Lestoil

Last updated
Lestoil
Lestoil, current logo 2018.svg
Lestoil bottle.svg
Product typeHeavy-duty multipurpose cleanser
Owner The Clorox Company
Country United States
Introduced1933
Previous owners Procter & Gamble, Noxell, Adell Chemical Company
Website clorox.com/lestoil

Lestoil is a registered trade name of Clorox for a heavy-duty multipurpose cleanser product, used to remove extremely difficult laundry stains, dissolve water-based and oil-based paints, and clean grease, oil, paint, and adhesives from floors and surfaces. It was introduced as a dry cleaning fluid for laundry in 1933. [1] As a company, Lestoil, also known as the Adell Chemical Company, also made Bon Ami, from 1964 until 1971. [2] [3]

Contents

Formula

As of 2015, the safety data sheet for Lestoil lists: Tall oil fatty acids, sodium salts 5 - 10%, Stoddard solvent 3 - 7%, Pine oil 1 - 5%, Sodium hydroxide < 1% [4]

History

Jacob L. Barowsky, creator of Lestoil Jacob L Barowsky, creator of Lestoil.jpg
Jacob L. Barowsky, creator of Lestoil
Adell Chemical headquarters, circa 1955.jpg
Lestoil bottle assembly.jpg
The headquarters of the Adell Chemical Company in Springdale, Holyoke, Massachusetts, c.1955; a bottling machine filling bottles of Lestoil

Harvard graduate Jacob L. Barowsky worked at the General Cleaners and Dyers in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In 1927 he saw the need for a single product that removed both water-soluble and non-water-soluble soils from laundry. [5] [6] Barowsky started the Adell Chemical Company to solve the problem, and with the assistance of chemist John Tulenko, they introduced LAVOL to the world in 1933 (renamed to LesToil in 1936). [5] [7]

Initially, LesToil was used by commercial laundries, but it was also used to remove ink, wax, oil, grease and adhesives by paper mills during production. After 11 years of pressure to enter the retail market, Barowsky started using industrial profits to fund marketing efforts. Much of his early success was also attributed to an agreement with Steiger's Department Store, which sold the product and allowed him to perform demonstrations. Among other marketing promotions that Barowsky would use, included promotional bottles featuring the likenesses of historical figures like George Washington, the inclusion of dolls with the product, such as a series representing different countries, and the publishing of a book "Lestoil Animal Stories" which prominently featured its product, as well as a washable cover. [8] [9] The amount of time and money he put into local marketing however proved time-consuming and it would not be until the 1950s, when Barowsky saturated the market with TV commercials, that he succeeded in making Lestoil a household name. The product was now used in 80% of the homes in which it was made available. [5] For some duration in the late 1950s, the Adell Chemical Company would also promote a powdered bleach product, dubbed "Lestare". [9] In 1963 the company acquired a 60% share of Bon Ami, and from 1964 until 1971 owned the product in full. [2] [3] After its merger with the Bon Ami Company in 1964, Adell began producing their product line out of the former Skinner's Silk mill, before eventually selling the brand to Faultless Starch in 1971. [10]

Barowsky sold the company in 1960 for $12 million to Standard International Corp. They sold it to the Noxell Company in 1969, which became a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble Company in 1989. [11] [12]

On June 21, 1996, Noxell sold the Lestoil cleaner brand to Clorox Company, so that Noxell could focus on its Max Factor and CoverGirl lines. [13] [14] Noxell claimed that 99% of their business had become cosmetics and fragrances and that cleaners had no strategic fit in their company.

