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Bottle of "Dero CLAR" dishwashing detergent
Object/Artifact
A tall, faceted (polygonal-section) cylindrical bottle of cream/ivory plastic with a ribbed conical screw cap (twist/spike-type dispensing cap), containing — or formerly containing — dishwashing detergent. The front is printed in dark red: a small three-flower motif beside lowercase "dero," then "CLAR" in bold, underscored, above the descriptive line "Detergente para fregar vajillas y otros objetos de uso doméstico. Devuelve el brillo de los objetos." The reverse carries the "DERO ®" oval logo, "MODO DE EMPLEO:" with directions (one spoonful of Dero Clar in 4 liters of hot water; wash objects and rinse under running water), and net weight "500 ± 15 g." The "DERO" trademark is also embossed in an oval on the bottle shoulder. The plastic is yellowed/aged with soiling, especially at the cap.
2025.1.156
Detergent used and bottle preserved in the Caraballo Gálvez household.
The Cabrera Arús family collection
2025.1
Ploiești detergent factory
Romania
Eastern Europe
Europe
DERO — the Romanian detergent brand (the name an abbreviation of "detergent românesc," Romanian detergent).
Maker: DERO — Romanian detergent brand, created in 1966 ("Detergent Românesc"), produced at the detergent factory in Ploiești (Prahova, Romania). This "Dero Clar" dishwashing variant is Spanish-labeled for the Cuban market — a socialist-bloc (Romanian/COMECON) import. The brand and producing city (Ploiești) are confirmed; the specific socialist-era state enterprise that operated the Ploiești detergent works in the 1960s–80s is not yet identified (post-1995 the plant was Unilever Romania). Date: circa 1970s–1980s (tentative). The DERO brand dates from the 1960s in Romania; a Spanish-labeled export to Cuba fits the 1970s–80s socialist-bloc trade period, consistent with the bottle's styling.
Front (printed, red): three-flower motif; "dero"; "CLAR"; "Detergente para fregar vajillas y otros objetos de uso doméstico. Devuelve el brillo de los objetos." Reverse (printed, red): "DERO ®" (oval logo); "MODO DE EMPLEO: En 4 litros de agua caliente se pone 1 cucharada de DERO CLAR. Se friegan los objetos y después se enjuagan bajo el chorro de agua."; "500 ± 15 g." Shoulder (embossed): "DERO" in an oval.
Materials: Molded plastic bottle (cream/ivory, yellowed; likely HDPE — tentative) with molded plastic screw/dispensing cap; printing ink. Contents: dishwashing detergent (presence/quantity not assessed). Technique: Blow-molded faceted plastic bottle with embossed shoulder trademark and threaded conical cap; surface-printed (screen or pad) label text in red.
Fair
Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez
owner
Havana
Cuba
Caribbean
Central America
use, purchase
Romania
Eastern Europe
Europe
production
DERO ("Detergent Românesc") was launched in 1966 at the Ploiești detergent factory and became Romania's iconic detergent brand. This dishwashing variant, "Dero Clar," is Spanish-labeled for Cuba — a Romanian COMECON import. Producing city confirmed as Ploiești; the exact socialist-era state-enterprise name (1960s–80s) is unconfirmed and would need Romanian industrial-history records to pin down.