What was Lysol originally marketed for?

Lysol Brand Disinfectant was first invented in Germany in the late 19th century, originally used as a way to help with the cholera epidemic, after which it was also used to attempt to prevent the Spanish influenza pandemic in 1918.

Was Lysol used for douching?

The most popular brand of douche was Lysol—an antiseptic soap whose pre-1953 formula contained cresol, a phenol compound reported in some cases to cause inflammation, burning, and even death. By 1911 doctors had recorded 193 Lysol poisonings and five deaths from uterine irrigation.

Can you bathe in Lysol?

All alcohols have a very drying effect on the skin. Soaking in a bath that contains enough of the alcohols present in Lysol to kill the desired bacteria will also result in uncomfortable, itchy, dry skin.

How did Lysol get its name?

The name Lysol comes from a combination of the words “lysosome” and “solvent”. The former comes from the name given to the cell organelle that produce digestive enzymes, the latter from the label given to liquids that rapidly dissolve solids, gasses or other liquids.

When was Lysol made?

1889
In 1889 a German chemist named Gustav Raupenstrauch created Lysol. During the snake-oil era, the early owners marketed Lysol as everything from a household cleanser to, more troublingly, a feminine-hygiene product.

What is Lysol spray used for?

How and where to use Lysol disinfectant spray to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. For great protection from germs, be sure to disinfect frequently touched areas such as light switches, door handles, kitchen counters, fridge and microwave handles, remotes and more.

Is Lysol a spermicide?

However, many other substances of dubious contraceptive value were also promoted. Especially after the prohibition of contraception in the U.S. by the 1873 Comstock Act, spermicides—the most popular of which was Lysol—were marketed only as “feminine hygiene” products and were not held to any standard of effectiveness.

Is Lysol safe on skin?

“Lysol spray is a disinfectant — it’s designed for use on surfaces,” said Joe Rubino, director of research and development for microbiology at Reckitt Benckiser, Lysol’s parent company. “It is not meant to be used on the body, whether it be humans or pets. By no means should you do that.”

Was Lysol used as a feminine hygiene product?

Lysol was used as a disinfectant during the cholera and flu epidemics before it was promoted as a feminine hygiene product.

Was Lysol ever used as a feminine hygiene product?

Lysol was used as a disinfectant during the cholera and flu epidemics before it was promoted as a feminine hygiene product. Lysol manufacturer Lehn & Fink once marketed its antiseptic disinfectant as a vaginal douche, according to vintage advertisements from the early to mid-20th century.

What Lysol means?

antiseptic
/ (ˈlaɪsɒl) / noun. trademark a solution containing a mixture of cresols in water, used as an antiseptic and disinfectant.

When was Lysol originally used for?

Lysol was originally created in 1899 by Gustav Raupenstrauch to help stop the spread of the cholera epidemic in Germany. By the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, Lysol was marketed as a way of cleaning surfaces and combating the spread of the virus.

When did Lysol start to be used for feminine hygiene?

Twelve years later, Lysol disinfectant liquid reached drug stores and hospitals, and in 1962, the company released an aerosol spray version. In the 1920s, ads for Lysol as a feminine hygiene product started appearing in women’s magazines, encouraging housewives to wash their genitals with disinfectant liquid.

What was the purpose of the old Lysol commercial?

Vintage ads can be both hilarious and shocking, and some of the most often passed around old ads are these ones about women using “‘Lysol’ brand disinfectant” for “feminine hygiene.” The ad had women claiming, “I use Lysol always for douching.”

Is the Lysol ad for birth control legal?

These ads aren’t frightening women into thinking their genitals smell badly. According to historian Andrea Tone, “feminine hygiene” was a euphemism. Birth control was illegal in the U.S. until 1965 (for married couples) and 1972 (for single people ). These Lysol ads are actually for contraception.

Why was douche with Lysol used in the 1920s?

Douche With Lysol for Feminine Hygiene. Lysol douche ads urging women to douche with Lysol were a cornerstone of feminine hygiene in the 1920s-1960s, but also a coded contraception technique. In the 1920s Lysol was the predominant manufacturer of antiseptic chemicals used as disinfectants in medical facilities, industry, and private homes.