Formula 409 is a Clorox Company brand of home cleaning products that includes Formula 409 All-Purpose Cleaner, Formula 409 Glass and Surface Cleaner, Formula 409 Carpet Cleaner, and many others.

The flagship product was invented in 1957 by Morris D. Rouff (December 20, 1909 – August 19, 1997). Along with his brothers Samuel and Nathan, Rouff was a partner in Gem Products, a company from Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

, which manufactured industrial cleaning supplies. Formula 409’s original application was as a commercial solvent

Solvent

A solvent is a liquid, solid, or gas that dissolves another solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature...

 and degreaser for industries that struggled with particularly difficult cleaning problems. As a heavy-duty alkaline product, Formula 409 was harsher and more toxic than today’s residential cleaner, and was sold only in 40-gallon drums.

Urban legend has it that the product is named for the birthday of the inventor's wife or daughter, or alternatively after a large, powerful engine found in Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

 cars at the time (as sung by the Beach Boys

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

 in their hit song, "409

409 (song)

"409" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Gary Usher for the American rock and roll band, The Beach Boys. The song features Mike Love singing lead vocals. It was originally released as the b-side of the "Surfin' Safari" single...

"). However, the product was actually named 409 because it took the inventors 409 tries to get the formula right.

In 1960, Rouff sold Formula 409 to Chemsol, a New York firm, for an amount in the low six-figure range. In the mid-1960s, entrepreneur

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

 Wilson Harrell, along with longtime friend David Woodcock and television personality Art Linkletter

Art Linkletter

Arthur Gordon "Art" Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years...

, bought Formula 409. Harrell, Woodcock & Linkletter bought it for $30,000 and took it national. Linkletter also promoted the product in television commercials. The company eventually took Formula 409 to a 55 percent share of the spray-cleaner market, and six years later, Harrell, Woodcock & Linkletter sold the company to Clorox for $7 million.http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/1997/12/22/smallb5.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/1996/10/21/smallb3.html

The original Formula 409 has been discontinued, and has been replaced with "Formula 409 Antibacterial All-Purpose Cleaner," as confirmed in a customer service email:

Unfortunately we do not have the original formula non anti-bacterial any longer.

We would not have any information on sales overseas.

Formula 409 is also the title of the first single from their 2008 album "Flashy" by Electric Six

Electric Six

Electric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of "garage, disco, punk, new wave, and metal." The band met recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", and subsequently recorded...

, where it is used as a metaphor for the power those with money and connections, including politicians and the rich, have to cover up their sordid and illegal actions.
It is also mentioned in the Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....

 song "What Sarah Said" from their 2005 album "Plans

Plans (album)

Plans has received positive reviews. On the review aggregate site Metacritic, the album has a score of 66 out of 100, indicating "Generally favorable reviews."-Track listing:-Personnel:*Ben Gibbard – vocals, guitars...

". The song describes an intensive-care unit smelling of 409 and urine.

In Episode 10, "Cellar Beware", of Duckman

Duckman

Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man is an American animated sitcom that aired from 1994–1997, created by Everett Peck and developed by Peck. The sitcom is based on characters created by Peck in his Dark Horse comic...

, Duckman makes unpleasant cocktails for his unwelcome neighbourhood guests

Duckman - "A little Duckman Kickapoo Juice (Kickapoo Joy Juice

Kickapoo Joy Juice

Kickapoo Joy Juice is a citrus-flavored soft drink brand owned by The Monarch Beverage Company. The name was originally introduced in Li'l Abner, a comic strip that ran from 1934 through 1977...

) to dull the nerve-endings and make
everyone seem at least mildly interesting"

Guest - "If I didn't know better I'd say this was Formula 409"