Dreft is a laundry detergent in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and other markets. First produced by Procter & Gamble in 1933, it was the first synthetic detergent made. The Fairy brand of washing-up liquid and Cascade brand of dishwashing detergent are also sold under the name "Dreft" in some countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium. In Canada, it is called Ivory Snow.

Laundry Detergent
Product typeSynthetic detergent
OwnerProcter & Gamble
CountryUnited States
Introduced1933 (1933)
Related brandsIvory Snow (Canada)


Synthetic detergents represented an improvement in laundry washing because these synthetic materials are less susceptible to hard water. The commercial availability of fatty alcohols opened the way for the production of the related organosulfate derivatives. In Germany, BASF started selling FeWA, followed by Dreft in the following year.[1]


By 1947, Dreft dishwashing detergent was released. Since the 1950s, Dreft has been advertised as an ideal detergent for washing baby linens. The slogan for Dreft is "For a Clean You Can Trust". It is generally marketed to mothers of newborns.

