Clean-Up Week Chases Dirt

Blue, white and red illustration of the Dutch Girl character holding a stick with blue text on a yellow background

Old Dutch Cleanser was developed by the Cudahy Packing Company of Chicago in 1905. Being meatpackers, they were looking for a soap product to use excess animal fat and created a scouring cleanser by combining soap with pumice. Their trademark was a little Dutch woman in a blue dress chasing away dirt with a stick. Around 1926, their advertising started using the tagline, “The symbol of healthful cleanliness.” At the same time, “Clean-Up Week” became a fairly popular trend to promote civic engagement and business development. People pitched in to do civic improvement projects and individual businesses did spring cleaning. Many found that this actually improved business. Clean UP Weeks partnered with Old Dutch Cleanser between 1927-1934. Cudahy sold Old Dutch to Purex bleach in 1955. The name is currently owned by Lavo in Montreal.