SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – For Tracey Miranda and her husband Ralph, years spent working for others has run its course. They have decided to take the plunge and start their own vacation rental cleaning business, Two Hearts Cleaning Company, where they strive to provide reliable, high-quality, turnover services in South Lake Tahoe and surrounding areas.
Ralph has worked at the casinos in Stateline for close to a decade. Prior to that, both he and Miranda met in Southern California while working at a casino together.
“I was with the gaming commission and he worked as a slot technician,” said Miranda. “We weren’t allowed to talk or even date. I ended up moving on to a different casino just so we could pursue our relationship. Now, we’ve been together for almost 19 years.”
While working as employees throughout their lives, both for other cleaning companies and the casinos, they were learning the ropes of the vacation rental turnover business. It was only a matter of time before the couple began considering whether they had enough knowledge to take a risk.
“We knew we could provide our own, reliable high-quality cleaning,” Miranda said. “There’s a lot of competition in town. We know that, we could see it ourselves, but why work our butts off for somebody else and get ‘X’ amount of money when we can do extra work and get the clients ourselves and produce that kind of service, if not better, in our eyes when we already have experience in this field.”
Better Business Bureau shows roughly 600 commercial cleaning services in the South Lake Tahoe area. Despite the competition, the Mirandas are confident in not only the services they have to offer, but that there’s plenty of work to go around. Attention to detail, adaptability, and building trusted relationships with property owners – qualities that the Mirandas say are vital to their business plan.
Currently, Two Hearts focuses on vacation and short-term rental turnovers with coverage areas located in Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, and Stateline. Depending on the situation, they may be able to extend their coverage area. Because each house is unique, ranging from varying square feet to services needed, their prices are flexible.
“The homeowner and I will sit down and negotiate a price. That price will be the cleaning and if they want to launder their linens out or on site if possible,” Miranda added. “There’s a lot of factors involved.”
Now, as they get their new business off the ground, the day-to-day operations consist of building a client base and working through all the logistics that come along with creating a solid foundation.
The Mirandas say that what they enjoy most about operating Two Hearts Cleaning Company on the South Shore is being part of a close-knit community and helping local vacation rental owners create clean, welcoming spaces for their guests.
The business is a family affair, and if Ralph and Tracey need some extra hands, their three preteen children, ages 10 to 12, will step in and assist when necessary.
“The kids are excited for us,” Miranda said. “They’re great kids.”
When asked how they came up with the name, ‘Two Hearts Cleaning Company’, Miranda said it was Ralph who had the idea.
“Two hearts, one goal,” Miranda said. “I wouldn’t be anything without him, and he wouldn’t be anything without me, and together, we are a team.”
The team’s goal posts for the future are to expand around the basin, hire additional employees and eventually extend their services. Until then, the husband-and-wife duo are going all in.
To learn more about Two Hearts Cleaning Company or to inquire about a service, call (530) 721-0994 or email the Mirandas at my2heartsclean@gmail.com.
