CLR Brands
CLR Brands, the consumer products arm of family-owned Jelmar, LLC, manufactures acid-based household and commercial cleaning products — led by its flagship CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover — and distributes them through major US retailers and a B2B CLR PRO commercial line.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersSkokie, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CLR Brands does
CLR Brands is the consumer products division of Jelmar, LLC, a privately held, family-owned company founded in 1949 and headquartered in Skokie, Illinois. The company manufactures and sells household and industrial cleaning products organized around a chemistry core built on lactic acid and gluconic acid formulations, with a six-ingredient flagship formula designed to dissolve calcium, lime, and rust deposits across household, kitchen, bathroom, garage, outdoor, and specialty surfaces. The product portfolio spans CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover (in jug, spray, 2X concentrated, and All-Natural USDA Biobased variants), Mold & Mildew removers, Brilliant Bath, Bath & Kitchen Cleaner, Everyday Clean, Active Clear probiotic cleaner, Spot-Free Stainless Steel, Granite/Marble/Stone Cleaner, Healthy Septic System, Garbage Disposal pods, Clean & Ready Grill, Outdoor Furniture Cleaner, Grease-Free range hood degreaser, Automotive Line degreaser, and Tarn-X tarnish remover for precious metals. A separate CLR PRO sub-brand serves B2B janitorial, commercial kitchen, and facility maintenance customers with industrial-strength SKUs including commercial descaler, grease trap treatment, septic treatment, and metal cleaner.
The company operates a two-channel go-to-market: a product-led consumer channel distributing through mass, online, and home-improvement retailers (Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, Menards) and a direct-sales B2B CLR PRO channel. Pricing is set by individual retailers and is not publicly disclosed; the company supports purchase with a 60-day money-back guarantee on authorized-seller purchases in the US. Marketing is content-led, anchored by how-to video libraries, a cleaning-tips blog, and EPA Safer Choice certification messaging. The company holds the EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award for 10 consecutive years through 2024 and is women-owned, with Alison Gutterman serving as President of Jelmar since 2007. Revenue, headcount, and funding are not publicly disclosed; the company appears to be bootstrapped, with no external private equity or institutional investment indicated in the source material.
CLR Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CLR Brands
- Legal name
- Jelmar, LLC
- Website
- https://clrbrands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CLR Brands, the consumer products arm of family-owned Jelmar, LLC, manufactures acid-based household and commercial cleaning products — led by its flagship CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover — and distributes them through major US retailers and a B2B CLR PRO commercial line.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CLR Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Household & Industrial Cleaning Products
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)
- SIC
- Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Heavy-Duty/Industrial-Strength All-Purpose Cleaners (Consumer) (CRAJAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bathroom All-Purpose Cleaners (Multi-Surface) (CRAJAMAF), Bathroom Surface Cleaners (Sinks, Tubs, Tiles, Grout) (CRAJADAE), Toilet Descalers & Rust/Limescale Removers (CRAJADAC), Eco-Friendly Specialty Cleaners (Oven, Degreasers, Limescale, Metal) (CRAJAOAK), Specialty Dish & Cookware Cleaners (Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Baby Bottles) (CRAJABAH)
Keywords
Where CLR Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Skokie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CLR Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consumer Cleaning Products: One-time purchase of household cleaning products including Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover, Bathroom & Kitchen cleaners, Mold & Mildew removers, and specialty cleaning products sold at retail and online through major retailers.
- CLR PRO Commercial Products: B2B commercial cleaning product line including CLR PRO MAX commercial descaler, designed for professional cleaning contractors and commercial facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer household cleaning products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
CLR Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CLR Brands manufactures and sells acid-based household and commercial cleaning products, anchored by its flagship CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover. Its portfolio spans bathroom, kitchen, garage, outdoor, and specialty cleaners, plus Tarn-X tarnish remover and the CLR PRO commercial line, many EPA Safer Choice certified.
