’s right. The time you waste trying to please those 2% is time you could be giving your great customers, the ones who respect your team, trust your expertise, and actually appreciate what you do.

Think of it like an extreme 80/20 rule: 2% of your customers create 98% of your headaches. Trying to please them is like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it, frustrating and ultimately pointless. Instead, fire the troublemakers (politely, of course) and pour all of that energy and effort into the 98% of good customers who respect your team, trust your expertise, and actually appreciate a quality cleaning. If you don’t, you are doing your good customers a disservice.

So here’s the new rule I sent out to my staff on WhatsApp:

“All, if a customer clearly needs a deep clean, move-out clean, or any upgrade based on the condition or size of their home, please explain why the upgrade is necessary. If they refuse the recommendation because they don’t want to pay more, do not book the job. You can politely say something like “We want to make sure you get the best results possible, but based on what you’ve described, this would require a deep clean. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be able to do the job properly under a standard cleaning.” or “We completely understand your concern about cost, but we don’t want to promise results we can’t deliver. It might be best to wait until you’re ready for the deep clean service.” In short, if they don’t accept the upgrade, it’s okay to not book them. We only want to work with customers we can serve properly and make happy!”

Lessons from the 1-Star Club

So yes, that one-star review stung for about five minutes. But it also made us a stronger company. It reinforced our boundaries, reminded us to value our staff, and made it clear that we’re not in the business of half-cleaning homes or overpromising results. Compete on quality; not on price.

We don’t chase cheap customers; we attract great ones. And every time we say no to a bad fit, we’re saying yes to quality, integrity, and the customers who deserve our best work. Because at the end of the day, a bad review from a bad customer is a small price to pay for protecting your good name, your great people, the quality of your service, and your sanity