LYNSEY CROMBIE IS THE QUEEN OF CLEAN
Share
Bestselling author, blogger, and Instagram influencer with over 250,000 followers, Lynsey Crombie, is the Queen of Clean. She starred in Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners for Channel 4 and is a regular guest on This Morning and Good Morning Britain. She talks to Lynda Clark about her fascinating career and her passion for all things to do with cleaning
Before speaking to Lynsey, I was intrigued by how cleaning could be such an integral part of her life. We all have to do the chores but Lynsey is a serious enthusiast for anything and everything to so with cleaning. When we spoke I was immediately hooked by her lovely personality and enthusiasm for life and her story is enthralling.
Lynsey was born in Twickenham and at the age of 14 she and the family moved to Peterborough. “I was always very close to my grandparents and my grandmother was always cleaning. Even from a toddler I remember being surrounded by mops and buckets and my granny sweeping or cleaning the doorstep, so I think it is definitely in my blood line to love cleaning. Granny is now in her late eighties and still cleaning every day. She has lots of hints and tips and she reads my books and says, ‘Did that idea come from me?’ She is quite amazing!”
She went to college but was always an entrepreneur at heart and was very keen to get out into the big wide world and start working and earning money. She worked in PR and Marketing and also in Telemarketing and was very successful. Then when she was 23 she got married and her husband wanted to move to Newcastle, so Lynsey had to give up her successful career and go back to square one. Whilst she was heavily pregnant with twin girls there was a very big trauma in her marriage which ended with her husband going to prison and Lynsey and the babies moved back to Peterborough, where they could be close to friends and family.
“It was very tough being a single mum but I was determined to get back on my feet. I set up a speed dating company, which was successful and I loved it. During this time, I still adored cleaning and then a hairdresser friend asked if I would be interested in going to a care home and helping some of the elderly people there. They were in need of people to do their shopping and laundry and generally have a chat and keep them company for a while. It was so rewarding and I used to take my son who was still a baby in his car seat, and the old people loved him – it was truly very special.
“I then decided to start a cleaning company which was what I had always really wanted to do. I always had work and never had to advertise and the business grew and grew. One of my clients had a publishing company and produced local magazines. She asked if I would join her and we started up another five magazines, which was great fun. I have always been very self-sufficient and wanted to succeed on my own and I think this all proves that I could do it.”
Then, out of the blue Lynsey got a call from. Channel 4 saying they were from the show, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners and were looking for cleaners, families who needed help with cleaning and hoarders in her area and could she help. “I spoke to them for quite a while and said I had watched the first series and how I had enjoyed it. They then called me back about a week later and said they loved what I had said so much they would like me to be a member of the cast. I was thrilled. A few days later they arrived at my home with cameras and lights and so my presenting career began! Before they arrived a very good friend who owned a printing company made me a bright pink apron which she had specially printed saying Queen of Clean and a Crown. The producers loved it so much they asked if I would wear it on the show and it took off from there. It was all over social media and became my trademark. I always believe that things happen for a reason and as I never applied to do the show it was definitely meant to be.
“I was then approached by a shopping channel, Ideal World, who asked if I would present a show where I recommended and present cleaning products that I thought were worth investing in. It was great fun but often I was filming late at night which was very hard work especially when I had a young family. I then realised that social media was getting bigger and bigger and when my twin girls, who were 13 at the time, came home and asked if they could have an Instagram account I looked into it and told them they could as long I could go on it too. It grew from there and now I have over 250,000 followers. I write my blog and have my own website of course. I am called the Queen of Clean as that’s my brand and I have grown it gradually as I think that is far better than rushing into something and not thinking it through properly.”
Lynsey was then asked to go on This Morning as their cleaning expert and appears a couple of times a month. She is also a presenter on Channel 5s Gadget Show where she demonstrates products and devices which are quite technical, like robot hoovers, which have become very popular. She has also appeared on Hoarder Homes: No Room to Move.”
There is a never a dull moment for Lynsey as she has also written three bestselling books: How to Clean your House at Christmas, The 15-Minute Clean: The quickest way to a sparkling home and The Easy Life: Quick ways to clean and manage your home all year round, which are all available on Amazon, Waterstones and WH Smiths.
“I love cleaning so much that the ideas for the books just roll out of my head! The books have lots of tips and tricks to help keep your home clean without spending hours and hours doing a deep clean. I am also launching my own range of vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners and carpet cleaners including a small hand held one which is perfect for rugs or cleaning the inside of the car out, in January, which I am very excited about. I have been working with Swan and they will be available online and in the shops after Christmas. Of course, the packaging is pink – what other colour could I choose? And it has been quite hard during the pandemic because we have had to work remotely which was difficult at times but it’s been a great experience.”
Lynsey bought her first home in Peterborough which was a two bedroom apartment, which she bought for £42,000 and then a year later she upgraded and bought a terraced house for £47,000. She now lives in a three-storey town house with her husband Rob, her twin girls who are now 18 and their 13-year-old son. “It’s a beautiful house and we love it but you never know what’s around the corner. I always recommend everyone to make themselves a cleaning box with 10 essential items. You really don’t have to buy the entire supermarket shelf of cleaning products! I have always said declutter and organise your home which will create more time for yourself and your family. There is nothing better than relaxing in a tidy calming environment and most important, never spend a weekend on chores again if you follow my golden rules.”
Lynsey finished out chat telling me that simple washing-up liquid works wonders for a host of different chores and is perfect for bringing up the toilet bowl to be white and sparkly. Guess what? The first thing I did when I got home was give it a try and it worked – simple as that!
Social Media