Product overview
CLR Brands, the consumer products division of Jelmar LLC, offers a portfolio of household cleaning products centered on its flagship CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover. The portfolio includes multiple product lines organized by use case: bathroom cleaners (Brilliant Bath, Mold & Mildew Stain Remover in standard and Free & Clear variants, CLR PRO Bath), kitchen cleaners (Bath & Kitchen Cleaner, Grease-Free Range Hood Degreaser, Garbage Disposal Cleaner, Spot-Free Stainless Steel Cleaner), specialty surface cleaners (Granite/Marble/Stone Cleaner, Everyday Clean), outdoor products (Outdoor Furniture Cleaner, Clean & Ready Grill), septic system treatments (Healthy Septic System, CLR PRO Septic Treatment), and the premium/probiotic line (Active Clear Probiotic Multi-Surface). The company also manufactures Tarn-X Tarnish Remover for precious metals and an Automotive Line for garage surfaces. For commercial/professional use, CLR PRO sub-brand offers industrial-strength versions. Key products are EPA Safer Choice certified, and formulations emphasize biodegradable ingredients, bleach-free formulas, and plant-based alternatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tarn-X: Tarnish remover product line for precious metals including silver, gold, platinum, copper, and diamonds.
- CLR PRO
- CLR Proline
Products and services
- CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover Flagship multi-surface cleaner that dissolves calcium, lime, and rust deposits. EPA Safer Choice certified, bleach-free, with six biodegradable ingredients. For homeowners tackling hard water and mineral buildup.
- CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover Spray Bottle Ready-to-use spray format of the flagship calcium, lime, and rust remover designed for vertical surfaces.
- 2X CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Enhanced formula delivering two times the descaling power of original CLR and two times the rust removal compared to leading competitor. Available in jug and spray formats.
- All-Natural Calcium Lime & Rust Remover EPA Safer Choice certified formula that is 100% plant-based and USDA Certified Biobased, bleach-free, phosphate-free, and ammonia-free.
- CLR Mold & Mildew Stain Remover Bleach-free stain remover with foam sprayer for direct application to remove tough surface mold and mildew stains on a wide variety of surfaces.
- CLR Mold & Mildew Stain Remover - Free & Clear Fragrance-free and dye-free version of mold and mildew stain remover, EPA Safer Choice certified, bleach-free with foam sprayer application.
- CLR Brilliant Bath Yellow foaming multipurpose multi-surface cleaner with powerful foam spray for bathroom cleaning.
- CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner Specialized cleaner formulated to tackle stubborn stains and mineral buildup on stainless steel surfaces including kitchen sinks.
- CLR Fresh & Clean Garbage Disposal Pod-based cleaner that cleans, freshens and maintains garbage disposals, tackling hidden buildup, mineral deposits and odors.
- CLR Healthy Septic System Septic system microbial support treatment offering seven treatments for monthly use.
- CLR Active Clear (Probiotic Multi-Surface Cleaner) New generation cleaner harnessing the natural cleaning power of probiotics with three-day cleaning power. Lemon Mist scent in 22 fl oz spray bottle.
- CLR Grease-Free (Range Hood & Stove Degreaser) Specialized degreaser for range hoods and stovetops, cutting through baked-on food, grease and grime.
- CLR Clean & Ready Grill Non-flammable grill cleaner that cuts through baked-on food, grease and grime on outdoor cooking equipment.
- CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner Non-abrasive cleaner specially formulated to remove outdoor dirt and grime quickly and easily.
- CLR Spot-Free Stainless Steel Streak-free cleaner for stainless steel surfaces including refrigerators, available in 12 oz aerosol can.
- CLR Granite, Marble & Stone Cleaner EPA Safer Choice certified cleaner with 80% plant-based ingredients formulated to clean and protect natural stone, marble, Corian and tile. 12 oz aerosol can.
- CLR Everyday Clean Multi-surface cleaner in gray bottle with lemon scent for daily cleaning tasks.
- Tarn-X Tarnish Remover Original wipe-and-rinse tarnish remover formulated for precious metals including silver, gold, platinum, copper and diamonds. No rubbing or scrubbing required.
- Automotive Line Grease, Tar & Oil Specialized product to remove axle grease, asphalt, tar, and motor oil from various garage surfaces.
