Persil (/ˈpɜːrsɪl/, German pronunciation: [pɛʁˈziːl]) is a German brand of laundry detergent manufactured and marketed by Henkel around the world except in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Latin America (except Mexico), China, Australia and New Zealand, where it is manufactured and marketed by Unilever.

Henkel & Cie, founded in Düsseldorf in 1876, pursued the opportunity, and on 6 June 1907 launched the first of its kind product, Persil.

The manufacturer had found a method to add sodium perborate—a bleaching agent—to its base washing agents (silicate), creating what the marketing department called a "self-activating powder" detergent.

During the washing process, oxygenated perborate forms small bubbles, doing the "work of the washboard"—saving consumers time and rendering the historic method of "sun-bleaching" (by laying clothes out in the sun) unnecessary.

During the First World War, the company of Electro-Chimie, concessionaire for France of the Henkel laundry, signed an agreement with Ronchetti by which it would no longer sell detergents under the Persil brand.

[4] Henkel AG manufactures, distributes, and markets Persil in Germany, Poland and most of Europe, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United States and Canada.

[5] In March 2015, Henkel introduced Persil ProClean in the United States, a line of premium detergents available in Power-Liquid, Power-Caps and Power-Pearls.

[9] Unilever markets Persil in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Latin America (except Mexico), Malaysia, Singapore, China, and New Zealand (but not Australia) since acquiring rights to the brand (one of its first such acquisitions) in 1931.

[10] Persil, Skip, Breeze, Surf, Ala and Rinso serve as the local version in these markets of Unilever's other international detergent brand Omo.

A 2013 update showcased a new design of bottle that enabled consumers to use the flexible plastic ball as a measurer and stain removal pre-treatment device.