Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I’m here to tell you that brand names are capitalized.

This probably sounds really obvious. Of course, you’re going to capitalize Purell or Windex. But what about less obvious brand names that have also become popular words, like “Weed Eater,” “Hydroflask,” “Hoover,” and so on? These words are protected brands, but they’re also used in common speech to refer both to that product and to generic versions of it. In formal, published writing, these words need to be capitalized too.

There’s some wiggle room here. Some words are so commonly used and so rarely associated with brands that it just looks weird to capitalize them. It would probably seem weird if Jacuzzi or Velcro or Trampoline were randomly capitalized in the middle of a sentence, especially as most people don’t even realize they are brands. You can be flexible with these words, but generally it’s still best to follow the rule: Capitalize all brand names.

That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.