2006-08-31 12:45:18 · 21 answers · asked by dutchcheddar 1 in Beauty & Style ➔ Skin & Body
According to the history section on the official Q-tips site, the "Q" stands for quality. But the familiar cotton-tipped swab wasn't always known by this quirky moniker.
2006-08-31 12:46:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Q-tip was invented in the 1920's Leo Gerstenzang (a Polish-born American). His wife had used a toothpick with cotton stuck on the end to clean their baby's ears, and Leo invented Q-tips to replace her jury-rigged invention. Gerstenzang's original Q-tips consisted of a wooden stick swathed in cotton at both ends; much later, the wood was replaced by white cardboard. Gerstenzang started the Infant Novelty Company to sell Q-tips (which he then called Baby Gays); in 1926, he changed the name of his product to Q-Tips® Baby Gays. The Q stood for "quality". Eventually, the name changed to Q-tips. Doctors today advise that you should not use Q-tips to clean inside your ears. Q-tips, however, have many other uses, including cleaning small areas (like jewelry or the space between computer keys), applying glue, spreading paint, etc.
2006-08-31 12:54:45 · answer #2 · answered by kree8iv73 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "Q" stands for quality.
History Time!
In 1923, Leo Gerstenzang noticed that his wife had stuck a bit of cotton on a toothpick and was using it to clean their baby's ears. Thinking that this jerry-rigged swab might cause some damage to the kid, Leo designed a safer cotton swab.
He started the Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Company to sell his new creation, which he dubbed Baby Gays. In 1926, he changed the swab's name to Q-tip Baby Gays, and eventually the product name was shortened to just Q-tips. Over time, the brand name has come to stand for any cotton swab, another example of a propriety eponym like Kleenex or Xerox.
2006-08-31 12:52:20 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It actually stands for "Quaker," because of it's popularity by the Quakers. They had a strong belief in cleanliness as a requirement for salvation, and believe that madness or voices came from a dirty ear. This cotton tip they used to clean their ears soon grew in popularity and eventually became known as just the Q-Tip.
2006-08-31 12:54:32 · answer #4 · answered by locusfire 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the Q in q-tip stands for quality
2006-08-31 12:50:38 · answer #5 · answered by goathead 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quick-Tip
2006-08-31 12:47:01 · answer #6 · answered by Technotron 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quality
2006-08-31 12:47:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Questionable-Tip... is it a worthy tip, let's find out!
2006-08-31 12:48:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quick. Or maybe it's the initial of someones last name
2006-08-31 12:48:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quit sticking that damn tip in your ear so far
2006-08-31 12:46:59 · answer #10 · answered by osu_fanz 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