Tide detergent

Year

1946

By

David Byerly

Company

Procter & Gamble

Place

Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County

Soap leaves a film in hard water and does not clean heavily soiled clothes well. Synthetic detergents existed, but they did not work well in washing machines with hard water. Procter and Gamble wanted a detergent that did.

The key came from chemist David Byerly. After seven years of unsuccessful research, the original Project X was cancelled, but Byerly kept working on his own and by 1941 had concluded that sodium tripolyphosphate was the best builder for synthetic detergents. By 1945 supervisors felt ready to show the project to senior management.

Tide went into test markets in 1946 as the world's first heavy-duty detergent and was sold nationwide by 1949. It quickly outsold rivals such as Ivory Snow and sped the decline of Rinso and Gold Dust, soap powders from Lever Brothers.

In 2006 the American Chemical Society named Tide's development a National Historic Chemical Landmark. Tide has about 14.3 percent of the global detergent market and is the highest-selling brand in the category.

• 1941: David Byerly concludes that sodium tripolyphosphate is the best builder. (Cincinnati, OH) source
• 1945: Supervisors present the project to senior management. (Cincinnati, OH) source
• 1946: Tide goes into test markets. (United States) source
• 1949: Tide is sold nationwide. (United States) source
• 2006: The American Chemical Society names Tide a National Historic Chemical Landmark. source

• About 14.3 percent of the global detergent market.
• Tide displaced Rinso and Gold Dust, established soap-powder brands.

Changed laundry in America.

• Wikipedia: Tide (brand)

• Wikipedia: Tide (brand)
• Wikipedia: Procter & Gamble