Why are disposable underpads called chux pads?

Disposable underpads are often referred to as “chux pads” due to the brand name “Chux,” which became widely popular and synonymous with the product itself. Chux was one of the first brands to manufacture and market these disposable underpads on a large scale. Over time, as often happens with successful and pioneering products, the brand name became a generic term used to refer to any similar type of disposable underpad, regardless of the actual brand.

This phenomenon, where a brand name becomes a generic term for a type of product, is known as “genericide.” Other examples include Kleenex for facial tissues, Band-Aid for adhesive bandages, and Xerox for photocopying. In the case of Chux, the brand’s strong association with disposable underpads led to the term “chux pads” being commonly used in healthcare settings and among consumers to describe any brand of disposable underpads used for incontinence, medical procedures, or other situations where protection against leaks and spills is needed.