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- 1913
  On May 13, five businessmen invest $100 each to found America's first commercial liquid bleach factory, the Electro-Alkaline Company.
- 1914
  The company begins commercial production of a concentrated industrial-strength bleach with 21 percent sodium hypochlorite.
  
  First-year sales for the Electro-Alkaline Company are $7,996.
  
  The Clorox^® brand name is registered and the diamond trademark is adopted.
- 1916
  Annie Murray, wife of general manager William Murray, prompts the creation of a less concentrated liquid bleach for home use, containing 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. She builds customer demand by giving away 15-ounce sample bottles at the Murray grocery in downtown Oakland.
- 1917
  Clorox's exhibit at the California State Fair introduces the household bleach product to thousands of farmers and consumers.
- 1921
  In its first recorded act of corporate giving, the company donates funds to the Boy Scouts of America.
  
  The first seaborn shipment of Clorox^® liquid bleach leaves from Port of Oakland, bound for Philadelphia via the Panama Canal.
- 1922
  The Electro-Alkaline Company reorganizes as Clorox Chemical Corporation.
- 1928
  The company reorganizes in Delaware as Clorox Chemical Company and goes public. It issues 200,000 shares of common stock, traded on the San Francisco Stock Exchange.
- 1930s
  The Clorox Company survives the Great Depression with strong sales, new plants and no layoffs.
- 1933
  Clorox^® liquid bleach for home use changes to a 16-ounce standard pint bottle and achieves national distribution.
- 1938
  The company establishes its first East Coast plant and distribution center in Jersey City, New Jersey.
- 1939
  A new plant in Chicago solidifies the company's presence in the midwest.
- 1940
  A patented "ultra-refined" Clorox liquid bleach is introduced.
  
  The original amber bottle with rubber cork is replaced with a more slender version featuring a threaded neck and plastic screw cap.
- 1946
  Clorox introduces its second product, Boon household cleaner. Boon does not catch on with consumers and is withdrawn in 1948.
- 1947
  Post World War II inflation leads to a 7.5 percent wholesale price increase, the first in the company's history.
- 1953
  The aluminum screw cap is introduced.
  
  The first local television commercials for Clorox^® liquid bleach appear.
- 1954
  The company proudly advertises that it's received the seal of approval from Good Housekeeping and Parents magazines.
- 1957
  Proctor & Gamble Company (P&G) acquires Clorox Chemical Company and operates it as a wholly-owned subsidiary, The Clorox Company, an Ohio corporation. The company remains headquartered in Oakland.
  
  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that P&G's acquisition of Clorox might substantially lessen competition or create a monopoly in the production and sale of household liquid bleaches.
  
  Dechlorination replaces the original bleach-making process of electrolysis (which used electricity to convert salt brine to bleach).
- 1960
  A white polyethylene plastic "safety bottle" with plastic cap replaces the amber glass with aluminum cap container.
- 1963
  The FTC rules that P&G must divest The Clorox Company, triggering another four years of litigation.
- 1967
  The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the FTC ruling and P&G begins the process of divesting The Clorox Company.
- 1968
  Clorox common stock, previously traded over the counter, begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 1969
  The Clorox Company returns to independence on Jan. 2 and undertakes a strategy of rapid growth through in-house product development and acquisitions.
  
  Clorox 2^® color-safe bleach becomes the first successful internally-developed product.
  
  Liquid-Plumr^® drain opener is acquired.
- 1970
  Formula 409^® cleaner is acquired.
- 1971
  Kitchen Bouquet^® browning and seasoning sauce is acquired.
- 1972
  Hidden Valley^® ranch salad dressing mixes are acquired.
  
  The Clorox Company of Canada, Ltd. is formed.
- 1973
  The company develops a research and development (R&D) function and builds a facility in Pleasanton, California.
  
  The East Oakland Youth Development Center, opens its doors. The Clorox Company is instrumental in its start-up funding.
  
  The Kingsford Company is acquired.
- 1975
  The first offshore plant for Clorox^® liquid bleach opens in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
- 1980s
  The Clorox Company increases its international presence with joint ventures in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Yemen Arab Republic, Colombia, Argentina and Southeast Asia.
  
