Our story
Two decades of trust in Auckland
From a single family-run operation to one of Auckland's most trusted institutional cleaning providers — built on hard work, reliability, and a refusal to cut corners.
From a single family-run operation to one of Auckland's most trusted institutional cleaning providers — built on hard work, reliability, and a refusal to cut corners.
"Every space we clean is someone's school, someone's workplace, someone's livelihood. We treat it that way."— Kyung Ho (Kay) Kim, Founder
After arriving from South Korea, Kyung Ho (Kay) Kim founded Smile Cleaning Ltd with a simple belief: that reliability, attention to detail, and genuine care is what separates a truly trusted cleaning partner from an average one.
The business began with residential cleaning — long hours, hands-on work, and a growing reputation built entirely on word of mouth. As that reputation grew, so did the operation. Schools, ECE centres, and commercial spaces began approaching Kay because they'd heard the same thing from everyone: Smile Cleaning shows up, does the job properly, and never has to be asked twice.
Today, Smile Cleaning Ltd is a professional institutional cleaning company serving organisations across Auckland — but the values that started it haven't changed.
Every member of the Smile Cleaning team is carefully selected, trained to our standards, and fully police-vetted — because we work in environments that require absolute trust.
We carry $10 million in public liability insurance, comply with New Zealand health and safety requirements, and use products appropriate for every environment including child-safe, non-toxic options for ECE centres.
Work with us
Kay founded Smile Cleaning Ltd after arriving from South Korea with a commitment to hard work and high standards. With over 20 years of hands-on experience, he personally oversees operations across all client sites and remains the driving force behind the company's reputation for reliability.
Oliver is currently studying at the University of Auckland and brings a genuine passion for marketing and brand strategy to Smile Cleaning Ltd. Alongside his studies, he works part-time as one of the team's cleaners across three sites — giving him a ground-level perspective that keeps the brand authentic and grounded in real service delivery.