An Interview with Stevie Dustmore

Stevie Dustmore is the pen name of UK-based cleaner-turned-author Claire Jones. After years on the frontline of grime, she decided it was time to tell the stories hiding behind the spray bottles — the messy, hilarious, and unexpectedly human side of cleaning that most people never see.

Her debut book, What the Cleaner Found, mixes humour, honesty, and a splash of martini-fuelled chaos to reveal what really happens when the gloves go on. Part confessional, part celebration, it shines a light on an industry often underestimated but utterly essential.

Away from the page, Claire is an entrepreneur with a passion for raising standards and respect within the cleaning world. Through her alter ego Stevie, she’s giving cleaners everywhere a voice — and reminding readers that behind every sparkling surface, there’s a story worth telling.

When she’s not writing or cleaning, she can usually be found dreaming up her next set of grubby tales, planning new projects, or sipping a well-earned martini after a long day restoring order to the chaos.

Follow Stevie on Instagram @stevie_dustmore for more chaos, confessions, and a good dose of martini-fuelled mischief.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

Honestly? Years of scrubbing other people’s chaos while thinking, ‘If the walls could talk…’ Eventually, I realised I didn’t need the walls — I had my own stories.

What the Cleaner Found was born out of the madness, the mess, and the moments that no one talks about — the real, raw, and often ridiculous side of being a cleaner. I wanted to shine a light on an industry that’s so often dismissed, while giving readers a good laugh (and maybe a gasp) along the way.

Writing became my way of sweeping up the grime and turning it into something golden — a cocktail of honesty, humour, and a hint of martini glass sparkle.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title actually started out as a bit of a throwaway line on social media after a particularly awful cleaning job. I’d posted something like, ‘Maybe one day I’ll write a book about what the cleaner found…’ and left it at that.

Fast forward a year, during one of those early-hours scrolls through old memories, I stumbled across the post again — and something just clicked. I thought, ‘Why not now?’

That one offhand comment became the spark that started everything. The title was never really ‘found’ — it had been waiting for me all along, buried somewhere between bleach fumes and inspiration.

And here we are — martini in hand, book in print, and plenty more grime still to uncover.

Describe your dream book cover.

My dream book cover had to feel like me — bold, a bit cheeky, and instantly recognisable. I wanted something that told readers this wasn’t your usual cleaning story.

The teal background gave it that pop of freshness, the yellow-gloved hand holding a martini glass hinted at the chaos behind the shine, and the cream and orange text tied it all together with a wink.

It’s clean meets classy — a nod to the world I work in, but with the sparkle and sass that runs through every page. Honestly, it is my dream cover. Every time I look at it, I see the perfect balance of grit and glamour.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Every cleaner needs a killer playlist — and mine’s as unpredictable as the jobs I turn up to! My What the Cleaner Found soundtrack is a mix of sass, sparkle, and survival.

From Work by Rihanna and 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton (the ultimate cleaner’s anthems), to Flowers by Miley Cyrus and I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor — every track has a story behind it.

Then there are the cheeky numbers like Hot ’n’ Cold (Katy Perry) and Murder on the Dancefloor (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) for those jobs where things get a little too real!

It’s the soundtrack that keeps me going — equal parts grit and glitter — the perfect background to both cleaning and writing. And yes, it’s a real playlist…created somewhere between mop buckets, midnight edits, and martini breaks.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I tend to bounce between comfort reads and curiosity reads. For comfort, it’s always something honest and funny — books that don’t take themselves too seriously. I love writers like Gill Sims, who capture everyday chaos with a big dose of humour (probably because I live in it!).

But when I’m off-duty and need to switch off, I reach for a thriller. Give me James Patterson or a twisty, edge-of-your-seat series and I’m happy — it’s the perfect antidote to a day of scrubbing tiles and chasing deadlines.

For research, I gravitate toward memoirs and real-life storytelling — those behind-the-scenes glimpses into unusual jobs and big personalities. It’s the same energy that runs through What the Cleaner Found — finding truth in the mess, and laughter in the madness.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

Before I swapped suits for spray bottles, I actually came from the world of legal and finance — all structure, spreadsheets, and signatures. I earned a business and finance degree part-time while juggling admin roles and dreaming of something more creative.

That ‘something’ turned into a career in leisure management, followed by running my own home and lifestyle shop — where I learned that I had a knack for spotting what people really need (and a weakness for nice candles).

From there, I moved into freelance PA and VA work, before finally finding my stride in the cleaning industry — a world that gave me endless stories, unexpected laughs, and eventually, a book.

Something most readers wouldn’t know? Behind the martinis and mischief, I’ve always been a spreadsheet-loving, degree-holding organiser at heart — I just happen to wield a mop instead of a pen these days.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve always loved stories. As a kid, I’d fill exercise books with made-up worlds and dramatic tales that were far too grown-up for my age — pure imagination on overdrive. I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember, always fascinated by how words can make you feel seen, understood, or simply entertained.

Somewhere deep down, I always believed there was a book in me. I just didn’t know it would arrive covered in dust, bleach splashes, and a hint of sarcasm. What the Cleaner Found became my creative escape — a way to turn the everyday chaos of cleaning into something colourful, human, and occasionally hilarious.

And now that the first book’s out in the world, I know this is only the beginning. There are plenty more stories still to be told…and trust me, the cleaner’s found a lot more.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Right now, I write anywhere and everywhere I can grab a moment. Middle of the night in bed, in the car between jobs, on the sofa, or perched at my desk — if there’s a spark of inspiration, I’m there with my notes app or a notebook that’s seen better days.

I’m just about to move house and once we’ve moved, I’m planning to carve out my own cosy writing room — a little sanctuary tucked away from the chaos, surrounded by my favourite things (and probably a few too many notebooks). A space where the martini glass can live permanently beside the laptop.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

To always believe in myself and keep pushing to be the best version of me. To follow my instincts — they’ve never steered me wrong — and to stop second-guessing every decision.

Looking back, every risk, late-night worry, and mad idea has led me exactly where I’m meant to be. I’d tell my younger self to trust the process, keep her chin up, and remember: even when it feels messy, you’re still moving forward — mop in one hand, martini in the other.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

More than anything, I hope What the Cleaner Found makes people stop and think.

I want clients to understand what really goes into cleaning — the time, effort, and pride that turn chaos into calm. For landlords, I hope it shows the value of paying for a proper job, not the cheapest option. For estate agents, a reminder that cleaners aren’t the bottom of the chain — we’re the reason homes sparkle and deals close. And for tenants, maybe a little insight into why a true end-of-tenancy clean costs what it does.

But most of all, I want cleaners everywhere to feel seen and heard. To know that what they do matters — that they bring order, comfort, and dignity to spaces others have left behind.

If readers close the book with a laugh, a nod, and a new respect for the people behind the sparkle — then I’ve done exactly what I set out to do.

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