Vanish (toilet cleaner)

Last updated

Vanish is an American brand of toilet bowl cleaner produced by S. C. Johnson in North America. They obtained the brand through the purchase of The Drackett Company in 1992.

The Vanish name has since accompanied S. C. Johnson's Scrubbing Bubbles brand as a sub-brand.

History

Drackett purchased the product from inventor Judson Dunaway of Dover, New Hampshire, who introduced Vanish in 1937 as a competitor to Sani-Flush, a toilet bowl cleaner made since 1911. The products were substantially the same. The active ingredient in crystal bowl cleaners is sodium bisulfate (also known as sodium hydrogen sulfate). Surfactants are added. [1] The last Sani-Flush patent had expired in 1932. [2]

Most other household cleaners are basic (alkaline) in nature.

In 1947, Hygienic Products sued Judson Dunaway on grounds of trademark infringement and unfair competition. Sani-Flush used a yellow 22-ounce can showing a woman pouring bowl cleaner into a toilet. Initially, Vanish sold their product in a white 22-ounce showing the bowl cleaner coming from the bottom of the "I". After World War II, Vanish advertising started to show a woman pouring the product into a toilet bowl, and then a hand, obviously female, pouring powder into a toilet bowl. Dunaway won on appeal. [3]

With the withdrawal of sodium bisulfate toilet bowl crystals from the marketplace circa-2009, the Sani-Flush name and US trademark were abandoned; the Vanish brand remains in use, but only to identify other toilet cleaners (with differing formats and chemistry) from the same manufacturer. An in-tank toilet cleaner, intended to compete with 2000 Flushes and Clorox automatic, was introduced under the Vanish brand in 2000. Initial problems with in-tank cleansers damaging toilet flappers, allowing water to leak into the bowl, were addressed by adding new durability and marking requirements for flappers to the ASME A112.19.5 standard in 2005. [4]

A Vanish Thick Liquid Disinfectant Bowl Cleaner sold for industrial and institutional use only is 9.25% hydrochloric acid by weight. [5]

Vanish is now sold in the US under the Scrubbing Bubbles Vanish Continuous Clean Drop-Ins brand, [6] reducing the Vanish name to a sub-brand.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flush toilet</span> Toilet that uses water to convey human waste down a pipe

A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using the force of water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location for treatment, either nearby or at a communal facility, thus maintaining a separation between humans and their waste. Flush toilets can be designed for sitting or squatting, in the case of squat toilets. Most modern sewage treatment systems are also designed to process specially designed toilet paper. The opposite of a flush toilet is a dry toilet, which uses no water for flushing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drano</span> Drain cleaner

Drano is an American brand of chemical drain cleaner that is manufactured by S. C. Johnson & Son.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium bisulfate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium bisulfate, also known as sodium hydrogen sulfate, is the sodium salt of the bisulfate anion, with the molecular formula NaHSO4. Sodium bisulfate is an acid salt formed by partial neutralization of sulfuric acid by an equivalent of sodium base, typically in the form of either sodium hydroxide (lye) or sodium chloride (table salt). It is a dry granular product that can be safely shipped and stored. The anhydrous form is hygroscopic. Solutions of sodium bisulfate are acidic, with a 1M solution having a pH of slightly below 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toilet Duck</span> Brand of toilet cleaner

Toilet Duck is a brand name of toilet cleaner noted for the duck-shape of its bottle shaped to assist in dispensing the cleaner under the rim. The design was patented in 1980 by Durgol from Dällikon, Switzerland. It is now produced by S. C. Johnson & Son.

The Drackett Company was a leading company in the specialty chemicals business during the 20th century, responsible for such products as Windex glass cleaner, Vanish toilet bowl cleaner, Drāno drain opener, Behold furniture polish, Endust dusting aid, Renuzit air freshener, Mr. Muscle oven cleaner, and Miracle White laundry products. They also produced the O-Cedar line of brooms, mops, sponges and scrubbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Muscle</span> Brand of hard-surface cleaners

Mr Muscle is a British brand of hard-surface cleaners. It has been manufactured by S. C. Johnson & Son, since their purchase of Drackett from Bristol-Myers Squibb in October 1992. The original product—an aerosol oven cleaner—was developed at Drackett in 1986. The Mr Muscle product lineup has since expanded.

