Various natural things were used to clean clothes in ancient times. Natron, a form of carbonate soda, was used by the Egyptians as a detergent. The Romans, on the other hand, were said to have used Fuller’s Earth (dirt absorbing clay) on their woollen garments.
The manufacturing of modern-day detergents can be traced back to the 19th century. The first soap powder Babbitt’s Best Soap, went on sale in New York in 1843.
Later, in the 1880s, synthetic detergents were first developed in Germany. Nekal was the first commercial detergent, which was marketed in Europe during 1917.
The Romans are credited with the introduction of adding a faint blue dye to rinsing water in order to eliminate the yellow tinge from clothes. This was later introduced in Britain.
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