How Laundry Detergent Works | HowStuffWorks
Prior to the invention of laundry detergents, Americans used soap flakes to wash clothes. However, in the 1930s, the first laundry detergent, Dreft by Procter & Gamble, hit the market. Later, in 1943, Procter & Gamble produced Tide, which could get out tougher stains due to the use of some very unique chemical ingredients.