In 1916, chemists hunting a soap substitute made a cleaner that worked in hard water, and laundry detergent changed washing forever

The demand for cleaner solutions during World War I led to the invention of synthetic detergents. These groundbreaking products outperformed standard soap in hard water, addressing a persistent cleaning challenge for many households. Their revolutionary effectiveness set new standards for cleanliness, ultimately birthing a vast cleaning industry that reshaped how we do laundry.