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.
On June 15, 1926, Whistle Bottling Company of Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania, registered "Spic and Span" trademark No. 214,076 — washing and cleaning compound in crystal form with incidental water-softening properties.[citation needed]
The modern cleaner was invented by housewives Elizabeth "Bet" MacDonald and Naomi Stenglein in Saginaw, Michigan in 1933.[citation needed] Their formula included equal parts of ground-up glue, sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate; though trisodium phosphate is no longer part of the modern formula out of a concern for environmental damage from phosphates making their way into waterways.[citation needed] Stenglein observed that testing in her house made it spotless, or "spick and span". They took the k off "spick" and started selling the product in brown envelopes to local markets. From 1933 to 1944, both families helped run their "Spic and Span Products Company".[citation needed] On January 29, 1945, Procter & Gamble, a major international manufacturer of household and personal products based in Cincinnati, Ohio, bought Spic and Span for $1.9 million.[1] On August 30, 1949, Procter & Gamble registered the "Spic and Span" trademark (soluble cleaner, cleanser, and detergent).[citation needed]
The brand, along with Comet, was acquired by Prestige Brands in 2001.[2] In 2018, Prestige Brands sold the brand to KIK Custom Products Inc.[3][4] Procter & Gamble retained the rights to market the brand to the professional (non-home-consumer) market in the United States.[5]
Usage
The powdered form must be mixed in water to use. A liquid version is also available. Although considered all-purpose, it is "not recommended for carpets, upholstery, aluminum, glass, laundry, or mixing with bleach or ammonia" as written on product label.[citation needed]
Etymology
The product was named from the older phrase "spick and span".
The phrase "span-new" meant as new as a freshly cut wood chip, such as those once used to make spoons. In a metaphor dating from at least 1300, something span-new was neat and unstained.[6]
Spic was added in the 16th century, as a "spick" (a spike or nail) was another metaphor for something neat and trim. The British phrase may have evolved from the Dutch spiksplinter nieuw, "spike-splinter new".[7] In 1665, Samuel Pepys used spicke and span in his famous diary. The "clean" sense appears to have arisen only recently.[8] The term is completely unrelated to the modern epithetspic.[6]
References
^Michigan History, November/December, 2007. pp. 13-15.
^"Prestige Brands International Inc. acquires Comet". Progressive Grocer. October 2, 2001. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
^Inc, Prestige Brands Holdings (2 July 2018). "Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. Announces Strategic Sale of Household Cleaning Business". GlobeNewswire News Room. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^"Take Our Word For It Issue 45". 1999-06-21. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
External links
Official website
August 19, 2023
spic, span, brand, purpose, household, cleaner, marketed, custom, products, home, consumer, procter, gamble, professional, home, consumer, spic, spanproduct, typehousehold, cleanerownerkik, custom, products, countryunited, statesintroduced1933, years, 1933, pr. Spic and Span is a brand of all purpose household cleaner marketed by KIK Custom Products Inc for home consumer use and by Procter amp Gamble for professional non home consumer use Spic n SpanProduct typeHousehold cleanerOwnerKIK Custom Products Inc CountryUnited StatesIntroduced1933 90 years ago 1933 Previous ownersProcter amp Gamble Prestige BrandsWebsitespicnspan wbr com Contents 1 History 2 Usage 3 Etymology 4 References 5 External linksHistory Edit 1948 advertisement for the product On June 15 1926 Whistle Bottling Company of Johnsonburg Pennsylvania registered Spic and Span trademark No 214 076 washing and cleaning compound in crystal form with incidental water softening properties citation needed The modern cleaner was invented by housewives Elizabeth Bet MacDonald and Naomi Stenglein in Saginaw Michigan in 1933 citation needed Their formula included equal parts of ground up glue sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate though trisodium phosphate is no longer part of the modern formula out of a concern for environmental damage from phosphates making their way into waterways citation needed Stenglein observed that testing in her house made it spotless or spick and span They took the k off spick and started selling the product in brown envelopes to local markets From 1933 to 1944 both families helped run their Spic and Span Products Company citation needed On January 29 1945 Procter amp Gamble a major international manufacturer of household and personal products based in Cincinnati Ohio bought Spic and Span for 1 9 million 1 On August 30 1949 Procter amp Gamble registered the Spic and Span trademark soluble cleaner cleanser and detergent citation needed The product was advertised in many soap operas serving as the main sponsor of Search for Tomorrow for two decades citation needed The brand along with Comet was acquired by Prestige Brands in 2001 2 In 2018 Prestige Brands sold the brand to KIK Custom Products Inc 3 4 Procter amp Gamble retained the rights to market the brand to the professional non home consumer market in the United States 5 Usage EditThe powdered form must be mixed in water to use A liquid version is also available Although considered all purpose it is not recommended for carpets upholstery aluminum glass laundry or mixing with bleach or ammonia as written on product label citation needed Etymology EditThe product was named from the older phrase spick and span The phrase span new meant as new as a freshly cut wood chip such as those once used to make spoons In a metaphor dating from at least 1300 something span new was neat and unstained 6 Spic was added in the 16th century as a spick a spike or nail was another metaphor for something neat and trim The British phrase may have evolved from the Dutch spiksplinter nieuw spike splinter new 7 In 1665 Samuel Pepys used spicke and span in his famous diary The clean sense appears to have arisen only recently 8 The term is completely unrelated to the modern epithet spic 6 References Edit Michigan History November December 2007 pp 13 15 Prestige Brands International Inc acquires Comet Progressive Grocer October 2 2001 Retrieved February 6 2019 Inc Prestige Brands Holdings 2 July 2018 Prestige Brands Holdings Inc Announces Strategic Sale of Household Cleaning Business GlobeNewswire News Room a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Exhibit www sec gov Spic and Span All Purpose Cleaner Procter amp Gamble Retrieved 2009 06 17 a b Martin Gary Spick and span Phrases org uk Accessed 2019 03 08 Online Etymology Dictionary Accessed 2007 01 16 Take Our Word For It Issue 45 1999 06 21 Retrieved 2007 01 16 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Spic and Span amp oldid 1139343432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
