In the early 20th century, Lysol, a household disinfectant, was controversially marketed as a feminine hygiene product and contraceptive resulting in severe health issues and deaths of women.
Lysol (known in India as Lizol or sometimes Lisol) is a longstanding brand of disinfectant products currently owned by Reckitt.
Lysol was first introduced in 1889, developed by Gustav Raupenstrauch in Wiesbaden, Germany. The original formula used a soluble blend of phenol and methylphenols to be used as an antiseptic and disinfectant. Initially, Lysol was used in medical and surgical settings as a disinfectant, developed for disinfecting during late 19th-century cholera outbreaks, and later extensively advertised as a disinfectant during the Spanish flu pandemic.
Over time, Lysol was licensed and manufactured in various markets, the Lehn & Fink firm imported it to US by 1900. It was introduced in India also around the same time and sold under the variant name Lizol.
Originally Lysol formulations were strongly phenolic (cresol-based). These strong antiseptic mixtures were caustic and could cause tissue damage and burns when used on skin. The cresol-based phenolic compounds used in early Lysol were corrosive and absorbed through mucosal tissues, leading to burns, systemic poisoning, and even organ failure in some reported cases (World Health Organization 2023).
In later years, Lysol formulations shifted toward quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g. benzalkonium chloride) and other gentler disinfectant agents. Some lines also use hydrogen peroxide as the active disinfectant (e.g., Lysol “Power & Free”).
These changes made the products safer for external household uses (cleaning surfaces, disinfection) but did not eliminate risk if used on human body.
In the 1920s, manufacturers of Lysol adopted a marketing strategy to broaden its consumer appeal. They promoted it as a “feminine hygiene product” or douching product. Advertisements targeted women, suggesting that use of Lysol would preserve feminine cleanliness and 'marital harmony' and 'Daintiness'. It was insinuated as a woman's duty to stay petite (not pregnant) to increase her appeal to her husband in the marriage. A booklet about feminine hygiene was also provided along with the product with some information about FAQs.
The advertisements often showcased individual user experiences to increase the 'trustworthiness' and safety of the product.
Because explicit advertising of birth control was legally restricted or against public decency, and contraception was illegal in US under state Comstock laws till 1965, the product was marketed under the guise of hygiene, but often implied contraceptive use.
Lysol douches became a top-selling feminine hygiene product from the 1930s into the 1960s due to their aggressive marketing. By late 1960s, more awareness about the dangers and availability of other products limited its use.
Douching is the washing or cleaning out the inside of the vagina. It was done to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases or infections.
Currently it is done by few for perceived benefits like personal hygiene, feeling fresh, controlling odor, and cleansing after menstruation or sex. However, douching can actually harm the body by disrupting the natural vaginal flora, increasing the risk of infections such as bacterial vaginosis, and leading to more serious conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and ectopic pregnancy.
This misunderstanding of hygiene mirrors how visual marketing often masked dangerous medical advice, creating the illusion of scientific endorsement.
In that period, women applied Lysol internally (as a douche), expecting to destroy sperm, but instead caused damage.
Lysol’s strong antiseptic chemicals damaged mucosal tissues, burns, inflammation, and in severe cases, systemic toxicity. Many women died after repeated internal use.
By 1911, doctors had recorded 193 cases of Lysol poisoning and five deaths from uterine irrigation (using Lysol internally) in the U.S. But still, unavailability of other products, and aggressive marketing influenced women's decision
Later, because of health concerns, in 1952, Lysol manufacturer removed (or reduced) cresol (a caustic ingredient) from the formulations used internally (for douches). After that, its advertising as a feminine hygiene or contraceptive product gradually declined.
Over time, consumer protection laws, medical knowledge, and regulatory changes curtailed the marketing of Lysol as a feminine hygiene/contraceptive agent. The product remained (and remains) a household disinfectant—not a medical device or birth control.
References
Zwilling, Jillian Klean. “Feminine Hygiene: An Examination of the Lysol Douche.” JourMS (Journal of Mother Studies). Accessed October 2025. https://jourms.org/feminine-hygiene-an-examination-of-the-lysol-douche/.
Smithsonian Magazine. “Lysol’s Vintage Ads Subtly Pushed Women to Use Its Disinfectant as Birth Control.” Smithsonian Magazine, May 19, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lysols-vintage-ads-subtly-pushed-women-to-use-its-disinfectant-as-birth-control-218734/.
HuffPost. “Lysol’s Original Use: Women’s Hygiene Claims and Consequences.” HuffPost, (date not specified). https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lysol-original-use-women_n_5aa6d689e4b03c9edfae9848.
University of North Carolina Wilmington, History Hub. “Feminine Hygiene and Implied Advertising.” History Hub Online Exhibit: Controlling Birth. Accessed October 2025. https://history-hub.libapps.uncw.edu/exhibits/show/controlling-birth/feminine--hygiene--and-implied.
World Health Organization (WHO). “Phenol and Cresol Toxicity: Human Health Risk Assessment.” WHO Chemical Safety and Health Database, 2023. https://www.who.int/chemical-safety/phenol-cresol-toxicology-report-2023.
MSM