A clear glass Windex bottle with a yellow spray stick inside, showing a nozzle on top and a sticker label promoting a free spray refill offer.
A clear glass Windex bottle with a yellow spray stick inside, showing a nozzle on top and a sticker label promoting a free spray refill offer.

WINDOW CLEANING, REINVENTED

Windex (short for “Window Express”) was developed by Harry R. Drackett at the Drackett Company in 1933. It was released to the public in 1936 during the Great Depression, when many families could no longer afford hired housekeepers. Drackett was inspired to create an easier, less messy way to clean windows after struggling to carry heavy buckets of water himself, Windex allowed an easier mess free solution.

Vintage advertisement for Windex glass cleaner featuring various household items like a vinyl chair, an appliance with a stove, a porcelain vase, a bathroom tile, a car grille, and a window with a spray bottle in front, emphasizing its versatility in cleaning different surfaces.

THE MAKING OF A CLEANING CLASSIC

Windex was originally marketed as an automobile windshield cleaner sold in metal cans because of its 100% solvent formula, making it extremely flammable.Early versions were yellow due to their soap base, but the product was later changed in 1936 to its iconic blue color to appeal more to consumers. Following WWII, the invention of surface-active agents allowed Drakett to reformulate Windex to be less flammable making it safe to package in glass bottles. The Drackett company was bought by Bristol-Myers, then by SC Johnson in 1992 who still owns and manufactures it to this day.

Logo of Windex with red text and a silver starburst above the letter 'i'.
Black and white advertisement for Windex glass cleaner featuring a smiling woman spraying Windex on a mirror. There is a smaller inset image of a woman cleaning a window with Windex. The ad highlights ease of use, quick results, and no work cleaning windows, with a bottle of Windex prominently displayed.