Whole Story

We love our producers, suppliers and vendors and we think most of them have some pretty interesting stories behind their products too.

We’re sharing some of our favorites here in an ongoing series.

In 1989, when Jim Rimer discovered that the commercial cleaning products he was selling contained known carcinogens and other questionable ingredients, he quit his job as a sales rep and started making something safer in his own garage.

Biokleen’s original plant- and mineral-based cleaners were formulated to be powerful enough for industrial use, but they quickly caught on for home use, too.

Based in Vancouver, Washington, the company is still family owned and operated. Jim’s daughter, Cindy Rimer, and her husband, Barry Firth (pictured with children, Megan and Ashton), are now at the helm.

Over the years, innovative products like Biokleen’s Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator have demonstrated that gentler, natural ingredients can deliver serious cleaning power.

From pet stains to diaper pails, Bac-Out utilizes a blend of live enzyme-producing cultures and plant extracts to remove and digest stains and odors.

All Biokleen products are formulated and manufactured in-house, and 100% of the company’s water and energy usage is offset through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Renewable Energy and Water Restoration Program. Biokleen has also earned numerous recycling and environmental stewardship awards, including the prestigious Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices.

“We are committed to manufacturing transparency,” Cindy says. "With every new product, we ask ourselves, ‘Does it work? Is it safe? Is it natural?’ Those things are what we want for our own families."

Biokleen has always worked to minimize packaging waste, and the recent trend toward 2x and 4x concentrated cleaners is nothing new to the Rimer family. “This is something we started doing over 20 years ago to reduce waste and create more value for the consumer.”

Everyone seems to have a story about the time Biokleen’s Bac-Out saved them from stains and odors. What's yours?

Photography by Ha Lam.