As of 2014, regional marketing has left brand recognition of Lestoil to primarily a mid west/east coast American and Puerto Rican audience. [13] As such, large distributors like Walmart only stock it in regions where it was advertised. [15]

Lestoil syndrome

In product marketing, the name Lestoil became synonymous by the early 1960s with a phenomenon of corporate copycat practices, known as the "Lestoil syndrome", coined by journalist and management consultant Robert Heller. Essentially "Lestoil syndrome" describes the phenomena of innovators being copied by competitors with greater capital resources, who can employ the initial creator's strategy, but use their capital to obtain a greater market recognition. The Lestoil detergent product was among the earliest heavy-industry cleaning detergents marketed directly to consumers; however, its initial success in obtaining a large market share was quickly overshadowed when larger competitors in the household product space took notice. These competitors began introducing similarly marketed products like Colgate-Palmolive's liquid Ajax, and Procter & Gamble's Mr. Clean, and before eventually being bought by a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, their marketing campaigns diluted Lestoil's market share. [16] Heller characterized this by saying they had "reacted with multi-million dollar force, swamping Lestoil in a sea of green bubbles". [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detergent</span> Surfactants with cleansing properties

A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with cleansing properties when in dilute solutions. There are a large variety of detergents, a common family being the alkylbenzene sulfonates, which are soap-like compounds that are more soluble in hard water, because the polar sulfonate is less likely than the polar carboxylate to bind to calcium and other ions found in hard water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swarfega</span> Heavy-duty hand cleaning product

Swarfega is a brand of heavy-duty hand cleaner made by Deb Limited, a British company based in Denby, Derbyshire. It is used in engineering, construction and other manual trades, such as printing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tide (brand)</span> Brand-name of a laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble

Tide is an American brand of laundry detergent manufactured and marketed by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1946, it is the highest-selling detergent brand in the world, with an estimated 14.3 percent of the global market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spic and Span</span> Household cleaner

Spic and Span is a brand of all-purpose household cleaner marketed by KIK Custom Products Inc. for home consumer use and by Procter & Gamble for professional (non-home-consumer) use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Persil</span> German brand of laundry detergent

Persil is a German brand of laundry detergent manufactured and marketed by Henkel around the world except in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Latin America, China, Australia and New Zealand, where it is manufactured and marketed by Unilever. Persil was introduced in 1907 by Henkel. It was the first commercially available laundry detergent that combined bleach with the detergent. The name was derived from two of its original ingredients, sodium perborate and sodium silicate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Ami</span> Cleaning product

Bon Ami is a brand of scouring powder sold by the Bon Ami Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Since its inception in the late 19th century, the brand's advertising campaigns have gained particular notice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OxiClean</span> American brand of household cleaners

OxiClean is an American brand of household cleaners, including OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, which is a laundry additive, spot stain remover, and household cleaner marketed by Church & Dwight. It was formerly owned by Orange Glo International from its introduction in 1997 until it was acquired in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clorox</span> American global manufacturer and marketer based in Oakland, California

The Clorox Company is an American global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products. As of 2020 the Oakland, California-based company had approximately 8,800 employees worldwide. Net sales for the 2020 fiscal year were US$6.7 billion. Ranked annually since 2000, Clorox was named number 474 on Fortune magazine's 2020 Fortune 500 list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairy (brand)</span> Brand of dishwashing liquid

Fairy is an international brand, primarily used for washing up liquid and dishwasher detergent, owned by the American multinational consumer products company, Procter & Gamble. The brand originated in the United Kingdom in 1898 and is now used on a number of P&G products in various markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henkel</span> German consumer goods company

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, commonly known as Henkel, is a German multinational chemical and consumer goods company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. Founded in 1876, the DAX company is organized into two globally operating business units and is known for brands such as Loctite, Persil, Fa, Pritt, Dial and Purex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajax (cleaning product)</span> Brand of cleaning products

Ajax is an American brand of household cleaning products and detergents made by Colgate-Palmolive and Awesome Products Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laundry detergent</span> Type of detergent used for cleaning laundry

Laundry detergent is a type of detergent used for cleaning dirty laundry (clothes). Laundry detergent is manufactured in powder and liquid form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henkel North American Consumer Goods</span> American company

Henkel Corporation, doing business as Henkel North American Consumer Goods and formerly The Dial Corporation, is an American company based in Stamford, Connecticut. It is a manufacturer of personal care and household cleaning products and is a subsidiary of multinational company Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

Pine-Sol is a registered trade name of the Clorox Company for a line of household cleaning products, used to clean grease and heavy soil stains. Pine-Sol was based on pine oil when it was created in 1929 and during its rise to national popularity in the 1950s. By 2016, Pine-Sol products sold in stores no longer contained pine oil, which was done to reduce costs. The old Pine-oil containing formula is sometimes available online only.