- CLR PRO Commercial Line B2B/commercial product line including CLR PRO MAX commercial descaler, CLR PRO Septic Treatment, CLR PRO Kitchen, CLR PRO Bath, CLR PRO Grease Magnet, CLR PRO Metal Cleaner, and Commercial Drain Line & Grease Trap Treatment for professional cleaning contractors and commercial facilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2X descaling power compared to Original CLR
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CLR Brands
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CLR Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
CLR Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CLR Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Procter & Gamble (Mr. Clean, Cascade): P&G's Mr. Clean is a flagship bathroom/kitchen multi-surface cleaner with national shelf presence across Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot and Lowe's — the same channels CLR relies on — making it a structural incumbent competitor in every category CLR operates.
- Reckitt Benckiser (Lime-A-Way, Finish): Reckitt owns Lime-A-Way, the most direct rival in calcium/lime/rust removal, and a broad cleaning portfolio; comparable to CLR on the descaler niche but serves a much wider household cleaning TAM through massive R&D and marketing budgets.
- The Clorox Company: Clorox competes with CLR across bathroom and household surface cleaners (Tilex, Scrubbing Bubbles via decant) with much larger scale, broader retail muscle, and significant private-label competition; an indirect but unavoidable retail competitor.
- SC Johnson (Scrubbing Bubbles, Mrs. Meyer's): SC Johnson's Scrubbing Bubbles and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day directly overlap CLR's bathroom and kitchen cleaner SKUs and compete for the same shelf at mass retailers; a major privately held CPG incumbent in CLR's core category.
- WD-40 Company: WD-40 Company owns specialist maintenance brands (WD-40, 3-IN-ONE, GT85) and has expanded into household cleaning via acquisitions; relevant analogous specialty-branded, niche-cleaning public peer for benchmarking CLR's brand economics.
Direct peers
- Zep Inc. Zep is the closest commercial/B2B analog to CLR PRO, manufacturing professional and industrial cleaning products including descalers, degreasers, and drain maintenance products; directly comparable on the CLR PRO commercial line and Proline SKUs.
- Simple Green: Simple Green is a privately held US maker of eco-positioned household and industrial cleaners/degreaseers; directly comparable to CLR on heavy-duty degreasers and to CLR PRO on industrial/commercial cleaning SKUs.
- Goddard's Silver Care (Hagerty): Hagerty's Goddard's is the most direct competitor to CLR's Tarn-X tarnish remover line for precious metals; a specialty competitor that shares the same tarnishing niche but at smaller scale.
Emerging players
- Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation is an eco-certified household cleaning brand (now owned by Unilever) competing most directly with CLR's All-Natural and EPA Safer Choice SKUs; comparable on positioning rather than descaling performance.
- Dr. Bronner's: Dr. Bronner's has expanded its Sal Suds and related lines into household cleaning with the same eco/bio-based value proposition CLR now uses; a privately held, peer-sized emerging brand in natural cleaning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CLR Brands social profiles
Digital presenceCLR Brands compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CLR Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CLR Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CLR Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CLR Brands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CLR Brands
What does CLR Brands do?
CLR Brands manufactures and sells acid-based household and commercial cleaning products, anchored by its flagship CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover. Its portfolio spans bathroom, kitchen, garage, outdoor, and specialty cleaners, plus Tarn-X tarnish remover and the CLR PRO commercial line, many EPA Safer Choice certified.
Is CLR Brands a public or private company?
CLR Brands is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CLR Brands founded?
CLR Brands was founded in 1949. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CLR Brands based?
CLR Brands is headquartered in Skokie, United States, in the North America region.
How does CLR Brands make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Consumer Cleaning Products are the primary driver. The others are CLR PRO Commercial Products.
Who are CLR Brands's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Procter & Gamble (Mr. Clean, Cascade), Reckitt Benckiser (Lime-A-Way, Finish), The Clorox Company, SC Johnson (Scrubbing Bubbles, Mrs. Meyer's) and WD-40 Company. Direct peers are Zep Inc., Simple Green and Goddard's Silver Care (Hagerty). Emerging players are Seventh Generation and Dr. Bronner's.
Does CLR Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for CLR Brands.
What industry is CLR Brands in?
CLR Brands's product category is Household & Industrial Cleaning Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAJAMAG, Heavy-Duty/Industrial-Strength All-Purpose Cleaners (Consumer), with a secondary code of CRAJAMAF, Bathroom All-Purpose Cleaners (Multi-Surface). Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 2840.