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
Household Words Evans, publication ceased and "Household Words" was replaced by "All the Year Round", in which he had greater control. The journal contained a mixture of fiction and nonfiction. A large amount of the non-fiction dealt with the social issues of the time. Prominent works that were serialised in "Household Words" include: Dickens also collaborated with other staff writers on a number of Christmas stories and plays for seasonal issues of the magazine. These included: Other contributors to "Household Words" included author James Payn. A complete key to who wrote what and for how much in "Household Words" was compiled in