Windex
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Windex's flagship product

Windex is a trademark for a glass and light-duty hard surface cleaner manufactured since 1933 (currently by S. C. Johnson & Son) and popular in the United States and Canada since the mid-20th century.

The popularity of Windex in the US has led to the generic use of the trademark for any similar product, including those marketed under different brands, or simply labelled, e.g., Window Cleaner.

Windex-like products typically contain detergents, ammonia, fragrance to moderate the odor of ammonia, and some form of dye. The original modern Windex was colored a light, transparent shade of blue, but varieties are marketed today in a variety of colors and fragrances, touting additives such as vinegar or lemon juice.

The blue color of Windex has inspired bartenders to name similarly tinted mixed drinks after it. For example, a "Windex shot" typically contains vodka, triple sec, and Blue Curaçao for color. When the soda Pepsi Blue debuted, it was also compared to Windex.

The comedy film My Big Fat Greek Wedding presented Windex as a placebo or folk remedy for external use against most non-disabling ailments. (This parallels an actual folk belief in similar use of the WD-40 brand of penetrating oil.) This may be based in Windex's remarkable capacity for removing tight rings off fingers where more traditional remedies such as butter or soap are less effective^{citation needed}.

Product history

When Windex was invented in 1933 by Harry R. Drackett, it was essentially 100% solvent, and as a flammable product, it had to be sold in metal cans. When modern surfactants were introduced after World War II, the product was reformulated.

The Sam Wise patent #3,463,735 lists several example formulae, one of which is 4.0% isopropyl alcohol (a highly volatile solvent) 1% ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (a less volatile solvent), 0.1% sodium laurel sulfate (a surfactant), 0.01% tetrasodium pyrophosphate (a water softener), 0.05% of 28% ammonia (added more for smell than for cleaning ability^{citation needed}), 1% of a dye solution, and 0.01% perfume. This formula was not only significantly less expensive to manufacture, but allowed the product to be packaged in glass bottles and dispensed with a plastic sprayer.

SC Johnson acquired Windex in 1993 and has been manufacturing it since that time.

The product was recently reformulated with more environmentally-desirable solvents.^[1]

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• Isopropanol
• 2-Butoxyethanol
• Ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether
• Water

Isopropanol - Used as a solvent and reagent. This type of alcohol is used in ink and other products

Ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether - Weak acid to help kill bacteria.

Water - Keeps pH levels stable, and to act as a solvent.

References

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

External links

• Windex home page
• SC Johnson Milestones page (1993 Windex)
• Ingredients from WhatsInside
• Windex Product Safety Information
• Common Household Product Material Safety and Data Sheets

Sources: "Philip W. Drackett: Earned profits, plaudits" By Barry M. Horstman, Cincinnati Post, May 21, 1999.