About Us
Meet Our Portland Commercial Cleaning Team
Locally owned, locally operated. We're Portland business owners who understand what reliable commercial cleaning means.
Kendra Alhawash
Owner & Founder
I founded RKA Cleaning after I've witnessed firsthand the frustration of Portland businesses with cleaning companies that over-promised and under-delivered. Too many Portland businesses were getting stuck with unreliable service, poor communication, and rotating teams that never learned their spaces.
I saw an opportunity to do things differently: build a local company that actually shows up, communicates clearly, and treats clients like partners instead of account numbers.
We're not a franchise. We don't have layers of corporate bureaucracy. When you work with RKA Cleaning, you work directly with me and my team. We live here, we work here, and our reputation depends on the quality we deliver every single day.
I'm proud of what we've built—a cleaning company that Portland businesses actually trust and recommend.
Why Local Ownership Matters
Direct Communication
You don't deal with a call center in another state. You work directly with local decision-makers who can solve problems immediately. Need to adjust service? Change cleaning times? Add a one-time deep clean? You talk to me, not a corporate hotline.
Local Accountability
We live and work in Portland. We see our clients at local events, we shop at their stores, we refer them to friends. Our reputation isn't managed by a distant corporate office—it's built every night through the work we do.
Consistent Teams
We don't rotate teams constantly like franchises do. Your facility gets a dedicated crew that learns your space, understands your priorities, and builds familiarity with your operations. You're not constantly training new people.
Fast Problem Resolution
When issues arise (they occasionally do), we fix them immediately. You don't wait days for corporate approval or escalation procedures. We handle problems the same day you bring them up—often before you even notice them.
Why We're Not a Franchise
National franchises spend more on marketing than they do on training their teams. They optimize for growth, not quality. They answer to shareholders, not clients.
We chose to build an independent company because we wanted control over quality, hiring, training, and communication. We don't have franchise fees to pay, corporate mandates to follow, or territorial restrictions that prevent us from serving the clients we want to serve.
That means we're agile. We can adjust pricing, customize service, and make decisions that benefit our clients—not a corporate office in another state.
"We're not trying to be the biggest cleaning company in Portland. We're here to be the most reliable."
— Rafat A., Operations Manager
Our Team Culture
Great cleaning companies are built on great teams. We invest in our people because they're the ones representing us in your facility every day.
Thorough Hiring
Background checks, reference verification, and skills assessments. We're picky about who joins our team because we know they'll be in your space.
Comprehensive Training
Every team member completes safety training, equipment training, and facility-specific protocols. We don't just hand someone a mop and send them to your office.
Fair Compensation
We pay well and treat people with respect. Low turnover means your facility gets experienced cleaners who care about quality, not temp workers just passing through.
Clear Expectations
Our teams know exactly what's expected, have the tools they need, and receive feedback that helps them improve. We don't set people up to fail.
Work With a Team That Cares
Experience the difference locally owned commercial cleaning makes.