Bon Ami Brings Back 125-Year-Old Cleaning Cake to Celebrate Anniversary, Commitment to Non-Toxic Ingredients

June 27th, 2013 • BY

Bon Ami Brings Back 125-Year-Old Cleaning Cake to Celebrate Anniversary, Commitment to Non-Toxic Ingredients

Bon Ami is celebrating its 125th anniversary by issuing a limited run of its original 1886 Formula Cleaning Cake, once a staple in households across America.

“Households used this product for more than a century. It’s not only effective, it’s truly one of the most thrifty and ecological products for cleaning,” says Carolyn Beaham West, Bon Ami’s brand ambassador and a member of the family owners. “It requires no fancy technology to use, has minimal, recyclable packaging, is versatile and lasts for months.”

Made from the same recipe of ground feldspar and tallow soap developed in the 1880s, the cakes are pressed, cured and cut into bars by hand.

Bon Ami has a tradition of thoughtful, thrifty products. In the late 19th century, most household cleansers were harsh and abrasive. Bon Ami’s innovation came from taking the softer mineral feldspar, a waste product from quartz mining, and combining it with mild tallow soap to create a cleanser that polished away dirt and stains but was also gentle on surfaces and people.

While the cake fell out of favor in more modern times, the recent cultural return to both thrift and thoughtful home keeping, and steady requests by fans to bring back the product inspired Bon Ami to make a limited batch.

Founded in 1886, Bon Ami has weathered the Great Depression, chemical revolution and an a stream of fads by keeping its products simple. The Bon Ami anniversary 1886 Formula Cleaning Cake joins a full line of natural household cleaners, which last year grew to include liquid cleanser, all-purpose spray and dish soap, in addition to the popular flagship “yellow can” Powder Cleanser and “red can” 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Bon Ami is an independent, family-owned company with products available in hardware stores and grocery stores nationwide.

For more information, visit the Bon Ami website at www.bonami.com.