Mod Maids Origin Story
I still recall that day in 2016-my husband said we should start a cleaning company and I ran out the door screaming.
Well, in my head anyway. After getting past my initial shock, I heard him out. Somehow, perhaps it was the promise of having a full time manager, he convinced me to get on board.
We packaged this company brilliantly. We didn’t want to look like any other cleaning companies. We wanted to sparkle - loudly and unapologetically.
Palm Springs famous, beloved drag queen, Bella da Ball agreed to be our spokesmodel and appear on our marketing materials. We conjured up the most fabulous photo shoot you could imagine! We invested in a warehouse space, uniforms, radio, tv spots, print ads and custom wrapped sparkling pink vans sporting Bella’s face with the message, Mod Maids - because housework can be such a drag!
We looked like a million bucks! And then came the actual work.
None of us knew how to run a cleaning company. I was terrified the first time a client ever called!! I still remember totally winging the estimates and hand writing our client bookings in my day planner. We took on any and every job that called in. I refused to make my cleaners do anything I wouldn’t do so I went out there and cleaned the grossest of messes you could possibly imagine! I put up with verbally abusive people because something in me still held “the customer is always right” mentality from my many years of customer service work.
It took quite a few terrible situations for me to finally stand my ground and act like the business owner I am.
By trial and error and treating others as I wish to be treated, we built the biz from zero to hundreds of clients served. We finally found an excellent manager to relieve me around 3 years in. All seemed to be getting better and then came 2020.
We opted to shut down operations not knowing if we’d ever reopen the doors.
Later that year, we were able to start cleaning again with some revisions to our business model.
We stopped servicing vacation rentals. That felt too questionable for us and with the cleaning protocols, very few clients would pay what we felt necessary to charge for a thorough job.
Our manager had moved on so my husband took over the daily operations so I could proceed with my other business ventures. At the time he was healing from prostate cancer treatment, so it was critical he worked from home. No more in person visits.
By Spring 2021, we were ready for a change of scenery. We looked at selling the company but at the time my sister was needing a position where she could work from home. As we sold our Palm Springs home and moved to NorCal, Zion took over our cleaning business. Perhaps you’ve had the pleasure of interacting with my sister. She quickly learned the ropes, establishing relationships with our clients and crew members. Managing Mod Maids has given her the opportunity to work from home. Zion has suffered from chronic illnesses since her teens. Having a position with this flexibility has been truly wonderful for her.
Reflecting on the last 9 years of Mod Maids has brought powerful clarity about who we are today—and what we truly stand for: loyalty, empowerment, fun, compassion, and unapologetic individuality.
We will always adore our beloved Bella da Ball, the original sparkle muse who helped put Mod Maids on the map. As we evolve, so does our story—and it’s time to introduce the next chapter in our glam legacy.
Drum roll please!
Meet our new Queen of Clean: Special Agent Sassy Sparkles.
She’s bold, she’s brilliant, she’s brimming with glitter—and she’s here on a mission — Bringing an irresistible dose of delight and community spirit to our brand.
What’s in store?
Business spotlights + Community Collabs
Sensational cleaning tips
Soapy stories from Sassy’s files
Flash sales
Ultra Glam Merch
And more, straight from Sparkle HQ.