  The Clorox Company Foundation, a private, nonprofit entity, is established. It administers most of the company's annual contributions to qualified civic, charitable and community organizations.
- 1981
  The company introduces a "splash-less" bottle for liquid bleach.
  
  Tilex^® instant mildew remover is developed internally.
- 1983
  The Clorox Mexico Company is incorporated in Delaware as a wholly owned subsidiary of The Clorox International Company.
  
  The company is named among the U.S.'s top 10 environmental leaders by Fortune magazine.
  1986
  Ayudín^® bleach and cleaning brands are acquired.
  
  K C Masterpiece^® barbecue sauces are acquired.
- 1984
  Fresh Step^® cat box filler, developed internally, is launched.
- 1988
  The company buys a 24-story building located at 1221 Broadway in Oakland, California, which serves as its headquarters.
  
  The company signs agreements with Germany-based Brita GmbH and Canada-based Brita International Holdings to market Brita^® water filtration products in the U.S.
- 1990
  Pine-Sol^® cleaner is acquired.
- 1991
  Clorox^® liquid bleach and selected cleaning products are manufactured and sold in the Dominican Republic, Peru and Costa Rica.
- 1993
  The company expands its presence in Korea through a joint venture with Yuhan-Clorox Co., Ltd.
  1994
  S.O.S^® steel wool soap pads and cleaning products are acquired.
  
  Clorox.com, the company's first website, goes live on Dec. 11.
- 1995
  The Poett^® product line is acquired in Argentina.
  
  1996
  Lestoil^® heavy-duty cleaner is acquired.
- 1998
  Hidden Valley^® and K C Masterpiece^® bottles are converted from glass to squeezable, recyclable plastic.
  1999
  The company acquires First Brands Corporation, adding the Glad^®, Scoop Away^®, Ever Clean^®, Handi-Wipes^®, and Wash'n Dri^® brands to the product portfolio and nearly doubling the size of the The Clorox Company.
- 1998–1999
  Numerous Asia-Pacific acquisitions include Arela waxes, Bluebell floor cleaner, Gumption paste cleaner, Mono aluminum foil, Prestone brake fluid, Chux cleaning products and Handy Andy cleaners.
- 2001
  Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, the company donates to United Way's September 11th Fund, and truckloads of Glad^® food bags and Clorox^® liquid bleach to aid in cleanup.
  2002
  The company enters a joint venture with Procter & Gamble to create food and trash bags and containers and wraps under the Glad^®, GladWare^® and related trademarks.
- 2000
  The company makes its first appearance on the Fortune 500 list.
  2000-2006
  The company continues to expand its Latin American presence through the acquisition, of Agua Jane^®, Bon Bril^®, La Negrita^®, Lemon Tok^®, Los Conejos^®, Nevex^®, Oxi Magic^®, Pal^®, Primor^® and Sani Pine^® brands.
- 2007
  Burt's Bees is acquired.
  2008
  The company becomes the first U.S. marketer to develop and nationally launch a natural cleaning line, Green Works, into the mainstream cleaning aisle.
- 2005-2006
  The company and Clorox Company Foundation aid in relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, a South Asian tsunami and a typhoon in Malaysia.
  2006
  Clorox earns 100 percent ratings on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, a nationally recognized measure of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality in the workplace, and will maintain its perfect score in subsequent years.
- 2010
  The company launches a new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) website, www.cloroxcsr.com as part of its commitment to increase communications on its CSR initiatives.
  
  The company announces its commitment to a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2013.
  
  The Burt’s Bees^® brand launches a line of natural toothpastes, marking the company’s entry into the oral care market.
- 2010
  The company acquires Caltech Industries, a maker of hospital germicides and disinfectants.
  
  Clorox announces an agreement to sell the global Auto Care business to an affiliate of Avista Capital Partners.
  
  Clorox unveils a new corporate logo, which will replace the blue diamond logo that has been in use since 1987.
- 2011
  
  Clorox acquires Aplicare, Inc. and HealthLink, leading providers of infection control products for the health care industry, expanding the company's ability to fight the spread of health care-associated infections.
  
  The company debuts güd™ natural personal care products from the Burt’s Bees^® brand. The new line, which caters to a younger, beauty-oriented consumer, features unique fragrances and are at least 97 percent natural. The initial launch of 24 items goes from concept to shelf in less than a year.