A Tradition of Clean

80 years and going strong.

1929 is most often remembered for a stock market crash and the start of the Great Depression. But when life hands them lemons, some people make lemonade. That's just what Harry A. Cole, a chemist from Jackson, Mississippi did. Living in the midst of miles of pine forest, Mr. Cole used pine oil, a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, to create a fresh smelling and highly effective cleaning product. He aptly named it Pine-Sol® cleaner.

Pine-Sol® cleaner, and the subsequent pine oil cleaners Mr. Cole invented, weren't an overnight success. His business started slowly, supplying janitorial services that cleaned local banks. It was 17 years before Pine-Sol® cleaner would be sold outside of Mississippi.

Sales grew with increased distribution through the years. In 1990, The Clorox Company acquired Pine-Sol® cleaner. It was a match made in heaven— the California-based Clorox Company had built its foundation on its namesake cleaning product in 1913 and in the 1990s, the company was growing rapidly through new product innovations and acquisitions. Pine-Sol® cleaner fit right in with the strategy.

"We have grown the Pine-Sol® brand by maintaining our loyal users and creating new ones through consistent product quality, innovative scents and line extensions," says Hank Mercier, Brand Manager for The Clorox Company. "It is an honor to work on a business that has such a great heritage and an enthusiastic consumer base that believes in the benefits of real cleaning."

Pine-Sol® cleaner can be used in the kitchen to clean floors, counter, sinks and stoves; in the bathroom to clean showers, tubs, tile, floors and toilet bowls; for tough jobs such as deodorizing garbage cans, pet areas and diaper pails; and in the laundry for pre-treating grease spots and heavy soil on white and colorfast fabrics.