Mr. Clean "Retiring" After 68 Years on the Job

After more than six decades of cleaning up messes, Mr. Clean is "retiring."

In a February 18 news conference, Mr. Clean announced he was "hanging up his whites" and taking some much-needed time off.

"After a career with zero stains on the record, he's ready for new adventures," an announcer said. "But don't worry, his products will continue to be available to support all your cleaning needs."

So, the mascot is retiring but the products aren't going anywhere.

Who Mr. Clean Is

Introduced in 1958, Mr. Clean, whose first name is "Veritably," was "immediately beloved by families everywhere, quickly becoming synonymous with cleaning power." His famous jingle was released a year later in 1959.

Mr. Clean's "retirement," according to the Procter & Gamble-owned brand, is tied to an announcement coming on March 4.

"The rumors are true! I'm retiring and saying goodbye to the world of cleaning to pursue new hobbies," Mr. Clean said in a statement. "You can call me Veritably now. No changes are being made to our packaging or our brand name, but I've earned a little time off. More details to come."

Fans Are Upset

No one was more shocked by Mr. Clean's announcement than fans and customers. Shocked, disappointed, or both. Some begged him to reconsider.

"Omg @mrclean come back!!! literally my childhood watching these commercials, i love to see this content," one user said in the comments of the February 18 Instagram post.

Brands like Instacart and Old Spice wished Mr. Clean well in the comments, saying he would be missed.

Quite a few fans were happy to learn Mr. Clean would be taking a break. But many were left wondering what's next for him now that he's quit cleaning.

"Am I selfish for saying I hope he goes into work creating messes so we can clean them up on his behalf bc him retiring is not something I'm emotionally ready for," one user wrote.

Yes, people are emotionally unprepared for a fictional cleaning product mascot to retire. That's where we're at.

What This Actually Means

According to the Mr. Clean brand, "no changes are being made to our packaging or our brand name."

The products will still be called Mr. Clean. The packaging will still have Mr. Clean on it. Mr. Clean products will continue to exist exactly as they have been.

But the mascot is retiring to pursue new hobbies. You can call him Veritably now.

The Procter & Gamble-owned brand has asked curious fans to "stay tuned." For the announcement coming March 4.

One thing is for sure; the angle they took is smart. It’s got people talking about it enough to pay attention to what’s coming next.

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