Jennifer Hudson of Locust enjoys cleaning.

It relaxes her to clean her house and she has even started teaching her 3-year-old son.

In March, Hudson took her passion to the next level when she started her own company, Hudson Cleaning Service LLC.

“I’m a wife, I’m a mom, I clean anyways,” she said, “so why not make a career out of it.”

Since none of her family had opened their own business, Hudson relied on researching and books to learn the basics of owning and operating a cleaning business.

Hudson Cleaning specializes in residential and commercial cleanings, including rental homes, office buildings and apartment complexes.

Though Hudson, 29, is the only employee, she hopes to add more staff.

Her customers appreciate her business.

According to a Hudson Cleaning press release about the partnership, since 2006, Cleaning For A Reason and its partners have donated more than $11 million in services, helping more than 35,000 cancer patients.

Hudson is assisting cancer patients by cleaning two homes per month for two consecutive months free of charge.

She is still getting the word out to people in Stanly about Cleaning For A Reason. She recently spent three hours cleaning the house of a cancer patient in Norwood.

“I am already a first responder within the community and wanted to give back with my company as well,” Hudson said. “When I realized there wasn’t a cleaning company signed up to help cancer patients in Stanly County, I knew it was time to get involved. We’re thrilled to be helping cancer patients through the gift of a clean home.”

For Hudson, cleaning is a form of relaxation. She often listens to music in order to get into her “cleaning mode.”

“I love seeing something go from dirty and a mess to clean,” she said.

One of the most gratifying moments is when people see their newly cleaned apartment or office.

“I love it, especially when they walk in the door and they say, ‘Oh my God. It smells so clean,’ ” she said. “I get that feeling when I walk through my door and my house is clean.”

She has several weekly and monthly customers and many trust her to clean while they are away.

“I like it because I can build trust with them and they know that I’m here to clean,” she said. “I’m not rummaging through their things. They can trust me to know I’m going to put everything back where it was.”

Hudson works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be contacted through Facebook. The company is also on Yelp.