Albuquerque, New Mexico. Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal
The coronavirus is boosting commercial demand for cleaning services, including from Maid Brigade of Albuquerque, a local franchise that is using a novel disinfectant system to instantly kill germs, bacteria and viruses in every nook and cranny.
The coronavirus is boosting commercial demand for cleaning services, including from Maid Brigade of Albuquerque, a local franchise that is using a novel disinfectant system to instantly kill germs, bacteria and viruses in every nook and cranny.
The PUREmist system uses a hospital-grade disinfectant applied with an electrostatic sprayer. That creates an electronically charged mist that wraps around surfaces and objects for 360-degree coverage, said local Maid Brigade franchise owner Joanna Silva.
The company’s corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia, originally deployed the system two years ago to its franchisees, including Silva’s Albuquerque operation. But until the coronavirus hit, many existing and prospective customers didn’t see the benefit.
“Now we constantly use it,” Silva told the Journal. “With the coronavirus, people understand the need for it. It can give peace of mind as employees go back to work that their work environment is safe.”
The electrostatic technology, which is also used on commercial aircraft by several U.S. airlines, allows the disinfectant to bond to areas that are unreachable by traditional pump sprayers, or that are too soft or porous to clean thoroughly. And the solution doesn’t need to be wiped away, because the disinfectant mist – which kills germs and bacteria on contact – evaporates shortly after application.
The PUREmist system may be adding appeal for the company’s services as commercial demand for cleaning and disinfection grows. Since the coronavirus hit in March, Maid Brigade’s commercial contracts have more than doubled.
“We have 72 commercial and residential customers that we service weekly, but the number of commercial clients has grown while the residential ones have declined,” Silva said. “About 70% of our customers are now commercial, and 30% residential. Before COVID-19, it was the exact opposite.”
That’s generally because families have become afraid to let people into their homes, Silva said.
In contrast, businesses are doubling down on cleaning services.
Mike Ford, who owns utility construction company Kelly Cable of New Mexico, switched from weekly to daily service for his three-building, 40,000-square-foot operation in the South Valley, where he employs 250.
“We have the maids on site now every day, all day to provide a safe environment for our employees,” Ford said. “They spray their mist system everyplace to kill germs.”
Silva said her nine-member workforce has remained stable through the pandemic thanks to the growth in commercial customers.
“We’re an essential business that remained open from the start,” Silva said. “Commercial customers have kept us alive and working.”
