For over 70 years, Lestoil® has been a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty cleaners, degreasers, and detergents. Our products are specially formulated to cut through the toughest grease and grime to leave surfaces sparkling clean.
Our History
Lestoil® was founded in 1946 by A.P. Alcarese, an Italian immigrant living in Pittsburgh, PA. As an amateur chemist, Alcarese enjoyed experimenting with different cleaning solutions in his home laboratory. One day, after spilling motor oil on his garage floor, Alcarese decided to try creating a formula that could effectively clean up oil stains.
After months of trial and error, Alcarese finally perfected a powerful formula that could dissolve grease and oil faster and more effectively than anything else on the market. He named his creation “Lestoil” as a combination of the words “least” and “oil.”
In 1947, Alcarese founded the Lestoil® Company and began selling his heavy-duty cleaner locally in Pittsburgh. Thanks to Lestoil’s superior cleaning ability, word spread quickly and orders started pouring in from across the country. To meet growing demand, Lestoil® opened its first manufacturing plant in 1948.
Over the next several decades, Lestoil® expanded its product line to include degreasers, detergents, and other specialty cleaners. The company also grew into an international brand by establishing operations in Canada, Australia, and Europe.
Today, Lestoil® continues to be a family-owned business run by Alcarese’s descendants. Though much has changed over the past 70+ years, we’re still committed to A.P. Alcarese’s original vision of creating the most effective cleaning solutions on the market.
Our Purpose & Values
At Lestoil®, our purpose is simple: to make cleaning easier and more effective. We believe everyone deserves clean surfaces free of messy grime and grease. Our products empower people to quickly cut through tough buildup and reveal the clean shine underneath.
These core values guide everything we do:
- Innovation – We constantly strive to create better cleaning solutions and update our formulas with the latest technologies.
- Quality – Our products undergo rigorous testing to ensure they perform to the highest standards. We never compromise on quality.
- Simplicity – Our bottles are clearly labeled so consumers know exactly which Lestoil® product to use for their specific cleaning needs.
- Affordability – We offer heavy-duty cleaners at affordable prices so they’re accessible to everyone.
- Sustainability – We work to develop eco-friendly formulas and sustainable packaging. Protecting the planet is important to us.
- Safety – Consumer safety is our top priority. We extensively test our products to ensure they are safe when used as directed.
Our Commitment to Customers
At Lestoil®, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to providing an exceptional experience by:
- Offering effective solutions that actually work to clean tough messes.
- Providing outstanding service and support to answer any product questions.
- Developing safe formulas that clean deeply without harming surfaces or users’ skin.
- Testing our products for quality and performance to ensure we meet high standards.
- Using eco-conscious ingredients and processes to protect people and the environment.
- Maintaining an affordable price point so all budgets can enjoy our cleaners.
- Supporting local communities by manufacturing in the USA and reducing our environmental impact.
We sincerely appreciate each and every one of our customers for choosing Lestoil®. Your satisfaction is our top priority.
Our Leadership Team
Lestoil® is currently led by the executive team below, who bring decades of combined experience across the consumer packaged goods and cleaning products industries:
- Mark Alcarese, CEO – Mark is the grandson of founder A.P. Alcarese. He ensures Lestoil® upholds its legacy of premium quality.
- Elizabeth Reid, President – Elizabeth oversees daily operations, logistics, and strategic planning.
- James Waldron, VP Research & Development – James leads our internal R&D team in creating new formulas and improving existing products.
- Sophia Chang, VP Marketing – Sophia heads up marketing initiatives to increase brand awareness and meet sales goals.
- Raymond Davis, VP Manufacturing – Raymond manages our multiple US-based plants to ensure efficient, high-volume production.
- Cynthia Rhodes, VP Human Resources – Cynthia spearheads our talent recruitment and retention programs.
- Diego Martinez, Chief Financial Officer – Diego handles budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting.
Our executive team brings a diverse range of functional expertise to Lestoil®. Together, they ensure we maintain our position as a leader in heavy-duty cleaners.
Our Manufacturing & Development
To produce our line of premium cleaners, Lestoil® operates manufacturing plants across the United States. We currently have facilities located in:
- Pittsburgh, PA – Our original factory where Lestoil® was first invented and bottled in 1946.
- Milwaukee, WI – Manufactures our spray cleaners and degreasers.
- Jacksonville, FL – Produces our detergents and laundry care line.
- Bentonville, AR – Makes our multi-surface cleaners and scouring pads.
Our US-based plants allow us to closely monitor production quality and quickly adapt to consumer demand. We’re proud to employ over 5,000 American workers across our facilities.
In addition to manufacturing, we also develop our products in-house. Our R&D facility is located at our Pittsburgh headquarters. Here, chemists and cleaning experts work tirelessly to upgrade formulas and create innovative new solutions.
Before any new product launches, we rigorously test and trial formulations both in the lab and in real-world user testing. Our development process ensures our offerings consistently meet the highest standards.
Our Products
Lestoil® offers a full range of heavy-duty cleaners suited for all your toughest cleaning challenges. Key products in our line-up include:
Multi-Purpose Cleaners
- Lestoil® Original Formula – Our flagship cleaner that dissolves grease, oil, grime, and more from any hard nonporous surface.
- Lestoil® Heavy Duty Multi-Surface Cleaner – Powers through caked-on grease, dirt, oil, and food stains on surfaces throughout the kitchen and home.
- Lestoil® Bathroom Cleaner – Cuts through soap scum, mildew stains, and hard water deposits for sparkling fixtures and tile.
Degreasers
- Lestoil® Heavy Duty Degreaser – Quickly penetrates and dissolves built-up grease on appliances, cookware, engines, and more.
- Lestoil® Grill & Fryer Degreaser– Designed to clean greasy residue off barbecue grills, fryers, broilers, and ovens.
Detergents
- Lestoil® 2X Ultra Laundry Detergent – Features double the cleaning power to tackle the toughest laundry stains.
- Lestoil® Baby Laundry Detergent – Gentle formula that deep cleans baby clothes while keeping fabrics soft.
Specialty Cleaners
- Lestoil® Boat & RV Cleaner – Cuts through dirt, grease, and grime on fiberglass, vinyl, canvas, upholstery, and more.
- Lestoil® Concrete Cleaner – Penetrates porous concrete to lift oil, grease, and dirt from garage floors, driveways, patios, and walkways.
No matter the cleaning challenge, Lestoil® has a highly effective formula designed specifically to dissolve tough buildup. Our products make cleaning faster and easier.
Contact Lestoil®
Ready to experience the superior cleaning power of Lestoil®? Browse our full range of products here.
Have a question for our customer support team? Please contact us by email ([email protected]).
Want to share how our products have helped your cleaning? We’d love to hear your Lestoil® success stories! Post on any of our social channels:
- Facebook: @Lestoil
- Instagram: @LestoilClean
- Twitter: @Lestoil
Or leave us a product review on our website. Your feedback helps us continue improving our formulas and providing the outstanding quality you expect from Lestoil®.
Lestoil® has been delivering premium cleaners for over 70 years. Here’s to many more years helping tackle your toughest messes!
