Persil the ""work of the washboard""—saving consumers time and rendering the historic method of "sun-bleaching" (by laying clothes out in the sun) unnecessary. Persil was the first commercially available self-activated laundry detergent (combining bleach with the detergent). The invention of Persil was a significant breakthrough. The name, "Persil", is derived from two of the original ingredients, sodium perborate and silicate. The original name was deemed unsuitable as an international brand because it is hard to pronounce in some languages. Coincidentally, "persil" is the French word for the herb, parsley. Persil is sold in powder, liquid detergent, liquid capsule, liqui-gel, and tablet
Purex (laundry detergent) Purex (laundry detergent) Purex is the brand name of a popular laundry detergent in the United States, Canada and other countries. It is manufactured by Henkel Corporation. Purex is one of the most widely used laundry detergents in North America. It takes its name from its original product, Purex bleach, which was a popular competitor to Clorox bleach. In 1922, Lionel S. Precourt and his son, Ray, began to make household bleach from their 400 square foot garage behind the family home at 132 E. 59th Place in Los Angeles, California. The following year, the name Purex was adopted for