This Athens Startup Can Clean and Disinfect Your Whole Home Without Toxic Chemicals

With germs on everyone’s minds, Nature’s Magic cleans naturally

Amid a global pandemic, people everywhere are being more thoughtful about cleanliness and disinfectants. But families are also concerned with keeping harmful chemicals away from their children and pets. So how do you keep your house clean without exposing yourself to toxic ingredients? Nature’s Magic can help. The Athens startup, founded by Danielle Young, has developed a whole line of plant-based cleaning products that are non-toxic, using essential oils instead of ingredients created in a lab.

“I really love providing products so folks can safely clean without harming themselves, their human and furry families and the environment,” said Young. “Every little thing we can do right now to help protect the planet is going to make a difference. I especially love that kids can clean with them. There are over 100 classrooms in southeast Ohio that were cleaning with our products while they were in school, and we love that kids feel empowered to help keep their classroom environment clean and aren’t breathing in any toxins while doing it.”

Nature’s Magic actually started as a “green” cleaning business in 2008 and switched to producing the cleaning products themselves in 2013. Now, they offer a line of goods that includes multi-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, hand sanitizers, scrubs, concentrates and more, created for use in homes, businesses and anywhere else. The fight against COVID-19 has put the company in a renewed spotlight, and Young has seen a new surge of customers this spring, thanks in part to people looking for a safe and environmentally friendly way to fight back.

“I think this pandemic is a big wake up call for all of us,” she said. “Not only are there a lot of unknowns about the coronavirus, but stay-at-home orders have forced us to rethink our impact on our planet. In most situations, keeping surfaces clean and sanitized by removing germs without toxins is ideal. That way, folks can keep their homes, cars and businesses clean and safe. We are definitely seeing an influx of first-time and repeat customers and that brings me hope for the future of our communities and our planet.”

Though some cleaning products tout themselves as “green” and may be a slight improvement over traditional cleaners, Young says almost none are plant-based and entirely non-toxic. Cleaning products aren’t required to list their ingredients, making it difficult to know what’s inside. But Nature’s Magic products emphasize transparency, listing the natural ingredients on their products. In addition, the company works with other Ohio businesses and organizations to further their mission of sustainability and responsibility.

“We work with as many small businesses in Ohio as we can on sustainability initiatives,” said Young. “We offer reusable plastic and glass spray bottles and concentrates in various sizes to refill them. We also offer bulk wholesale to businesses, agencies, schools and other organizations, and we are working with a few stores who have implemented refill stations of our products to save on single-use plastic.”

For a company with environmental goals like Nature’s Magic, southeast Ohio has been the perfect headquarters. In addition to Athens’ community feel and green sensibilities, Nature’s Magic has found business support and partnerships in organizations like the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, the Ohio University Innovation Center, the LIGHTS Regional Innovation Network, TechGrowth Ohio and more. Now, Nature’s Magic has released a line of hand sanitizer, doing microbial testing of their products for maximum effectiveness and working toward larger bulk sales, all from their Athens home.

“It is a beautiful community, not just for its landscape but for its people,” said Young. “There are so many sustainably minded, passionate individuals here who really strive to make a difference. As an environmentally and socially conscious community, Athens has proven to be an ideal place to launch Nature’s Magic. Early on, community support encouraged me to expand outside of people’s homes and into local businesses, schools and retail shelves. This community realizes that our everyday decisions impact the lives of friends and neighbors. I believe that’s why local businesses have taken to using our products. In Athens, we stick together and help each other out any way we can.”