Formula 409 or 409 is an American brand of home and industrial cleaning products well known in the United States, but virtually unknown in other places. It includes Formula 409 All-Purpose Cleaner, Formula 409 Glass and Surface Cleaner, Formula 409 Carpet Cleaner, and many others. The brand is currently owned by Clorox. [1]
The flagship product was invented in 1957 by Morris D. Rouff, whose Michigan company manufactured industrial cleaning supplies.[2] Formula 409’s original application was as a commercial solvent and degreaser for industries that struggled with particularly difficult cleaning problems.
The inventor's son has stated that it was named for the birthday of the inventor's wife, Ruth, on April 9th (409).[3] The company, however, claims that it was named as the 409th compound tested by the two young inventors.[4] Other claimed origins for the name include 409 being the telephone area code where it was invented (area code 409, which serves southeastern Texas