O-Cedar® has spent over 100 years taking the “work” out of housework and with a constant focus on innovative cleaning products that save people time. Today, we are the proud producer of the #1 spin mop*, the EasyWring Spin Mop & Bucket System, but our rich history began over 100 years ago.
Early Beginnings
O-Cedar traces its beginnings all the way back to 1906 with a strong focus on innovation that still continues today. Originally a manufacturer of wood polishes and waxes, the O-Cedar company soon realized handle-mounted applicators would enhance the cleaning performance of polishes and waxes. Soon after, O-Cedar broom and mop sales quickly surpassed, and eventually displaced, the sales of the polishes and waxes and O-Cedar has been producing easy-to-use cleaning products ever since.
Fun Fact: The name “O-Cedar” originally came from the use of leaves of cedar trees in the oil products.
O-Cedar Timeline
Below is a timeline that features some of the major highlights of O-Cedar’s rich history in home products and cleaning innovation.
- 1906: Charles A. Channell founded the Channell Chemical Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- 1908: The oil-treated dust mop was introduced as a natural companion to O-Cedar floor polishes.
- 1920’s: O-Cedar helped pioneer radio advertising on NBC and magazine ads by appearing in Good Housekeeping, Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Companion.
- 1949: O-Cedar introduced the Sponge butterfly hinge mop and launched the “No Wet Hands” campaign.
- 1959: The first dust mop with durable parts for washability were introduced.
- 1969: O-Cedar advertises its “Floor” Master Sponge hinge mop with an exclusive “Power Strip” in several women’s magazines.
- 1971: The Angler Broom, with an angled broom head for easy corner sweeping is introduced. This is the first major advancement in broom design in 200 years!
- 1983: “Makes Your Life Easier”, O-Cedar’s brand slogan is trademarked.
- 1986: The Light and Thirsty Cloth Mop is introduced. This is the first wet mop in the country incorporating highly absorbent, synthetic material.
- Mid-90’s: At this time, the O-Cedar 2000 Twist ‘N Mop is introduced as the company’s first mass marketed twist mop.
- 1997: O-Cedar products underwent a major transformation as our three different product lines, O-Cedar
- 2000: O-Cedar O-riginals and O-Cedar Basics were merged into one line.
- 2003: Freudenberg Household Products LP a global company based in Weinheim, Germany, acquired O-Cedar and moved the headquarters back to where it was originally born in the Chicagoland area.
- 2004: O-Cedar’s classic ”Makes Your Life Easier” jingle is back on TVs across the country with three all new TV commercials.
- 2005: The O-Cedar product line is relaunched with new products and, new packaging.
- 2007: The next generation of the Angler and PowerCorner brooms are introduced, featuring innovative BumpGuards and recycled Memory Bristles.
- 2009: O-Cedar transitioned its brand color to the iconic O-Cedar Red.
- 2010: O-Cedar launched the ProMist, the first microfiber spray mop.
- 2015: Hands-free wringing becomes a fun and effective way to mop floors with the launch of the EasyWring Spin Mop & Bucket System.
- 2016: O-Cedar launches the ProMist MAX Spray Mop featuring a larger size mop head than the original ProMist, and a dual-sided, washable microfiber mop pad for quick floor cleaning.
- 2017: O-Cedar officially partners with Habitat for Humanity with the belief that everyone deserves access to affordable and decent housing.
Today: O-Cedar has come a long way from its wood polish and wax days. As a legacy brand, O-Cedar has remained passionate about cleaning and has continued to innovate our product line so that every mop, broom and cleaning product can “Make Your Life Easier”.
O-Cedar products is proudly producing and assembling quality cleaning products in the U.S. We pack innovative technology into every one of our mops, spray mops, brooms, and cleaning sponges. We believe the magic is in the science and that is something we have been dedicated to for more than 100 years and will continue to focus on as we move forward into the next decade.
**The EasyWring #1 Spin Mop claim is based on IRI, Total US MULO, L52wks 9/9/18, Consumer Focused Durable Mops dollar sales.
Learn more about O-Cedar’s 12 decades of innovative invention below.
