Ajax (cleaning product)

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For other uses, see Ajax (disambiguation).
Ajax
TypeCleaning agent
Inception1947
ManufacturerAwesome Products Inc. (detergent)[1]
Colgate-Palmolive (household cleaning products)
AvailableYes

Ajax is an American brand of household cleaning products and detergents made by Colgate-Palmolive and Awesome Products Inc.[2]

History[edit]

Container of Ajax powder from Mexico; bicloro means 'double bleach'

Colgate-Palmolive introduced Ajax Powdered Cleanser in 1947 as one of the company's first major brands.[3] Its ingredients include sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, sodium carbonate, and quartz.[4]

The Ajax brand was extended to a line of household cleaning products and detergents, which enjoyed its greatest success in the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s. Ajax All Purpose Cleaner with Ammonia, introduced in 1962, was the first major competitor to Procter and Gamble's Mr. Clean (debuted 1958). Ajax's success as the so called "White Tornado" forced Procter and Gamble to introduce its own ammoniated cleaner, Top Job, in 1963.

Other products by Ajax included Ajax Bucket of Power, an ammoniated power floor cleaner (1963); Ajax Laundry Detergent (1964); and Ajax Window Cleaner with Hex ammonia (1965). The last successful Ajax line extension in North America, Ajax for Dishes (now known as Ajax Dishwashing Liquid) debuted in 1971.

Currently, Ajax Powdered Cleanser and Ajax Dishwashing Liquid are the only two Ajax products sold by Colgate-Palmolive in the United States. In 2005, Colgate-Palmolive licensed the American and Canadian rights to the Ajax brand name for laundry detergent products. In the same transaction, Colgate-Palmolive also sold its American, Canadian and Puerto Rican laundry products business to Phoenix Brands in 2005.[5]

Awesome Products Inc. acquired Ajax laundry care in November 2023.[6]

Advertising and popular culture[edit]

The slogan for the original Ajax laundry detergent was "Stronger than dirt!", trademarked by Colgate-Palmolive Company.[7] This slogan was often advertised with a knight in armor riding a white horse. The "Stronger Than Dirt!" lick even ended the song "Touch Me" by The Doors, reflecting its popularity at the time.[8]

Additionally, the USPTO shows that Colgate-Palmolive Company also held a trademark for "Stronger than grease" until 2023.[9] While Ajax's products are labeled with "Stronger than dirt" as listed on their website,[10] a Greek City Times story referenced a viral social media post that suggested "Stronger than grease" was a pun referencing the Greek mythological hero Ajax, though Colgate-Palmolive never confirmed this interpretation.​[11]​

American actor Eugene Roche gained fame as Ajax man "Squeaky Clean" in many television commercials of the 1970s.[12] In the United Kingdom, character actress Ann Lancaster appeared on television advertisements featuring the slogan "It cleans like a white tornado". Colgate ceased advertising in the United Kingdom for the brand in January 1996.[13]

In the Philippines, actress Lorli Villanueva appeared in television commercials, featuring her character as "Maxima Labandera" in the 1970s.[14] Lito Lapid, Jimmy Santos, Nida Blanca also starred in various Ajax detergent commercials from 1988 to 1992.[citation needed] Blanca's frequent co-star Dolphy was the final brand ambassador of Ajax detergent from 1994 until the product's discontinuation in 2000.[citation needed]

In Australia, Ajax Spray n' Wipe television commercials appeared from 1988 to 2010, all with the same music based on Ian Dury's song "Billericay Dickie". The ads featured soap opera actress Paula Duncan.[15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Awesome Products Inc. Explains Acquisition of Ajax Laundry Care". Yahoo Finance. November 17, 2023. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  2. ^ "Colgate-Palmolive Sells Detergents to Phoenix Brands". PROMO Magazine. July 13, 2005. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  3. ^ Bellis, Mary Bellis. "The Cleanest Inventions: Soaps and Detergents". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  4. ^ Ajax Scouring Cleanser at the Consumer Product Information Database
  5. ^ "Colgate-Palmolive sells detergent brands". Fox News. Associated Press. July 12, 2005. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  6. ^ "Awesome Products Inc. Explains Acquisition of Ajax Laundry Care". Fox 59. November 17, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  7. ^ USA Renewed 72183960, Colgate-Palmolive Company, "STRONGER THAN DIRT", published 1965-09-14 
  8. ^ Weidman, Richie (2011). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Backbeat Books. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-61713-017-5.
  9. ^ USA Dead 85310974, Colgate-Palmolive Company, "STRONGER THAN GREASE", published 2012-11-20 
  10. ^ "Dish Soap & Powder Kitchen Cleaning Products". Ajax. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  11. ^ Martin, Natalie (2022-06-03). "Hidden Ancient Greek Meaning Behind Ajax Brand Name". Greek City Times. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  12. ^ Myrna Oliver (2004-08-02). "Obituaries; Eugene Roche, 75; Character Actor in Films, Television". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
  13. ^ Axe looms over AJAX as Colgate ditches support Archived 2012-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, Marketing Week, 19 Jan 1996. Retrieved 2011-04-27
  14. ^ Lo, Ricky. "Whatever happened to Lorli Villanueva?". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  15. ^ "Ajax jingle to return with Paula Duncan reprising character of frantic housewife". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

External links[edit]

  • Ajax product page on Colgate consumer website
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