Vanish may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comet (cleanser)</span> American brand of household cleaning products

Comet is an American brand of scouring powders and other household cleaning products manufactured by KIK Custom Products Inc. The brand was introduced in 1956 by Procter & Gamble (P&G) and sold to Prestige Brands in 2001. In 2018, Prestige Brands sold the Comet brand to KIK Custom Products Inc. P&G retained the rights to market the brand in Europe and to the professional market (non-home-consumer) in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toilet cleaner</span> Acidic cleaning agent for toilets

Toilet cleaners are chemical solutions designed specifically for cleaning a toilet bowl, usually in conjunction with a toilet brush.

Sani-Flush was an American brand of crystal toilet bowl cleaner formerly produced by Reckitt Benckiser. Its main ingredient was sodium bisulfate; it also contained sodium carbonate as well as sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, sodium chloride, fragrance and dye.

S. Judson Dunaway (1890–1976), was an inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist to the community of Dover, New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lysol</span> Cleaning products brand name

Lysol is a brand of American cleaning and disinfecting products distributed by Reckitt, which markets the similar Dettol or Sagrotan in other markets. The line includes liquid solutions for hard and soft surfaces, air treatment, and hand washing. The active ingredient in many Lysol products is benzalkonium chloride, but the active ingredient in the Lysol "Power and Free" line is hydrogen peroxide. Lysol has been used since its invention in the late 19th century as a household and industrial cleaning agent, and previously as a medical disinfectant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toilet rim block</span> Blocks for flush toilet bowls that slowly dissolve in water

A toilet rim block is a substance in the shape of a block that is used in flush toilets, which slowly dissolves in water. The blocks usually come in a small holder that is attached over the rim of a toilet and hangs down into the bowl, so as the toilet gets flushed, the water passes through the holder coming into contact with the block. With "liquid rims", however, liquid is held in a small bottle above—and connected to—the holder that slowly releases into the bottom of the holder, and so coming into contact with the water when the toilet is flushed.

<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.

Fantastik is an American trademarked brand of cleaning products produced by S. C. Johnson & Son. The company acquired Fantastik as part of a package of products acquired in 1998. These products include: Antibacterial Heavy Duty, Bleach, Antibacterial Lemon Power, Orange Action, Oxy Power, Orange Action Wipes, and Multi-Surface Wipes.

Ty-D-Bol is an American brand of toilet cleaner that was introduced in 1958. In its original format, the product is a blue cleanser/disinfectant liquid released into the toilet tank from an automatic dispenser.

2000 Flushes is an automatic toilet cleaning product produced by the WD-40 Company. The toilet cleaner is dispensed from an in-tank package.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanish (stain remover)</span> Stain removing brand from Reckitt

Vanish is a brand of stain removing products, owned by Reckitt, and sold in Australia, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Latin America and parts of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In-tank toilet cleaning tablet</span>

In-tank toilet cleaners are tablets or cartridges that add chemicals to toilet tank water to reduce toilet bowl stains. They are commonly used to prevent toilet bowl stains from calcium, limescale, mold, etc. Most contain chlorine bleach as its main active ingredient, however some may use other main active ingredients.

References

  1. Vanish Toilet Bowl Crystals-discontinued, Consumer Product Information Database
  2. Cleaning and disinfecting powder for the removal of stains, incrustations, &c, Patent US 1118209 A, Leo A Mattes, filed July 7, 1914
  3. 178 F2D 461 Judson Dunaway Corporation v. Hygienic Products Co, United States Court of Appeals First Circuit. December 15, 1949.
  4. Toilet flappers - The former weak link of water conservation Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine , John Koeller PE, April 2008
  5. MSDS for Vanish Thick Liquid Disinfectant Bowl Cleaner, Drackett Co, division of SC Johnson, 2002
  6. "Drop-Ins™ | Scrubbing Bubbles® Products".