U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for October 9: Detergents

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the daily"Profile America" feature for October 9 from the U.S. Census Bureau:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9: DETERGENTS

Profile America -- Thursday, Oct. 9 -- Something we take forgranted and that most of us use daily appeared this week, 70 yearsago, when the first household detergent -- named Dreft -- went onsale. The chemistry of making soap had changed little over hundredsof years, until shortages of fats for making soap during World War Isparked research. Detergents really took off following the SecondWorld War. By 1953, their sales passed those of soap. Now, detergentshave all but replaced soap-based products for laundering, dishwashingand household cleaning, and most soaps for personal hygiene alsocontain some detergents. Nearly $18 billion of detergents and soapsare sold each year in the U.S. You can find these and more factsabout America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at http://www.census.gov.

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Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office ofthe U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available asproduced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internetat http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button). Forfurther information, contact Rick Reed, 301-763-2812, fax at 301-457-3670, or e-mail rreed(At)census.gov. For data-related questions, call301-763-3030.

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