From the Collection: Fels-Naptha Soap

by Kylie Berringer (2020 Summer Student)

Fels-Naptha soap has been used for over a century, having first been sold in 1893.  The soap has been used to treat stains in clothing, but it has also been used as a home remedy for poison ivy and poison oak.  

Part of the name for the soap, Fels, comes from the company’s owner, but the name also comes from the ingredient naphtha. This was the first soap to use naphtha, an ingredient that used to be common in soaps, but has since stopped being used. A new and improved version of Fels-Naptha soap can still be found on store shelves today, and it continues to be used for treating poison ivy.