Calgon water softener

Calgon is a legacy brand in the water treatment and household cleaning industry, widely recognized for its slogan 'Wash results last longer with Calgon.' The brand was originally established in the United States in 1933, derived from the phrase 'CALcium GONe.' It was pioneered by the Calgon Corporation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which utilized sodium hexametaphosphate to sequester minerals in hard water.

Over the decades, the brand has undergone several ownership changes. Today, the global household market for Calgon is owned by the British multinational Reckitt (formerly Reckitt Benckiser). While the brand originated in the USA, manufacturing now takes place in various regions across Europe and North America to serve local markets. In the United States, certain rights to the name for beauty and personal care products are held by other entities, but the laundry and water softening line remains a flagship of Reckitt's cleaning portfolio.