S.O.S Soap Pad
Encyclopedia
S.O.S Soap Pad is a trade
name for an abrasive cleaning pad, used for household cleaning, and made from steel wool
saturated with soap.
In 1917, Ed Cox of San Francisco
, an aluminum pot salesman
, invented a pre-soaped pad with which to clean pots. As a way of introducing himself to potential new customer
s, Cox made the soap encrusted steel-wool pads as a calling card. His wife named the soap pads S.O.S. or "Save Our Saucepans." Cox soon found out that the S.O.S pads were a hotter product than his pots and pans.
It is commonly believed that an error was made in the name's punctuation. However, this spelling was chosen by design. The acronym, S.O.S.
, is the famous distress signal
and could not be trademarked. By removing the last period, the name was unique and could then be registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
.
The product was indirectly featured in a widely circulated black & white
photograph
taken by William Safire
of the Kitchen Debate
. One of its boxes is clearly visible on the right side of the picture, standing on the countertop
above the washing machine
.
It was later bought by General Foods
, then by the late 1960's was sold to Miles Laboratories
. In the mid-1990s, the manufacturer began advertising that S.O.S pads had been made rust-resistant. In fact the pads were so well-protected against rust, and the pads lasted so much longer, that Miles removed the rust-inhibiting ingredients and ceased to advertise the pad's rust resistant quality. Later, Miles sold the brand to Clorox
.
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
name for an abrasive cleaning pad, used for household cleaning, and made from steel wool
Steel wool
Steel wool, also known as wire wool, is a bundle of strands of very fine soft steel filaments, used in finishing and repairing work to polish wood or metal objects, and for cleaning household cookware....
saturated with soap.
In 1917, Ed Cox of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, an aluminum pot salesman
Sales
A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
, invented a pre-soaped pad with which to clean pots. As a way of introducing himself to potential new customer
Customer
A customer is usually used to refer to a current or potential buyer or user of the products of an individual or organization, called the supplier, seller, or vendor. This is typically through purchasing or renting goods or services...
s, Cox made the soap encrusted steel-wool pads as a calling card. His wife named the soap pads S.O.S. or "Save Our Saucepans." Cox soon found out that the S.O.S pads were a hotter product than his pots and pans.
It is commonly believed that an error was made in the name's punctuation. However, this spelling was chosen by design. The acronym, S.O.S.
SOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
, is the famous distress signal
Distress signal
A distress signal is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals take the form of or are commonly made by using radio signals, displaying a visually detected item or illumination, or making an audible sound, from a distance....
and could not be trademarked. By removing the last period, the name was unique and could then be registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
.
The product was indirectly featured in a widely circulated black & white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
taken by William Safire
William Safire
William Lewis Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter....
of the Kitchen Debate
Kitchen Debate
The Kitchen Debate was a series of impromptu exchanges between then U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow on July 24, 1959. For the exhibition, an entire house was built that the...
. One of its boxes is clearly visible on the right side of the picture, standing on the countertop
Countertop
Countertop usually refers to a horizontal worksurface in kitchens or other food preparation areas, bathrooms or lavatories, and workrooms in general. It is frequently installed upon and supported by cabinets...
above the washing machine
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
.
It was later bought by General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
, then by the late 1960's was sold to Miles Laboratories
Miles Laboratories
Miles Laboratories was founded as the Dr. Miles Medical Company in Elkhart, Indiana, in 1884 by Franklin Miles, a specialist in the treatment of eye and ear disorders, with an interest in the connection of the nervous system to overall health...
. In the mid-1990s, the manufacturer began advertising that S.O.S pads had been made rust-resistant. In fact the pads were so well-protected against rust, and the pads lasted so much longer, that Miles removed the rust-inhibiting ingredients and ceased to advertise the pad's rust resistant quality. Later, Miles sold the brand to Clorox
Clorox
The Clorox Company is a US-based manufacturer of various food and chemical products based in Oakland, California, which is best known for its bleach product, Clorox.- History :...
.