Which product was originally sold as 'Liquid Paper' before being widely known as correction fluid?

Before the advent of word processors, correcting mistakes on typewritten documents was a time-consuming and often messy endeavor. This challenge led to the ingenious invention of correction fluid, a product that revolutionized office work. The original fluid that gained widespread recognition under the name 'Liquid Paper' was conceived by Bette Nesmith Graham in 1956. Working as a secretary, Graham found traditional erasers smudged carbon-film ribbons, so she drew upon her artistic background, using tempera paint to cover her typing errors. She initially called her concoction "Mistake Out" and began sharing it with co-workers.

Graham's homemade solution proved incredibly effective, and her small enterprise, initially run from her kitchen, quickly grew. By 1958, she renamed her business the Liquid Paper Company, applied for a patent, and focused on it full-time. The product's popularity soared, establishing Liquid Paper as a household name synonymous with neatly correcting typing mistakes. It became an indispensable tool in offices and homes, allowing typists to rectify errors without having to retype entire pages.

While Liquid Paper pioneered the correction fluid market, other prominent brands emerged to meet the high demand. Wite-Out, another widely recognized correction fluid, was introduced in 1966. It was developed by George Kloosterhouse and Edwin Johanknecht, who aimed to create a solution that wouldn't smudge on photostatic paper, addressing a specific need not fully met by existing products. Both Liquid Paper and Wite-Out became key players in the industry, offering distinct formulas and contributing to the enduring legacy of correction fluid as an essential office supply before digital editing became commonplace.