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| {{Short description|Heavy-duty hand cleaning product}} | |||
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| ⚫ | {{more citations needed|date=May 2013}} | ||
| ⚫ | '''Swarfega''' is a brand of heavy-duty hand cleaner made by |
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| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | '''Swarfega''' ({{IPAc-en|s|w|ɔːr|ˈ|f|iː|g|ə}}) is a brand of heavy-duty hand cleaner made by Deb Limited, a ] company based in ], ]. It is used in engineering, construction, and other manual trades, such as printing. | ||
| It is a |
It is a gelatinous, ] substance, dark green or orange in colour, which is used to clean ], ], ], or general persistent, ] dirt from the skin. Swarfega works a small amount into dry skin and then wipes or rinses off. As with other such cleaners, it can be more effective than soap or other common cleansing products at removing such dirt; accordingly, Swarfega has become virtually ubiquitous in environments where this kind of dirt is common, such as ]s and ]s. | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| Swarfega was invented in 1947 by Audley Bowdler Williamson (28 February 1916 - 21 November 2004), an industrial chemist from ], ].<ref name="Times obit" >{{cite journal |title=Audley Bowdler Williamson (Obituary)|url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1077655.ece |date=December 14, 2004 |journal=]}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>"Latest Wills", The Register, '']'', 19 August 2006, page 67.</ref> In 1941, he founded a detergent-sales company, Deb Silkware Protection Ltd., based in ], to produce a formulation for extending the life of ] ]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.debgroup.com/uk/about-deb/history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203191523/https://www.debgroup.com/uk/about-deb/history |archive-date=Dec 3, 2020 |website=Deb Group}}</ref> The name derived from "]",<ref name="Times obit" /> to signify the newness of the company and its products. The introduction of nylon stockings threatened to render it superfluous; however, Williamson purportedly suggested that mechanics had already found it useful for cleaning their hands. This myth may have been encouraged to attract interest, but the product was reformulated and marketed as Swarfega, becoming the company's main product. (The company's name had been changed to Deb Chemical Proprietaries Ltd.) Before Swarfega, mechanics used a variety of harsh home-brewed cleaners such as paraffin (kerosene), sand, and petrol. These removed the skin's natural oils, leading to dry, cracked skin and the risk of ]. The effectiveness of Swarfega is due to the hydrophobic ingredients, including medium-chain (C9-C16) ] and ] in combination with an emulsifier (Trideceth-5 in current formulations). These are more efficient at ] oil and grease than a detergent alone.{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}} | |||
| Swarfega was invented in 1947 by '''Audley Bowdler Williamson''' (28 February 1916 - 21 November 2004), an industrial chemist from ], ].<ref name="Times obit" >{{cite journal | |||
| |title=Audley Bowdler Williamson (Obituary) | |||
| |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1077655.ece | |||
| |date=December 14, 2004 | |||
| |journal=] | |||
| }}</ref><ref>"Latest Wills", The Register, '']'', 19 August 2006, page 67.</ref> In 1941 he had founded a detergent-sales company, Deb Silkware Protection Ltd., based in ], to produce a formulation for extending the life of ] ]s.<ref></ref> The name derived from "]",<ref name="Times obit" /> to signify the newness of the company and its products. The introduction of ] threatened to render it superfluous; however, Williamson suggested that mechanics had already found it useful for cleaning their hands. | |||
| ⚫ | In the UK, "Swarfega" may be a generic term for all similar cleaners, particularly if they have the same green jelly-like appearance as genuine Swarfega. According to the company website, the name derives from "swarf", a Derbyshire word for oil and grease, and "ega", as in "eager to clean".<ref>{{Cite web |title=For the Home {{!}} Swarfega is Born |url=http://www.swarfega.com/home/swarfega-born |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920115827/http://www.swarfega.com/home/swarfega-born |archive-date=Sep 20, 2017 |website=Swarfega}}</ref> "]" now commonly refers to the metal shavings and chips resulting from metalworking operations. The word did not initially mean oil or gre,ase as Deb claimed, but rather the waste material from a grindstone (or similar material resulting from wear in a machine). This material would be a wet or oily mixture of grit abraded from the wheel and filings from the workpiece. | ||
