Comet is a powdered cleaning product and brand of related cleansing products. The brand was introduced in 1956 by Procter & Gamble, and was sold to Prestige Brands in 2001. Comet is now sold in North America and distributed in the United States by Prestige Brands. Procter & Gamble retained the rights to market the brand in Europe, and to the professional (non-home consumer) market in the USA.
According to the Material Safety Datasheets published by Procter and Gamble Deoderizing Cleanser with Chlorinol and Prestige Brands it contains 60-100% calcium carbonate.
n the 1960s and 1970s, it was known for a series of popular television ads featuring the character of “Josephine the Plumber” (portrayed by actress Jane Withers). Later, in the 1980s, she gained a niece named JoAnn or Jo, who, after helping her customers with their plumbing issues, would show them a picture of her beloved Aunt Josephine, who uttered, via voiceover, “Nothing can hold a can to Comet!”.