The Zoflora story started way back in 1922 with the founding of Thornton and Ross by business partners Nathan Thornton and Philip Ross. Back then, Nathan Thornton was the chemist and works manager at a tar distillery and ammonia works in Huddersfield, which produced a whole range of coal tar by-products, including disinfectants and soaps.

In the early 1920s, there was no such thing as a nice smelling disinfectant. The main substance people used, carbolic acid, was effective at killing germs but left behind a horrible odour. Mr Thornton spotted a gap in the market, and used his specialist knowledge to develop Zoflora disinfectant - a powerful disinfectant with twice the germ-killing power of carbolic acid, and with beautiful fragrance oils extracted from real flowers. 

Zoflora was Nathan Thornton's great creation and he was eager to spread the word about its revolutionary benefits. So he took it on tour. The product was originally developed for the elimination of smoke and other odours in public places and for killing germs in factories, cinemas, dance and concert halls. Mr Thornton visited these places with a large brass pressure sprayer filled with Zoflora, which he used to demonstrate the product to amazed onlookers. People were so impressed by Zoflora's wonderful aromas that they wanted to use it in their own homes too.