Earth Thyme Natural Cleaners

Joni and Charlie Pritchett, Jen Williams and Kris Shaffer all knew each other as students at Science Hill High School. A decade later, they are closer than ever, brought together by a natural, common purpose.

“We didn’t know it back in high school, but as adults we all became very ‘green,’ ” says Joni Pritchett. “We recycle, follow vegan diets. We’re concerned about the environment.” 

They also shared an interest in cleaning with natural products. “The four of us had each tried about every earth-friendly cleaner available in the store, and we weren’t satisfied with any of them,” Pritchett said. “They were ‘natural’ but they still had long ingredient lists with complicated chemical names and we wanted something simpler.”

The four friends had all been experimenting with making their own household cleaners. They each had some recipe ideas as well as the knowledge that making household cleaners wasn’t hard, but it could be time-consuming. They decided to perfect their recipes, make large batches and go public. 

Earth Thyme debuted at the Jonesborough Farmers Market in 2012 with four products, including cleaners and air fresheners. The company now sells eight different products online, on Etsy.com and at the Natural Foods Market in Johnson City.

When they were looking for the right package for their product, their green creativity again came in to play. At the time, green glass was not recyclable in Johnson City, so they wondered if they could use a post-consumer green glass to sell their green product in an even greener way. “We found out that we could sterilize the bottles [to 270 degrees] and then fit them with a new spray attachment,” Pritchett says. “They work great. We also offer a discount if you bring the bottle back.” 

As the name suggests, thyme is used, which they harvest from their personal gardens as long as they can, is an ingredient in all Earth Thyme products. When their gardens are done, Earth Thyme sources locally from farmers markets in the Tri-Cities area.

“Our recipes are all our own,” says Pritchett.

In addition to thyme, key ingredients are vinegar, fruits, herbs and essential oils. “We put three key ingredients together that we call the ‘triple threat’ to bacteria,” says Pritchett. “Thyme has a long history of use as a medicinal plant to ward off sickness. It has been used as an antiseptic for thousands of years in Roman, Greek and Indian medicine. More recent research has found that there is a volatile oil in thyme called Thymol that acts as an antiseptic and disinfectant.
 

“White vinegar is a common household cleaning agent. Because it is acidic, it can dissolve mineral deposits from glass, coffee makers and other smooth surfaces. Vinegar has been reputed to have strong antibacterial properties. One test by Good Housekeeping's microbiologist found that 5 percent vinegar is 90 percent effective against mold and 99.9 percent effective against bacteria.

“Citrus is also acidic and provides antibacterial and antiseptic properties.” 

To make the products, the friends gather in their workshop, in Joni and Charlie’s garage. To ensure the best quality, the quartet makes small batches of one product at one time. “So we would do all glass cleaners first and then multi-surface cleaners and so on,” Pritchett says. “We usually will make a batch of each product per time we are together to make the most of our time. When we all work together on the same product, we get them done much faster and more efficiently than if we were all working on separate products.”

The hardest part of being in business together is coordinating schedules around their other jobs to find time to work together, Pritchett says. “But once we’re together and products are being made, we’re laughing, joking and it doesn’t really feel like work,” he says. “It is something we all really enjoy and are passionate about.”

Meet the members of Earth Thyme and learn more about their products at the Jonesborough Farmers Market on Saturday Oct. 19.