Cleaning firm Breathe Green launches Dirty Glove product line

Erecenia Friday's story is a classic tale of turning economic lemons into entrepreneurial lemonade. The Metro Detroit resident lost her job at a non-profit in early 2009, a casualty of the Great Recession. Shortly after that she started a green-cleaning business called Breathe Green.

"A friend suggested I turn my love of green cleaning into a business," Friday says. "I printed up some business cards and discovered people really like green cleaning."

Today the Oak Park-based business has three employees and an intern. It is also launching its own green-cleaning product line called "Dirty Glove." The enzyme-based product breaks down stains and smells and can be used as a multi-purpose cleaner.

"We use it in bathrooms, kitchens, on a tile floor," Friday says. "It's great on porcelain."

Breathe Green will be using Dirty Glove products in its own operations, serving as a more cost-effective option for its business. It will also be available in local Kroger stores later this summer. It will first sell an industrial-sized container (32 ounces) of its multi-purpose cleaner. Friday plans to expand its product lineup to floor, countertop and other specific-area cleaners.

Friday came up with the formula for the cleaner herself after recognizing that a lot of green cleaners are made up of simple ingredients, such as glass cleaner made of vinegar and water. She researched the recipes for other cleaners and came up with her own unique line.

"I did a lot of research online and in the library and interviewed some professors," Friday says.

Source: Erecenia Friday, owner of Breathe Green
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.