Profile America: Detergent Cleaning Power

Monday, October 10 — Something that we all take for granted made its appearance on this date in 1933, when the first household detergent — named Dreft, and still in production — went on sale. The chemistry of making soap had changed little over hundreds of years, until shortages of fats for making soap during World War I sparked research. Detergents really took off following World War II, and by 1953, their sales had passed those of traditional soaps. Now, detergents have all but replaced soap-based products for laundry, dish washing, and household cleaning, and most soaps for personal hygiene contain some detergents. Some 650 U.S. manufacturers produce $23 billion worth of detergents and soaps each year.

You can find current data on the country’s economy by downloading the ‘America’s Economy‘ mobile application here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email