Mortein is an Australian brand of household insecticide owned by the British company Reckitt. Together with its sister product Aerogard, a popular insect repellent, Mortein is widely used in Australia and is marketed internationally. It is also available in New Zealand,[1] India,[2] Pakistan,[3] Fiji, and the Comoros. The brand has been represented in television commercials by cartoon villain Louie the Fly.
In 1969, the Samuel Taylor company was bought by the British company Reckitt & Colman.
Creation
Mortein was made its first appearance as an insecticidal powder in the 1870s by J. Hagemann, a German immigrant to Australia. It is believed that Hagemann himself came up with the name Mortein, with a little help from his French wife. The word "Mortein" is a combination of the French word "mort" (dead) and the German