Cleaning Machine: Maid Brigade Charges Ahead with Steam Vapor Technology

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The changes experienced by residential cleaning services in the past decade have been anything but small. Technology has improved, clients have grown more sophisticated and the concept of “cleaning for healthier environments” has moved from fringe promotion to mainstream program. Companies acknowledging these shifts have adapted and thrived; others were not so fortunate.

Maid Brigade, an Atlanta-based residential cleaning service with more than 400 franchised service areas in the United States and Canada, has long operated ahead of the curve, and that foresight has helped it secure a healthy and growing market share since it opened its doors in 1979. The first national housecleaning service to establish its own green cleaning system, Green Clean Certified, in 2007, the company is always looking for technology and techniques to improve its program.

“Our brand struck out alone a few years ago to spearhead the green movement within the residential segment of the cleaning industry,” Maid Brigade President Bart Puett said. “In order to protect our customers and our employees, we live by a commitment to building our system on the most advanced green science available. This is why we have incorporated TANCS in our process.”

TANCS, or Thermal Accelerated Nano Crystal Sanitation, is a patented and proprietary steam vapor disinfection system from Advanced Vapor Technologies (AVT) that encourages the formation of harmless nano crystals from minerals found naturally in tap water. When the water transforms into super-heated low-moisture steam, these energized crystals accelerate to help disrupt the cell membranes of the microbes on the surface being cleaned, making them more sensitive to moist heat.

With the TANCS option, the AVT steam vapor system qualifies as a disinfection device under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules.

“TANCS represents the forefront of the green cleaning movement, so it was only natural that we would want to evaluate this technology for our system,” Puett said. “Our field data identified key enhancements that TANCS brings to the safety and effectiveness of our service, all without the use of chemicals.”

Concerned by the growing body of evidence linking chemicals in common household cleaning products to serious health problems, Maid Brigade began eliminating these products from its standard cleaning procedures, replacing them with recognized green cleaning products. The company faced a challenge, however, in that there is no chemical disinfectant available today considered green, yet disinfection plays a vital role in what it calls “healthy home maintenance.”

The industry continues to become more aware of the limitations of chemical disinfectants and sanitizers when it comes to penetrating the biofilm and successfully eliminating germs, bacteria and other contaminants. Recent studies show that sufficient heat as is present in the TANCS steam vapor system will travel through the biofilm and kill cells that are unreachable by surface application of a germicide, and do so without degrading the surface being cleaned or the air being breathed by both client and cleaner.

“The science behind TANCS provides disinfection capabilities which basic green cleaning methods cannot match,” Maid Brigade VP of Operations Howard Purdy said. “Since TANCS also gives us an effective solution for mold, mildew, dust mites, dirt, grease and other cleaning concerns, we can now offer an even more effective and healthier service through the advancement of green cleaning science. After all, our clients want a sanitary, germ-free home, but not at the expense of a healthy indoor environment.”

Primarily used by Maid Brigade personnel in kitchens, bathrooms and when performing dust mite control services, AVT’s TANCS-equipped Ladybug steam vapor systems feature a larger and hotter-temperature boiler to sustain higher pressure and temperature over longer periods of use, as well as a self-monitoring "dry" steam generator with continuous-fill, non-pressurized water reservoir. Counters, sinks, tubs, toilet seats, upholstery, tile and grout and other surfaces are restored to their “youthful appearance” while being disinfected and sanitized.

“The ‘before and after’ difference that TANCS creates in our customers’ homes is driving loyalty in a competitive field in spite of the economy,” Purdy said. “TANCS technology is helping Maid Brigade lead the evolution of green cleaning and disinfection in the housecleaning industry.”