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Before it became one of the staples in children's craft activities worldwide, Play-Doh had quite an unlikely origin. It was not initially intended to be a children's toy but a product for removing coal residue from wallpaper. In the 1930s, before the widespread use of vinyl-based wallpapers and natural gas heating systems became common, many American homes were warmed by burning coal. The smoke would leave hard-to-clean residues on walls. In response to this problem, Cleo McVicker manufactured and sold a dough-like compound designed to clean wallpaper made through Kutol Products Company, which he co-founded. However, his product eventually became unnecessary when coal furnaces began to fall out of use post World War II, and vinyl wallpapers (more durable and easier to clean) came onto the market. During this time, McVicker’s nephew discovered that the non-toxic product made an excellent modeling clay for a local nursery school project - leading to its chance of rebranding as Play-Doh. After realizing its potential, McVicker decided to rework and remarket the product as an educational toy. By 1956, they officially launched their new product – now called Play-Doh – in schools and department stores. Thus, an iconic piece of playtime fun grew known worldwide from rather prosaic beginnings. This piece of history is not well known nor commonly found in mainstream sources but is an intriguing example of how serendipity can shape popular products[^1^].
How Play-Doh Was Invented: A Surprising Historical Tale
Play-Doh, the popular children's modelling clay, was originally developed as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s.