Noxell Corporation, formerly known as the Noxzema Chemical Company, was a Maryland-based company that made household products. Its best known brands were Noxzema and CoverGirl. In 2016, it became a subsidiary of The Procter & Gamble Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleaning agent</span> Substance used to remove dirt or other contaminants

Cleaning agents or hard-surface cleaners are substances used to remove dirt, including dust, stains, foul odors, and clutter on surfaces. Purposes of cleaning agents include health, beauty, removing offensive odor, and avoiding the spread of dirt and contaminants to oneself and others. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria and clean at the same time. Others, called degreasers, contain organic solvents to help dissolve oils and fats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn (brand)</span> Brand of dishwashing liquid owned by Procter & Gamble

Dawn is an American brand of dishwashing liquid owned by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1973, it is the best-selling brand of dishwashing liquid in the United States. Besides being used for dishwashing purposes, Dawn products are also used to remove grease from other items, such as animal fat spilled onto highways, and oil on animals, such as during the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon oil spills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Procter & Gamble Philippines</span> Philippine subsidiary of Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble Philippines, Inc., also known as P&G Philippines, is the Philippine subsidiary of American multinational consumer goods company Procter & Gamble. It is a manufacturer of laundry detergents and soaps, shampoos and hair conditioners, toothpastes, deodorants, skin care products, household cleaners, toilet soaps and consumer healthcare products. Since 2016, the company is based in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

References

  1. "P&G SELLS LESTOIL TO CLOROX.(BUSINESS)". highbeam.com. The Cincinnati Post. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Lestoil Buys Control of Bon Ami for Cash". The Wall Street Journal . 1963-08-27. p. 6. ISSN   0099-9660. ProQuest   132807938.
  3. 1 2 "Lestoil and Bon Ami Reach Accord With Merger Foes". The New York Times . 1964-06-27. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  4. The Clorox Company (October 2012). "LESTOIL GREASE & STAIN REMOVER" (PDF). Material Safety Data Sheet. thecloroxcompany.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  5. 1 2 3 "Lestoil — Made in Holyoke". Made in the Valley. Pioneer Valley History Network. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  6. Barowsky, Adeline (1985). The two of us: Memories. Marcus Printing. ASIN   B00073B0BI.
  7. "JOHN TULENKO, 83, A retired high school teacher who..." Orlando Sentinel. February 4, 1988. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  8. Lestoil Animal Stories. Illustrated by Virginia Flint Kuniholm. Hartford, Ct.: Adell Chemical Company; Connecticut Printers, Inc. 1958.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. 1 2 "[Advertisement, Lestoil, First National Stores]". Boston Daily Record. Boston. January 15, 1960. p. 31. Lestoil 'Dolls of All Nations Offer'
  10. "Holyoke's Skinner Mills Sold to Bon Ami for $75,000". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. January 16, 1964. p. 21.
  11. "lestoil"+Noxell "[Company Sales]". Soap, Cosmetics, Chemical Specialties. Mac Nair-Dorland Company. 1969.
  12. Caprino, Mariann (September 22, 1989). "Procter & Gamble, Noxell Announce $1.3 Billion Merger". Associated Press.
  13. 1 2 "Noxell sells Lestoil to Clorox Co. Proctor & Gamble Co.'s..." The Baltimore Sun. June 22, 1996. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  14. "P&G Sells Lestoil, Seeks Buyer For Some Mass Fragrance Labels". Wall Street Journal. June 24, 1996. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  15. "Lestoil Concentrated Heavy Duty Cleaner". Walmart. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  16. "Can Lestoil Repel Muscular Ad Threats by Big Three's All-Purpose Detergents". Printers' Ink. Vol. 268. New York: Decker Communications. July 24, 1959. pp. 11–12. OCLC   1032947607.
  17. Johns, E. A. (1973). "Organizational and Psychological Factors". The Sociology of Organizational Change. Oxford: Pergamon Press Ltd. p. 77. OCLC   1058249622.

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Lestoil at Wikimedia Commons