| This may have been a myth encouraged to attract interest, but the product was reformulated and marketed as Swarfega, becoming the company's main product. (The company’s name had been changed to Deb Chemical Proprietaries Ltd.) Before Swarfega, mechanics used a variety of harsh home-brewed cleaners such as paraffin (kerosene), sand and petrol. These removed the skin's natural oils, leading to dry, cracked skin and the risk of ]. | |||
| ⚫ | Deb has expanded its product range and has long offered products related to detergent ingredients or sold to the same mechanical trades. Many of these, such as ], a water-rinsable degreaser used for washing mechanical parts rather than mechanics, first defined the original market for a new product that has become commonplace. | ||
| The effectiveness of Swarfega is due to the hydrophobic ingredients, notably medium-chain (C9-C16) ] and ]; in combination with an emulsifier (] in current formulations). These are more efficient at ] oil and grease than a detergent alone.{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}} | |||
| ⚫ | It was reported on 3 March 2010 that the manufacturer of Swarfega had been sold to an investment firm for £325 million.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/derbyshire/8548003.stm |title= Derbyshire-based Swarfega manufacturer sold for £325m |work=BBC News |date=2010-03-03 |accessdate=2020-06-12}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | In the UK, |
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| In 2015, Deb Group Ltd. was acquired by ].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Company History |url=https://www.debgroup.com/uk/about-deb/history |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623140342/http://www.debgroup.com:80/uk/about-us/company-history |archive-date=2015-06-23 |access-date=2020-07-02 |website=Deb Group}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | Deb expanded its product range and has long offered |
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| ==Competing products== | ==Competing products== | ||
| Swarfega has lost the ubiquity it once had. Many competing products exist, such as ] Two Fives and Rozalex Gauntlet. Deb has even repositioned their own "Suprega" and "Tufanega" for industrial use.<ref name="Tufanega" >{{cite web|title=Tufanega range |url=http://www.debgroup.com/en/products/selector/skin-care/uk/tufanega/ |publisher=Deb Ltd}}</ref> This has an orange colour, emphasising its "natural" origins and citrus oil ingredients. A similar orange-coloured product called "Dirty Paws" was available in the UK in the 1950s<ref>{{cite web |last=Prior |first=Jeremy |date=November 23, 2007 |title=Watford's vanishing trick |url=https://www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk/content/topics/cassiobury/watfords-vanishing-trick |accessdate=2020-06-12 |website=Our Watford History}}</ref> but is no longer available.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} | |||
| A similar product, called "Dirty Paws", was available in the UK in the 1950s<ref>http://www.watfordjunction.org.uk/page_id__118_path__0p12p25p.aspx</ref> but has now vanished. It was orange, not green. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| In recent years, Swarfega has lost the ubiquity it once had. There are now many competing products, such as ] Two Fives and Rozalex Gauntlet, Deb have even repositioned their own "Suprega" and "Tufanega" for industrial use.<ref name="Tufanega" >{{cite web | |||
| * ] | |||
| |title=Tufanega range | |||
| |url=http://www.debgroup.com/en/products/selector/skin-care/uk/tufanega/ | |||
| |publisher= | |||
| }}</ref> This has an orange colour, emphasising its "natural" origins and citrus oil ingredients. As with its own precursors, Swarfega now raises concern over removing skin oils {{Citation needed|date=April 2012}} and so a gentler solution is sought {{Whom|date=April 2012}}. Some{{What|date=April 2012}} may also contain mechanical scrubbing additives, such as polymer grains. | |||
| ==Current== | |||
| ⚫ | It was reported on 3 March 2010 that the manufacturer of Swarfega had been sold to an investment firm for £325 million.<ref>news |
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| == References == | == References == | ||
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Latest revision as of 19:16, 6 January 2025
Heavy-duty hand cleaning product
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Swarfega (/swɔːrˈfiːɡə/) is a brand of heavy-duty hand cleaner made by Deb Limited, a British company based in Denby, Derbyshire. It is used in engineering, construction, and other manual trades, such as printing.
