Throughout her nearly 10 years in the yachting industry, chief stew Sarah Murphree has worked on white-glove motor yachts to expedition vessels to family-oriented sailing vessels. Some liked using products with minimal ingredients, but she also worked for an owner that related a fresh smell to cleanliness, so they had to purchase scented cleaners. And through her research, she learned how harmful they were to her system.
So Murphree began making her own cleaning products, calling them Sarbie — a childhood nickname as her dad drove past the Sabie River on his way to work in the Kruger National Park — which honors her parents but also reminds us how important it is to keep our waters clean.
“I had started to feel rather burnt out and fatigued around my eighth year of yachting and this is when I became very mindful of the micro choices that affect my body physically,” she says. “I was making Sarbie on Risk Taker and chef Kacie was in love with my products for her countertops, she asked me to keep making more, which was when I realized that I was onto something.”
She began making cleaners in May 2025 but wouldn’t begin selling them until September — sourcing the bases in bulk online and 100 percent pure-grade essential oils from an ethical and fair-trade company. Starting with products that make a difference in everyday use, she currently has a multi-surface and glass cleaner available, with a linen spray launching soon.
“I care so deeply about spaces being safe, and that begins with the foundation of what we infuse these spaces with,” she says.
The scent of forest was selected for its low acidity and being safe for high-end surfaces, oils on the safer side for pets and babies and oils that naturally lower your nervous system so they’re beneficial for those who use it.
Chef/stew on a 105-foot sailing yacht Rebecca Jackson shares how the products have been a game changer for her on board. “Having to only use two products instead of five or six for daily cleaning that I know are yacht safe has saved me time and storage space.”
Dedicating her evenings and weekends to Sarbie, Murphree generally makes a batch of 50 over the weekend, storing them in a climate-controlled storage unit and shipping them or dropping them off when there’s an order.
“One thing I really appreciate is that they don’t leave any streaks at all, and they’re gentle enough that I don’t feel the need to wash my hands every time after using them,” says Panther sole stew Danica Van Der Merwe. “The multipurpose cleaner is versatile enough to use on almost every surface on board, which makes cleaning so much easier and more efficient.”
The products can be used without worry about the harmful side effects on your skin or respiratory and endocrine system, and the packaging also has a sleeve on the bottom to not leave marks or scratches on surfaces.
“Sarbie is everything I have ever dreamed of creating, I care about people and I care about elevating experiences. This creation isn't just an idea that sounded good,” Murphree says. “It's an invention that was born from my heart, it is my offering to this world.”
Shipping is available throughout the US on sarbie.com.