Name/Title
"Dero Iris" Laundry Detergent Bottle — Spanish-Language Export LabelEntry/Object ID
2025.1.332Description
White HDPE plastic detergent jug with an integrated D-handle at the upper shoulder, a tapered body, and a white conical screw cap/pour spout. A circular paper label on the lower front, printed on a red ground with a grey mountain-peak device, reads "DERO IRIS" with Spanish usage instructions, the line "Detergente para lavar tejidos finos," and a net-weight marking. The label is heavily worn, torn, and stained, with losses affecting much of the text. The bottle is empty.Use
In the Arús Caraballo householdContext
"Dero" is a Romanian detergent brand; a Spanish-language export label on a Romanian detergent reflects the circulation of Eastern-bloc household goods into Spanish-speaking markets, consistent with Romania–Cuba trade and with the collection's documentation of imported everyday goods in revolutionary Cuba.Collection
The Cabrera Arús family collectionMade/Created
Place
Country
RomaniaRegion
Eastern EuropeContinent
EuropeEdition
Dero IrisNotes
Brand: Dero (line "Dero Iris"), a Romanian detergent brand.
Manufacturer: not named on the surviving label; most likely Romanian production for export (tentative).
Date: circa 1970s–1980s (tentative) — based on the HDPE-jug form and paper label; no printed date survives.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
LabelTranscription
DERO IRIS
En 5 litros de agua caliente s ponen 2 cucharadas de Dero Iris.
Los tejidos se lavan sin estrujar.
Se enjuagan en agua caliente y después en agua fría.
Detergente para lavar tejidos fino
[ilegible] 15 gLanguage
SpanishTranslation
DERO IRIS
In 5 liters of hot water put 2 spoonfuls of Dero Iris.
The fabrics are washed without squeezing.
Rinse in hot water and then in cold water.
Detergent for washing fine fabrics
[unreadable] 15 gMaterial/Technique
LabelNotes
Label, printed (Spanish; English in brackets): "DERO IRIS" [brand]; usage text "En 5 litros de agua caliente se ponen 2 cucharadas de Dero Iris. Los tejidos se lavan sin restregar. Se enjuagan en agua caliente y desp[ués] en agua fría." [In 5 liters of hot water put 2 tablespoons of Dero Iris. The fabrics wash without scrubbing. Rinse in hot water and then in cold water.]; "Detergente para lavar tejidos finos" [Detergent for washing fine fabrics]; net weight "[?]00 ± 15 g" (leading digit obscured; possibly 500 g). Grey mountain-peak device. No legible manufacturer or country-of-origin line on the surviving labelDimensions
Dimension Description
21.5 x 8.5Height
21.5 cmWidth
8.5 cmDepth
4 cmParts
(1) HDPE bottle with integrated handle; (2) white screw cap/pour spout; (3) paper label.Materials
Material
PlasticMaterial Notes
HDPE/plastic (bottle and cap); paper (label); printing ink.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Gertrudis Caraballo GálvezRelated Places
Place
City
HavanaCountry
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaNotes
acquisition, usePlace
Country
RomaniaRegion
Eastern EuropeContinent
EuropeNotes
productionCreated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsCreate Date
March 31, 2022Updated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsUpdate Date
June 16, 2026