Although liquid soap was patented in 1865, it was not used until the 1980s. William Shepherd of New York discovered on August 22, 1865 that a soap with the consistency of treacle was formed as a result of mixing large amounts of ammonium bicarbonate with regular soap.
Although his invention slowly began to take its place on the market shelves, a company called Minnetonka Corporation in the United States began selling liquid soap nationwide in 1980. This liquid soap, which is offered for sale under the brand "Softsoap", has achieved great success in a short time due to the way it is used. When the small plastic pump on the bottle was pressed, a predetermined amount of liquid soap was flowing out. Minnetonka entered a market dominated by large global companies at the time. By purchasing all plastic pumps on the market, the company prevented other companies from producing similar products.
August 22 : The first patent for liquid soap was issued to William Sheppard on this day in 1865. The product was made by dissolving one pound of solid soap in water, and then adding 100 pounds of ammonia until the liquid thickened to the consistency of molasses, the thick by-product when producing sugar.
In 1987, the company sold its liquid soap business to Colgate Company. The company has been continuing the sales and marketing of Softsoap branded liquid soap ever since.
Although it is not very difficult to create liquid soap, this one, like many other inventions that have achieved great success in the market, has achieved great success as a result of the use of more than one invention. The use of liquid soap together with the pump was a new concept in the 1980s, and the plastic pump, whose name was not known until then, has allowed many substances to be used easily, from toothpaste to shaving foam after that period.