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Dettol is a hygiene brand owned by the consumer products company Reckitt Benckiser. Product formats include household disinfection, first aid and personal hygiene.

History
The prototype Dettol antiseptic formulation was developed at Reckitt & Sons Ltd, in 1929, by Dr. W.C. Reynolds. Albert Reckitt, then owner of Reckitt & Sons, initially engaged Dr. Reynolds to develop a household disinfectant with a pleasant fragrance. Dr. Reynolds developed an effective germicide based on a chemical called Para-chlor-metha-xylenol (PCMX), compounded with essential oils which gave it the desired pleasant smell.

Reckitt & Sons Ltd employed an Advertising Agency owner, Charles Hobson to work as Agent for the new product. After being informed of benefits of the new formulation, Hobson urged that the product be evaluated for medical purposes rather than household, so that the product could be marketed as an antiseptic for human use. He argued that once it was established at this level then other, more everyday uses could be advocated.

As a result, formulations were submitted for testing to a team of bacteriologists and then to the Berhard Baron Research Laboratories at Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital, London from 1930 – 1933. The results of the study were published showing that during the two year period in which Dettol had been in use, the incidence of puerperal sepsis (infection during childbirth) had been reduced by over 50%. In a separate paper by Dr Colebrook, he comments specifically on the uses of Dettol antiseptic:

"Dettol is the proprietary name given to an antiseptic recently put on the market by Messrs. Reckitt of Hull. It is a halogen derivative of xylenol (a coal tar product), which is dissolved in aromatic essential oils and is miscible with water in a permanently stable emulsion. It differs from most of the antiseptics in common use in that its use in concentrated form is not prohibited by toxic effects – for example, it is well tolerated on the naked hands day after day, or on the vulva or even on the intact vaginal mucous membrane, and yet a 1 per cent. solution very rapidly kills haemolytic streptococci and B. coli, even in the presence of pus. Its bactericidal activity is very little deminished by mixture with soap. It has a pleasant smell. Our experience with it at Queen Charlotte’s, both in labour wards and in the isolation block, has been very satisfactory."

- Dr. L Colebrook

Dettol Antiseptic Liquid first appeared as manufactured by The Suffolk Chemical Company, a subsidiary of Reckitt & Sons in 1932 in test market. This was done due to managements concern that Reckitt & Sons’ reputation as a household goods manufacturer would be a handicap for a medical product. Dettol was launched across the UK in 1933. After the launch of Dettol Antiseptic Liquid, Reckitt & Sons (and subsequent holding companies) expanded the Dettol brand into other product formats.

Composition and Chemistry
Dettol as a consumer product brand uses multiple active ingredients, depending on the product format

Marketing
Dettol products are currently sold in over 70 countries. Dettol Antiseptic Liquid’s advertising communication in the initial years was via medical detailing material, print advertisement in popular press and medical journals.

One of the early advertising campaigns was ‘Tell me Doctor’, which ran from 1935 – 1948. The campaign styled as an educational dialog with a physician, detailing the risks of infection. Throughout the advertising history of Dettol, it has engaged in the sponsorship of contests associated with childbirth and midwifery. This included such contests as ‘Baby of the year competition’ which was introduced in 1969 and ‘The National Nursing Awards’ which was introduced in 1974.

In 2011, Dettol launched the ‘Mission for Health’ campaign continuing to focus on new mothers and communities.