America's original natural home cleaner
Powder cleanser
Bon Ami Powder Cleaner hasn’t scratched yet®, but it has changed – for the better. The old name, Polishing Cleanser, did not seem to fit the way today’s homemaker was using it. Loyal fans don’t save Bon Ami for grandmother’s silver; they use it every day in the kitchen and bath.
Bon Ami still uses the trademark feldspar and limestone as gentle, effective abrasives, but now combines them with even more sustainable cleaning agents from renewable corn, coconut, and palm oils. Plus we’ve added a touch of baking soda to help absorb odors.
Bon Ami Powder Cleanser’s new label is bold interpretation of the classic red banner and Bon Ami’s famous just-hatched chick. The paper and steel package is one of the most eco-friendly on store shelves. It’s made from recycled paper and can be recycled again.
What’s the Difference?
When Bon Ami was first created in 1886, it was state-of-the art, crafted to care for homes and kitchens with a gentle effectiveness that was unlike anything else on the market. The recipe was simple: tallow soap and feldspar.
Tallow soap is a centuries-old way of taking discarded animal fat and with a little bit of natural soda ashs turning it into a gentle soap. The first recipe for this kind of soap dates back almost 5000 years. Bon Ami’s innovation was adding the more gentle abrasive powder feldspar to make a soap that was effective at cleaning but gentle on surfaces.
We still make the 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder the same way. We no longer form it into cakes, but the recipe is unchanged. We find that many customers prefer this formula for specialty uses.
But kitchens and bathrooms have changed, and need an updated cleaner. Bon Ami Powder Cleaner is the answer. This formula uses a plant-based cleaning agent, and adds to it feldspar and the even softer abrasive, limestone. We add a little bit of soda ash and a touch of baking soda. The result is a natural, effective cleaner for modern surfaces.
The Science of Soap
The oldest known recipes for soap date back 5000 years. There are essentially two ingredients: a fat, which is acidic, and ash, which is basic. The acid and the basic in these ingredients interact to form a salt, which is soap.
Our Bon Ami 1886 formula uses a soap made from purified tallow and soda ash. To this simple soap, Bon Ami adds powdered feldspar. Feldspar is a naturally occurring mineral that has a hardness of about 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Yet the soap surrounds the feldspar grains lubricating them so they do not scratch most surfaces.
Favorite Uses for the 1886 Formula
People write in all the time with interesting uses for the 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder. One of the most common is cleaning glass. The original formula is safe to use on most glass because the tallow soap means that a slurry of the powder and a little water will glide over the glass surface, cleaning away dirt but not scratching. This formula leaves behind a slight, invisible film that protects the glass from salt spray making it a favorite for boats and seaside homes. This film keeps mirrors from fogging up in the bathroom too.
If you have a favorite use for the 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder, write us and tell us what it is.
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Reviews
All products performed well but I especially liked the liquid cleanser (I do miss the solid Bon-Ami bar). My stove top looks like new.
- Jane, January 2010
Great Product, I don't even bother putting it away. I use it to clean just about everything. Does not leave behind a grity residue.
- Brenda Hine, June 2010
I like to use a little bit each time I am finished doing the dishes, it keeps my stainless sink sparkling and clean!!
- jennifer, July 2010
...thanks bon ami for making a good product even better...i appreciate the easier rinsing on the bon ami powdered cleaser...it reallie cuts some time in the cleaning process...i have used & loved bon ami for years...it gets a work out in the bathroom, kitchen & our jewelry making studio, scrubbing oxidation off metal!
- cintra, August 2010
I have used this product for many years and started using it to polish my stainless steel fridge, dishwasher, and wall oven. In addition, I used it to totally clean my s/s outdoor grill. Everything always looks so beautiful, clean, and polished when I am finished using this product. Thank you.
- Jolyn Barrow, August 2010
I love Bon Ami Powder and want to be able to continue using it. However I really liked the new products and would but them as well. I especially liked the liquid cleanser in my bathroom sink which is mounted in an antique chest of drawers. The small bottle is just right for putting in the drawer and I liked that feature.
- Mike, January 2010