People are just realising why many washing up liquids are green, and the reason may surprise you. Annabel Port, curator at The Other British Museum, regularly takes to social media to discuss modern day items that symbolise modern Britain. In a recent post, she explained why the 'default' colour of washing up liquid is green. It all goes back to the first washing up liquid in the UK: Fairy, which was made available to consumers in 1959.
The Origin of Green Washing Up Liquid
Explaining the colour, Annabel said: "The first British washing up liquid was Fairy in 1959, and they've always made a big deal about it being green. Did we really need the colour in 'mild green Fairy liquid'?" Later, other brands brought out their own versions, and these were also green, "like it was the rule." Annabel continued: "But it contains no green active ingredients. It's been dyed this colour, so why green?"
The Olive Oil Connection
Back in 1898, Fairy soap was launched and used for everything: clothes, dishes, skin, whatever. It was made in Newcastle by Thomas Hedley and Co, and early ads show that the soap was also green—olive green—for a reason: it contained olive oil. There is no longer olive oil in Fairy, but "this was their brand colour and they stuck with it, and other companies blindly followed. Fairy liquid was a trailblazer."
Public Reaction
Many people rushed to the post's comments section to share their thoughts. One Instagram user wrote: "Who knew that Newcastle was the home of Fairy liquid?" A second said: "My Mum always had a cake of Fairy soap for washing clothes by hand. I didn’t know about the olive oil though." A third added: "Brilliant. I didn't realise the olive oil connection." A fourth wrote: "1959 seems late for washing up liquid in the realm of inventions. And also it’s weird how other colours doesn’t look quite right."
