It was in yesterday’s (10/5) puzzle. I’d never heard of it, either, and had to solve the clue through adjoining words.
Now I’m really confused. Yesterday was October 4, for one thing. Second, the link in the OP shows the puzzle of September 20, which contained the word (I checked my completed puzzle at home). Yesterday’s puzzle, that of October 4, 2020, did not.
I Googled old commercials and their motto was, “Less toil with Lestoil!”
Apparently, it was an all purpose cleaner like Pine-Sol.
Wait, where are you seeing the New York Times crossword puzzle? Is it in another newspaper? Because perhaps that explains my confusion. Perhaps the syndicated puzzle is two weeks behind the one that appears in the Times itself?
Floor mopping? I didn’t know it was used for that. Mom uses it for stains in laundry.
Haven’t thought of–or looked for–it in years. I, too, avoid the cleanser aisle.
I saw a TV show reference the other day to Janitor In A Drum. Anyone?
It’s got a pretty wide ranging set of uses. General cleaning, laundry stain removal, etc…
https://smartlabel.labelinsight.com/product/6115457/usage
(aside- did you know that Goop/Gojo waterless hand cleaner is also fantastic for removing oily stains from laundry?)
I was shocked when my mom bought some white vinegar at the supermarket to clean her washing machine and then used it on her salad later on. (I mildly dislike white vinegar, mildly enjoy balsamic, and will tolerate other types.)
Yeah, I heard the jingle in my head as soon as I read the thread title.
In our local paper, The Oregonian. It’s probably behind what’s in the NYT paper.
OK, thank you. Mystery solved.
I use white vinegar occasionally for cooking, and less occasionally for cleaning.
I sort my grocery list broadly by type (fresh/chilled, boxes & cans, frozen, non-food, etc.) to make shopping more efficient, and white vinegar always throws me. I have to actively recall that most people - and therefore most grocery stores - treat vinegar as a food item and not a cleanser. 
Poor guy is up on the shelf next to Prince Albert in a Can.
^ 
Never heard of it. I’ve had Malt-o-meal, and at least heard of Bosco.
Get on the Malt-O-Meal mobile!
Get on the Malt-O-Meal mobile!
Get up, get started get moving,
see how good you feel!
Definitely remember janitor in a drum, though I don’t recall their jingle offhand.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has the NYT crossword one or two weeks after it originally appears in the NYT. It makes it weird for their calendar related puzzles, such as a Christmas tree theme in early January.
I figured out the Lestoil clue, but wasn’t real sure about it. I may have vaguely remembered the product.
Kind of reminds me of being at a bar about 20 years ago during a trivia contest. One question asked about the ad that included “you’re soaking in it” which is Palmolive dish detergent. A 20-something woman next to me was confused by it. I said it was from an ad from the 70s. She said that was before she was born.
On a similar note, Chiffon margarine’s Mother Nature is still alive at 91YO and probably still pissed you fooled her re: butter.