Earth Month Spotlight: Our Chat with the Founders of Mint Cleaning Products

In honour of April being Earth Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Mint Cleaning Products—a female-founded, locally-based brand that’s redefining what it means to clean sustainably, one refill at a time. With big plans to “reinvent the cleaning wheel,” Mint offers a refillable line of essential oil-infused cleaning products that are tough on dirt but gentle on the planet. Here at Pacific Sands, we proudly stock Mint Cleaning Products Resort-wide for guests to enjoy, and we arm our housekeeping team with it, too. Not just because Mint aligns with our Resort’s eco-focussed values but because the feedback on Mint speaks volumes. For more on the shine behind the scenes—keep reading.

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The Clean They Trust, and the Women Who Created It

We’re also celebrating our incredible housekeeping team this Earth Month—the cleaning angels who work hard to keep everything spotless around the Resort while caring just as much about “how” they make that happen.

When it comes to Mint Cleaning Products, our housekeeping team appreciates how effective the products are—especially without any harsh chemicals—and most of all, they love how much better they feel using them every day.

After ALL the rave reviews from guests and staff, we just had to chat with Monika Scott and Robyn Mair, the founders behind Mint’s sweet-smelling, wonder cleaning products.

Sparkling Beginning

The first thing you can’t help but notice is their sister-like resemblance, beaming smiles, and the way they tag-team each other’s sentences in a way that feels like destiny sealed in suds and sustainability.

“We met at a mom’s group back in 2016,” said Monika. “It was instant friendship, and by the next day, we were business partners,” finished Robyn.

Sharing a passion for cleaning, they started a Ucluelet, BC-based cleaning company that quickly grew into a full-service team handling everything from vacation rentals to residential and commercial. But after personally feeling the effects of harsh cleaning chemicals, including skin and lung issues, they knew something had to change.

Squeaky-clean Reset

During COVID, they had more time on their hands and began experimenting with cleaning product formulations, mixing their own safer, eco-friendly formulas and testing them with their cleaning team. Enthusiastic social media followers started requesting to buy their products, which sparked the idea for the Mint brand.

Driven by their mission to “reinvent the cleaning wheel,” Monika and Robyn created a full line of small-batch products that pack serious cleaning power—without harsh chemicals. Infused with essential oil aromas and crafted from high-quality, biodegradable, and refillable ingredients, they were focused on crafting products that are as safe for your home as they are for the planet.

From local favourite to award-winning brand

By 2023, Mint won the BC Small Business Award for E-Commerce Experience, and in 2024, an appearance on CBC’s Dragon’s Den secured an investment from Brian Scudamore (founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK), whose expertise will help with scaling Mint’s growth based on the same sustainable values it was founded on.

Shaping the Future

When asked about the impact they hope to have on future generations, they shared two distinct perspectives.

Monika spoke passionately about sustainability, saying, “We’re committed to growing the movement around refilling. In many places—including the U.S.—reusing bottles and refilling cleaning products still isn’t the norm. But why toss out a perfectly good container every time when you can simply refill it?”

Robyn chimed in with empowerment based on her mother’s motto: If they can do it, you can do it.

She shared, “We dove in headfirst with Mint, bootstrapped everything, and figured it out as we went—no business background, no formal education, and no outside funding.

“So, I hope we can inspire future generations to believe they can learn anything, overcome imposter syndrome, and figure things out with persistence and resources as simple as Google.”

Asked to reflect on how they’d like to be remembered as entrepreneurs, they tag-teamed the answer in their signature, animated way.

“We want to be known for building a multi-million-dollar business without relying on big-box retail. To be ‘that story’—the brand that shows it’s possible to grow on your own terms, sustainably, and without sacrificing big-box margins or values.

“Our hope is that our legacy inspires future entrepreneurs to see the power in partnering with boutique retailers like we did with The Den Refillery in Tofino/Ucluelet and going direct-to-consumer through the Mint website and social media. That’s how Mint made it—and that’s what we’re proud of.”

What’s next for Mint?

Perhaps some new products and possibly a few more retail stores. However, what Robyn and Monika know for sure is that the brand will remain true to its organic roots—grounded in sustainability, based in Ucluelet, and maintaining its personal (always entertaining) customer-first connection.

Cue the clapping and standing Earth Month ovation for these two trailblazers!

More on how we keep it green

As part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, our Clayoquot Sound region is rooted in sustainability—and so are we. From reforestation partnerships to in-suite amenities with a conscience, Pacific Sands is committed to eco-focussed initiatives that protect the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Earth Month is a time to reflect on those values and celebrate the small, thoughtful, daily choices that help make a lasting impact on our planet. Products like Mint can’t help but make it a habit.