Who Is Mrs. Meyer and Why Is She So Awesome?

Mrs. Meyer’s

From sprucing up countertops to removing tough food stains, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day soaps and sprays are known for their ability to cut through dirt and grime with plant-based ingredients while leaving behind a fresh scent that’s more reminiscent of Grandma’s house than a disinfected room. As it turns out, the products are inspired by the old-school homemaking habits of a real-life grandmother.

The Woman Behind the Name

The Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day line of simple, down-home cleaning products was inspired by none other than Thelma A. Meyer, a Midwestern mother of nine, grandmother of 22, and keen gardener. The practical, down-to-earth family woman kept it real while raising her kids, focusing on whipping up big family dinners and giving her Iowa home a warm, inviting and lived-in atmosphere rather than keeping the house totally spotless.

How It All Started

Though the line bears her name, Thelma A. Meyer isn’t actually the company’s founder. That distinction goes to her daughter Monica Nassif. On a visit to a store in 1999, Monica noticed the garish packaging of conventional cleaning products with their nose-stinging chemicals. Right then, she vowed to create a suite of products with garden-fresh ingredients and pleasant aromas. That same year, she formed the company Caldrea to offer consumers European-style products with nontoxic ingredients and aromatic scents. Monica of course showed her mother, who suggested a more affordable line of products. Soon, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day was born. The company is now part of SC Johnson.

Ongoing Wisdom

With the practicality that only a grandma can possess, Thelma Meyer views homekeeping as just another part of life. Her bold spirit is an inspiration for the sweetly scented products, which make doing chores a little happier.

Along with smelling great while blasting through household gunk, the products are made with practicality in mind: Ingredients are chosen for their environmental friendliness and sustainability, echoing Mrs. Meyer’s commonsense approach to cleaning.

• Soaps and sprays are safe to use around kids and pets, and won’t require you to crack the windows to ventilate harsh chemical odors.
• The products are biodegradable, so they won’t linger after finding their way down the drain.
• The recyclable bottles are made with at least 25 percent post-consumer plastic.
• Nothing is tested on animals, and no animal-derived ingredients are used.
• When palm oil is used, it’s sourced from members of Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization that promotes sustainability throughout Asia, Africa and South America.

From the garden-fresh fragrances to the simple and sustainable ingredients, Thelma A. Meyer’s namesake products serve up a commonsense approach to housekeeping. Next time you’re battling grease in the kitchen, remember that a grandma was looking out for you.
Purchase our favorite Mrs. Meyer’s Kitchen Basics Set, here.