Celebrating 90 Years of Innovation – 1936–2026

In 2026, the Ettore Products Company celebrates an extraordinary milestone: 90 years since the invention of the modern window cleaning squeegee. Few tools have had such a lasting impact on a trade. From professional window cleaners working on city skyscrapers to homeowners cleaning conservatories and shower screens, the humble squeegee remains one of the most effective cleaning tools ever created.

Its story begins not in America, but in a small village in northern Italy, where a young man named Ettore Steccone dreamed of a better future.

From Italy to America

Ettore Steccone was born in 1896 in the village of Mongiardino Ligure, nestled among the hills of northern Italy. Like many young men of his generation, his early life was shaped by hardship and uncertainty. He served in the Italian military during the First World War, experiencing first-hand the challenges of a Europe recovering from conflict.

Following the war, opportunities were limited, and like millions of other Europeans seeking a brighter future, Ettore looked westward. Drawn by the promise of opportunity and prosperity, he emigrated to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream.

Arriving in California with determination, ambition, and little else, Ettore took whatever work he could find. One of those jobs was window cleaning—a trade that would ultimately change his life and revolutionise the industry forever.

A Window Cleaner's Frustration

During the 1920s and 1930s, window cleaning tools were heavy, cumbersome, and inefficient. Existing squeegees were often made from steel and were awkward to handle, particularly when cleaning large areas of glass.

As a professional window cleaner working around Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area, Ettore spent long hours using these tools every day. Like many great inventors, he was driven by a simple question:

"Surely there must be a better way?"

Rather than accepting the limitations of the equipment available, Ettore began experimenting with new designs. Working alongside his wife in the family garage, he developed a lightweight, T-shaped brass squeegee fitted with a precision-cut rubber blade.

The design was elegant in its simplicity. It was lighter, easier to control, and dramatically more effective than anything that had come before. Most remarkably, the basic principles of Ettore's design remain virtually unchanged today.

In 1936, Ettore patented his invention and launched what he called "The New Deal" squeegee. Few could have predicted that this modest invention would become the standard window cleaning tool used throughout the world.

Building a Business from a Garage

Inventing a revolutionary product is one thing. Convincing people to buy it is quite another.

The early years of the Ettore business were humble. Squeegees were manufactured in the family garage, with Ettore personally promoting his invention to window cleaners and distributors.

Many wholesalers initially dismissed the new tool. It looked different from the products they were used to selling, and some doubted there would be demand for such a lightweight design.

One famous story tells of Ettore approaching the industry's largest supplier at the time, J. Racenstein Company, only to be turned away. Undeterred, he confidently predicted that one day they would be asking to stock his products.

Ettore's response was both simple and brilliant. He began giving free samples directly to professional window cleaners. Once they experienced how much faster and easier the new squeegee made their work, they wanted more.

When they asked where they could purchase additional tools, Ettore pointed them towards the very distributors who had previously rejected him.

Demand soon spoke louder than scepticism.

The Birth of a Global Brand

The years that followed were not without challenges. Economic hardship, wartime material shortages, and increasing competition tested the young company's resilience.

Despite these obstacles, Ettore continued refining his products and expanding his business. His original design evolved into the famous Ettore Master Squeegee, which became the benchmark by which countless others would be judged.

By the 1950s, the company had grown significantly, eventually opening dedicated manufacturing facilities and establishing a reputation for quality, durability, and innovation.

What began as a simple solution to a window cleaner's everyday frustration had become an internationally recognised brand.

The Secret Behind the Performance

Although the distinctive brass handle and T-bar design became iconic, experienced window cleaners know that the true magic of an Ettore squeegee lies in the rubber blade itself.

Producing a blade that glides effortlessly across glass while leaving a perfectly dry, streak-free finish requires exceptional precision. Over the decades, Ettore's rubber formulations have earned a legendary reputation among professionals.

While many manufacturers have attempted to replicate the performance, the exact formula remains one of the industry's best-kept secrets.

A Legacy That Continues Today

Ettore Steccone passed away in 1984, but his influence on the window cleaning industry remains as strong as ever.

Ninety years after the introduction of the first Ettore squeegee, the company continues to be family-owned and remains one of the most respected names in professional window cleaning equipment. Generations of window cleaners have learned their craft using Ettore tools, and countless manufacturers have drawn inspiration from the design first conceived in a California garage.

90 Years of Innovation

As Ettore celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2026, it is worth reflecting on the remarkable journey of one immigrant who arrived in America seeking opportunity and, through ingenuity, perseverance, and hard work, transformed an entire industry.

From a small Italian village to a globally recognised brand, Ettore Steccone's story is more than the history of a window cleaning tool. It is a story of innovation, determination, and the enduring power of a simple idea done exceptionally well.

Today, almost every professional squeegee owes something to the design Ettore introduced in 1936—a legacy that continues to shape the window cleaning industry ninety years later.

Happy 90th Anniversary, Ettore. Here's to the inventor who changed window cleaning forever.