The Calgonite monster was an evil gremlin of the dishwasher. He would prance around the dishes, putting spots everywhere, and ruining the lives of housewives.
The name came from the brand Calgon, which is a portmanteau of the phrase “calcium gone.”
Calgon was most famous as a washing machine brand; the commercial with “ancient Chinese secret” played on the archetypal Chinese laundry of the U.S. Calgon as a soap brand for the tub was positioned as a luxury type experience, where the phrase “Calgon take me away” was as well known as the laundry slogan.
The Calgon brand still exists as the Calgon Carbon Corporation, publicly traded and based in Pittsburgh. It manufactures and markets products that remove contaminants and odors from liquids and gases, both for industrial, municipal, and consumer markets. It was originally formed as the Pittsburgh Coke & Chemical Company.
Calgonite is no longer a dishwasher detergent brand. Below, the video.
