Towards the end of his acting career, Ronald Reagan served as the host of “Death Valley Days”, which was sponsored by the Pacific Coast Borax Company, later U.S. Borax company, maker of various soap and cleaning products. In these TV commercials, Reagan promotes the company’s waterless hand cleaner. At :35, Reagan’s daughter Patti shows off powdered Boraxo powdered hand soap. At 1:08, Reagan shows off the hand soap in a new decorator container, and shows off the waterless hand cleaner at 1:42. At 2:12, Reagan is shown surrounded by various laundry products, promoting the economical Borateem cleanser, a natural fabric softener and cleaner. At 2:58, Reagan discusses how the detergent sanitizes diapers and prevents diaper rash. At 3:14, another Borateem television ad, with animated sunburst, as the narrator discusses the product’s disinfecting and sanitizing power.

Borateem still exists to this day. It is a brand of non-chlorine, color-safe powder bleach, now manufactured by the Dial Corporation, used to whiten whites, brighten colors, and remove stains from laundry. The Boraxo line of hand cleansers expanded to include powdered and liquid hand cleaners but was discontinued by Dial in 2021 or 2022.

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