How Joy Mangano, inventor of the Miracle Mop, is growing non-toxic cleaning brand CleanBoss
Over 30 years after inventing the self-wringing Miracle Mop, Joy Mangano is back with a new household cleaning product line.
Mangano, whose early success on QVC inspired the film “Joy” starring Jennifer Lawrence, told Modern Retail that the category was “very different” when she started creating products. Mangano’s non-toxic cleaning brand, CleanBoss, co-founded with fellow cleaning enthusiast and artist Pitbull, is preparing for a major growth year.
After being founded in 2020 and a few years of selling online and on HSN, the company expanded to Amazon and began scaling its physical retail presence in 2024. In the past year, CleanBoss entered national retailers like Lowe’s, Kroger and Walmart, among others, and is now sold in about 3,600 doors nationwide.
This year, CleanBoss is reporting triple-digit sales growth and says its Amazon business has grown 10X since the launch. Starting February 26, CleanBoss will launch at its newest retailer, Wegmans, rolling out at 110 of its 113 locations.
According to Mangano, not only is CleanBoss’s retail channel mix new for her, but now, more than ever, people are vigilant about the products they’re bringing into their homes.
When launching the brand, Mangano said she saw an opportunity to reinvent the cleaning aisle through “botanically-infused, sustainable formulas.” Given Mangano’s experience with live shopping networks, CleanBoss’s roadmap was to first grow through digital and its commercial cleaning businesses. As the brand gained awareness, more retailers became interested in carrying the products.
With her past experience in promoting products, Mangano said there have been opportunities to go into various categories, “whether it was the first non-stick ceramic cookware or velvety hangers.” But, she said, “Cleaning has always been my thing.” Mangano’s household products have collectively generated over $4 billion in revenue, including over 10 million Miracle Mops sold.
CleanBoss’s newest product is the Eat Cleaner, a patented natural fruit and vegetable wash that helps get rid of pesticides better than soap. “The whole mission of CleanBoss is to wake up the world to a new way of cleaning sustainably,” Mangano said.
CleanBoss also marks Mangano’s foray into DTC and physical retail, having worked in live shopping for decades. “It’s a very different circle of commerce than I’m used to, because now people can go right to our website or to Amazon to find the products after seeing me promoting them on HSN.”
Wegmans, in particular, presents a new reach for CleanBoss, Mangano said. The chain is well-known for its prepared food selection, said Mangano, “But they’re also interested in natural and healthy-for-you options.”
Having another famous face attached to the brand has also helped boost CleanBoss’s visibility. While Mangano was developing the CleanBoss products, she was introduced to Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Christian Pérez, who came on board in 2023. Having been a fan of Mangano, Pitbull wanted to join her in growing the brand together, she said. “He’s also very passionate about cleaning in a natural way,” Mangano said. “His mother was a cleaning lady and he would go with her to clean houses as a young boy.”
“When we can bring the personality of Joy and Pitbull into a stale category like [the cleaning category], retailers are excited to get it on the shelf quickly,” Lance Leonard, chief retail officer at CleanBoss, said.
When asked about the saturated space of celebrity-founded brands, Mangano said the product has to be front and center. “I love celebrities, too, but consumers today are more conscious than ever when they’re looking for effective solutions,” she said. “A lot of the time, celebrities can have the reach and the visibility, but the product isn’t the right fit.”
While the sustainable cleaners category has been hot for the past few years, it can be difficult to stand out these days. Despite having a leg up, even celebrity-founded brands need the right product-market fit to sustain long-term growth.
Genevieve Gilbreath, founding partner at Springdale Ventures, told Modern Retail that having a famous founder on board doesn’t automatically guarantee retail success. The most important thing, she explained, is that the product the celebrity is promoting makes sense with their brand. “The overall business has to be able to stand on its own,” Gilbreath said.
Influencers and celebrities can also boost the chance of getting meetings with a buyer. Leonard said Mangano’s persona was a big part of the draw among retailers considering carrying CleanBoss. “Having the personality of Joy and Pitbull just opens up the brand to so many people to try it,” he said. “We brought Joy into these meetings, and, of course, the [retailers] fell in love with her.”
As CleanBoss grows its line of products and enters more retailers, Mangano said she will lean into goodwill she’s gained with customers over the years.
The goal, she said, is to blend her experience with selling via live shopping with selling in other retail channels. So far, the messaging is working. “A lot of people say that, when they see the products, they can instantly hear my voice,” she said.