Mumbai Moms Turn Lemon Peels Into Cleaners for 200 Families

Sonia Verma and Farheen Ali started with two large drums on a Mumbai terrace, turning discarded lemon peels into something remarkable.

The two mothers met in 2019 through a homeschooling community and quickly discovered they shared more than parenting philosophies. Both had been independently making bioenzymes at home, natural cleaning solutions created by fermenting citrus peels with jaggery and water.

"We realized we had both been making bioenzyme independently for years," Farheen says. "And we thought, wouldn't it be amazing to bring this to the world?"

Their experiments grew from those first terrace drums into Urthy, a brand that now serves over 200 families across India. The process is beautifully simple: they collect lemon peels from local juice vendors that would otherwise end up in landfills, then ferment them over several months to create powerful cleaners without harsh chemicals.

For Sonia, the shift started with motherhood. "The first time I held my kids, something shifted within me," she explains. She stepped away from her family's cable business to focus on creating a healthier home environment.

Farheen, an electronics engineer, had already been exploring holistic living when her children were born. The bioenzyme experiments felt like a natural extension of that journey.

What makes their approach work is its accessibility. "It's easier to make a switch than to make a change," Farheen notes. Unlike sustainability habits that require constant effort, bioenzyme cleaners simply replace conventional products without changing routines.

The brand launched in 2022 without a formal business plan. "We just began doing what felt right," Sonia recalls. "And things kept falling into place."

The Ripple Effect

Urthy's impact extends beyond cleaner countertops. By rescuing citrus peels from waste streams, they prevent organic matter from decomposing in landfills where it would release methane. The bioenzyme cleaners eventually flow into water systems, where unlike chemical cleaners, they actually support healthier ecosystems rather than harm them.

The operation has expanded from that first terrace to over 40 fermentation units at Sonia's factory office. Each batch represents peels saved from juice vendors and homes freed from chemical exposure.

"We didn't just want safer homes," Farheen says. "We wanted cleaner soil, cleaner water, and a better world for our children."

Two mothers with drums and determination are proving that world-changing solutions can start small and simple.