About Us

The founders of Donau, Barrie and Karin Kincaid, started their specialist cleaning business with a single contract at The Dorchester in 1970, which remains in place to this day.

From the very beginning, they set out to deliver customer service with a capital ‘S.’ This approach has been the very essence of the company’s culture ever since: we continue to make customers feel special, valued and heard five decades later.

With the support of the Donau team – which includes present-day Managing Director Darren Church – the founders grew the company steadily in the years that followed. The result? We now serve over 200 high-end clients across London and the Home Counties, including more than half of the capital’s most prestigious hotels.

Donau remained in the family’s ownership after the deaths of Karin and Barrie, and has since continued to go from strength to strength.

The team has accumulated many years of collective experience, and implicitly understands the need for luxury hospitality businesses to deliver a first-class service to their guests.

We recognise that our chief responsibility is to support hotels behind-the-scenes. Our clients’ needs are diverse and ever-changing, something which became more apparent than ever before during the Covid-19 pandemic.

So, how do we accommodate those needs? Listening to clients and resolving issues promptly can go a long way, particularly in a ‘24/7’ operating environment.

Being proactive is important, too. We have the experience to anticipate or spot a customer’s problem before it begins to affect their guests. Whether jobs need tackling due to seasonality or simply as a consequence of wear and tear, we always provide multiple options for our clients – they remain in control at all times, informed by our expertise.

At Donau, we don’t just keep carpets, furniture and fabrics spotlessly clean: we also carry out specialist work, including taking down curtains and bringing them back to our facility for dry cleaning. Where necessary, our skilled machinists repair the curtains and return them to the client’s premises for rehanging.

Large, heavy stage curtains and drapes often require work at height, which is always undertaken by skilled professionals using the correct equipment.

We ensure the longevity of curtains through regular dry-cleaning, servicing and flame-proofing to stringent British standards. Together, these measures keep our clients’ curtains and drapes looking as stunning as the day they were first installed, protecting what is often a significant investment.

Prestigious establishments expect a consistent, high-quality service, each and every time. Developing trust and building a strong relationship with our clients can take years, but this trust can soon evaporate if we fail to deliver.

Over the years, however, we have built a reputation as a trusted, expert contractor. We’re proud of our rock-solid reputation and take every aspect of our services seriously, even down to the finest detail. This is why we’re relied upon by so many of London’s most distinguished establishments, offering commercial carpet cleaning, specialist curtain cleaning and commercial upholstery cleaning.

Donau’s Managing Director, Darren Church, said: “Let us never forget that the customer is the sole reason why we are in business. Whatever we do, ranging from cleaning carpets and dry-cleaning curtains to repairing and making up curtains, we strive to exceed our clients’ expectations. We aim to be friendly, professional and super responsive.

“I pride myself on rarely losing loyal, long-term customers. If our efforts fall short, as they inevitably will occasionally, I make sure that problems are rectified and lessons learned.

“After 50 years of working in this industry, Donau has found that a true customer-centric approach is the best way to develop loyal customers and generate new business from referrals.”

With over 50 years’ experience in the luxury commercial cleaning industry, Donau is dedicated to providing an exceptional service for high-end clients in London and the surrounding areas. Contact us today.