According to Wikipedia, “Listerine was invented in the 19th century as a powerful surgical antiseptic. It was later sold, in a distilled form, as a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhea.”
Now I just saw this old advertisement from 1953 for Listerine, saying to use it on the scalp to take care of dandruff.
This is one of those home remedies that has floated around for a long, long time (apparently since at least the 1950s). Interesting… just don’t get it into your eyes! I can’t say for sure whether this works for dandruff, but I know it is a great mouthwash (though I have a hard time holding Listerine in my mouth for 30 seconds and can’t imagine putting it on my scalp).
Full ad from 54 years ago, plus text at Modern Mechanix.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):