It is a gelatinous, thixotropic substance, dark green or orange in colour, which is used to clean grease, oil, printer's ink, or general persistent, hydrophobic dirt from the skin. Swarfega works a small amount into dry skin and then wipes or rinses off. As with other such cleaners, it can be more effective than soap or other common cleansing products at removing such dirt; accordingly, Swarfega has become virtually ubiquitous in environments where this kind of dirt is common, such as garages and machine shops.
History
Swarfega was invented in 1947 by Audley Bowdler Williamson (28 February 1916 - 21 November 2004), an industrial chemist from Heanor, Derbyshire. In 1941, he founded a detergent-sales company, Deb Silkware Protection Ltd., based in Belper, to produce a formulation for extending the life of silk stockings. The name derived from "debutante", to signify the newness of the company and its products. The introduction of nylon stockings threatened to render it superfluous; however, Williamson purportedly suggested that mechanics had already found it useful for cleaning their hands. This myth may have been encouraged to attract interest, but the product was reformulated and marketed as Swarfega, becoming the company's main product. (The company's name had been changed to Deb Chemical Proprietaries Ltd.) Before Swarfega, mechanics used a variety of harsh home-brewed cleaners such as paraffin (kerosene), sand, and petrol. These removed the skin's natural oils, leading to dry, cracked skin and the risk of occupational dermatitis. The effectiveness of Swarfega is due to the hydrophobic ingredients, including medium-chain (C9-C16) alkanes and cycloalkanes in combination with an emulsifier (Trideceth-5 in current formulations). These are more efficient at solubilizing oil and grease than a detergent alone.
In the UK, "Swarfega" may be a generic term for all similar cleaners, particularly if they have the same green jelly-like appearance as genuine Swarfega. According to the company website, the name derives from "swarf", a Derbyshire word for oil and grease, and "ega", as in "eager to clean". "Swarf" now commonly refers to the metal shavings and chips resulting from metalworking operations. The word did not initially mean oil or gre,ase as Deb claimed, but rather the waste material from a grindstone (or similar material resulting from wear in a machine). This material would be a wet or oily mixture of grit abraded from the wheel and filings from the workpiece.
Deb has expanded its product range and has long offered products related to detergent ingredients or sold to the same mechanical trades. Many of these, such as Jizer, a water-rinsable degreaser used for washing mechanical parts rather than mechanics, first defined the original market for a new product that has become commonplace.
It was reported on 3 March 2010 that the manufacturer of Swarfega had been sold to an investment firm for £325 million.
In 2015, Deb Group Ltd. was acquired by S. C. Johnson & Son.
Competing products
Swarfega has lost the ubiquity it once had. Many competing products exist, such as Rozalex Two Fives and Rozalex Gauntlet. Deb has even repositioned their own "Suprega" and "Tufanega" for industrial use. This has an orange colour, emphasising its "natural" origins and citrus oil ingredients. A similar orange-coloured product called "Dirty Paws" was available in the UK in the 1950s but is no longer available.
See also
References
- ^ "Audley Bowdler Williamson (Obituary)". The Times. 14 December 2004.
- "Latest Wills", The Register, The Times, 19 August 2006, page 67.
- "Company History". Deb Group. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020.
- "For the Home | Swarfega is Born". Swarfega. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017.
- "Derbyshire-based Swarfega manufacturer sold for £325m". BBC News. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- "Company History". Deb Group. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- "Tufanega range". Deb Ltd.
- Prior, Jeremy (23 November 2007). "Watford's vanishing trick". Our Watford History. Retrieved 12 June 2020.