By Garland Pollard
Glamorene was once a top upholstery cleaner; it has since disappeared from American shelves. Such an amusing name. Pictured here, a can from the 1970s or so.
Glamorene was originally made by the company Jerclaydon, a company owned by three brothers named Sheldon, Clayton and Jerold Hulsh. Time magazine has a great article from the 1950s on its testing by Reader’s Digest; apparently it was a “compound of cellulose fiber (resembling sawdust) and various cleaning agents which can be rubbed into a rug, then brushed out bringing the dirt with it.”
Later, it was made by Airwick Industries of Carlstadt, New Jersey. At some time, it became part of Reckitt & Colman, the British company best known for Dettol. Apparently, Glamorene was sold, on order of Federal Trade Commission divestiture, to Joh. A. Benckiser GmbH of Germany.
In 1999, Britain’s Reckitt & Colman and Benckiser merged, becoming one of the world’s largest companies of cleaning brands.
Apparently, the brand was a bit more glamorous back in the 1950s, when it was new.
12 responses so far ↓
1 Howard // Nov 4, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Very interesting! And the link that you have for Glamorene’s past went to another website I subscribe to, Allie Willis.com Everything’s come full circle for me!!
2 billy // Mar 26, 2011 at 9:30 am
My mom and I just found one of the glass bottles! We had no idea what it was until we came on here and looked! WOWWWW!!! 1950!
3 beth // Jul 2, 2011 at 3:38 pm
im trying to find some glamorene.. or does anyone have something similiar?? email me
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4 Mary C. Mills // Aug 25, 2011 at 2:30 am
I remember my Mom buying Glamorene in the 50′s & how amazingly it worked. Where can I buy some? I really miss it & I haven’t found anything that cleans as well as Glamorene did!
5 Pat Krimmel // Dec 28, 2011 at 7:32 pm
I have an item that may be of interest to someone associated with that company or someone who purchased that company – Glamourene. If someone can help with a contact – it could be fun!
Thanks!
Pat
6 waldo // Jan 17, 2012 at 9:55 pm
This product was frequently advertised on the old radio comedy “the couple next door”.
Episodes can be found at archive.org, and the advertising starts around episode 100
7 Karl Kress // Mar 16, 2012 at 5:51 pm
What happened to Glamorene SPRAY ‘N VAC RUG cleaner and deoderizer?
8 Karl Kress // Mar 16, 2012 at 5:53 pm
It was a fantastic product.
9 Dianne Crockett // May 23, 2012 at 11:46 am
Did anyone find out where we can buy Glamorine of a product that works as well?
10 Lady Ashmire // Aug 15, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Supposedly this is a very similar product: https://hostdry.alice.com/
Anyone know if it’s also good on upholstery? I don’t have carpets in my home but I do have a couch that never looks clean.
11 Victoria Hulsh // Oct 14, 2012 at 8:38 am
Even today many are looking for Glamorene carpet cleaners that my father created. Not only does it work to clean, there was not water clean up , not shrinkage to wool carpets which would shrink away from their respected size!!
12 Denny Van Orman // Nov 7, 2012 at 9:01 am
In the infamous “50′s” my mother dated Mr Hulsh. Nice person.
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