Elaine Wheeler from Dream Clean in Malahide concurred. It's a huge time for people getting their houses spring-cleaned especially for it. Nowadays people have parties in their houses so people ring up months in advance, " she said. I've definitely noticed people wanting us to come in for the month of May. They're looking for around four rooms to be done for the Holy Communion party. It costs 250 to 350." Aboutime Cleaning received their first request for the service in February, and the bookings have kept coming since then. ?We got our first call about Holy Communion cleaning about two months ago, so that woman was very organised."

Patricia O'Neill says that customers are now hosting family and friends in their home to celebrate a child's communion, and because of time constraints and busy work schedules, they simply don't have time to prepare the home themselves. ?Five years ago, if you wanted something like this done, you'd just do it yourself, but now people just get someone in to do it for them. People don't have the time, or they don't want to do it, or they're just treating themselves. Ten years ago, we didn't pay for childcare, now it's part of our budget. It's getting like that with cleaning."

Maureen Ross from Glasnevin, whose daughter Aisling is making her Communion in May, has booked Aboutime to clean her house in preparation for the event. ?I'm getting the whole house spring-cleaned because I'm having friends and family in that day.

I'm working and studying so I don't have time to clean the house, " she said.

I was saying it to friends of mine and they thought it was a great idea. It takes the pressure off, because you're up to your eyes that week making sure everything is right clotheswise, so it's one less thing to think about."