spa treatment for your hands!

Here's a wonderful review on method's amazing creamy hand washes! (And remember, they just released their new moisturizing body wash line to compliment the creamy hand wash line, in the same scents and packaging style!)

"method Creamy Hand Wash:
It's almost a spa treatment for your hands

While I have fallen in love with method's household cleaning supplies, I cannot say the same about their recent foray into personal care. I've tried their body wash, hand soap, and hand sanitizer and decided that I could live without all three. It was okay, I thought, this particular company produces some wonderful cleaning products. Beauty items just weren't their thing...

and then I spied with my little eye method Creamy Hand Wash. Despite my consistent disappointment in the past, I knew that I would have to buy one and check it out.

To be honest, it was the unique bottle that drew my eye to the shelf. The 10 fluid ounce bottle is made of translucent white plastic and is in the shape of a cube. Each side has nine smaller cubes imprinted on it which gives the bottle a fun, retro look. The top has a pump-style dispenser that can be turns to move it between "on" and "off" positions. The bottle is coded for recycling and method encourages you to recycle if you can.

This product is available in three fragrances: Almond Flower, Olive Leaf, and White Tea. I smelled all three fragrances before making my decision. I really liked the White Tea fragrance but in the end I chose the Almond Flower because I am a huge fan of almond scents.

The Almond Flower fragrance is a blend of almond and floral scents, possibly with a touch of clover or grass. I do not normally enjoy floral fragrances but it is only a small part of the overall scent and it is very light. The Almond Flower fragrance is strong while you are washing your hands and it lingers on your skin for about a half hour after use. I really like this scent but I'm also looking forward to trying out the White Tea next time.

They certainly named it correctly. method Creamy Hand Wash is a semi-thick and very smooth liquid that feels almost like lotion in your hands. It spreads evenly and produces a nice lather as you rub hands together. Rinsing this cleanser from your hands does take a few extra seconds more than typical products but, in my opinion, it is absolutely worth it. After you've rinsed your hands, you will notice that they feel soft, smooth, and as if you just applied moisturizer to them.

The suggested retail price for method Creamy Hand Wash is $5.00 and I paid about that: $4.79. I thought that the price was a little high for such a small bottle of cleanser but I simply cannot resist new method products.

I've been pleasantly surprised by just how much I like method Creamy Hand Wash. It is thick, produces a nice lather, and leaves hands truly feeling moisturized after use. I have used it several times a day as I go through my home and clean out nasty messes like the bottom of my birds cages, the litter boxes, etc and have only noticed an improvement in the condition of the skin on my hands. The fragrance is pleasant and lingers for awhile after use. It looks like method has finally worked out the way to manufacture beauty products!

This cleanser is not antibacterial which is a good thing in my book. I'm not a Chemical Commando and have no desire to promote the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Those who feel the need to spray down their homes with Clorox every day probably will not be happy with this product.

This product has earned a permanent place next to the sinks in my kitchen, bathroom, and classroom. I look forward to trying out the other available scents but I have a feeling that I'll always have a bottle of Almond Flower around somewhere.
- njchicaa"

moisturizing body wash

Speaking of the creamy hand wash, I'm curious to know if anyone has tried out the new method natural moisturizing body wash line? It comes in olive leaf, white tea, and my personal favorite, almond flower! I haven't heard a lot about it since it's release; and I'm thinking it got lost in the shuffle a little bit, what with the big news of method's first book being published, and the brand new baby + kids line debut! So I'm wondering, have you tried it out?

Noticing a woman shopping in Target over the weekend, smelling the olive leaf bars; I immediately ran down the aisle (didn't even need to go that way!) and as I walked past her spoke out loud "I love that stuff! It smells wonderful!" and she turned to me and said (probably wondering why I was gushing over soap to her) "What?" and so I repeated how I'm addicted to method products and it smelled wonderful, to which she said she definitely loved the olive leaf scent! Score!

target totes, take two

Slave To Target points out that Target has a new reusable shopping tote available (to fill full with method products!):

"Latest reusable shopping bag to hit Target is made from recycled plastic shopping bags. - Very cool design. At $5.99, they are a little more expensive than the red tote bags sold (it appears) in most stores across the country, but hey - they may be a nice memento to show your grandkids someday when plastic bags no longer exist!"

The Felt Mouse gives a new post on Target's first reusable red bags (still available, and I think a better option). The only problem with these are they need to be a bit bigger:

"$1.49 for the flat bottomed "shopper" version, and 99 cents for a tote style that zips up into a built-in pouch. Actually, I'd be curious if the bags are sold outside of California, if any of you out-of-state Target shoppers want to chime in. In California, retail stores of a certain size have to start providing affordable reusable bags, and recycling plastic ones, by law starting at the end of the month.

I mentioned previously that I have been using reusable canvas bags at the grocery store for years. Grocery store employees seem accustomed to the bags, and rarely do I have to point out my bags to the bagger.

At other retail stores, however, it has proven more difficult for me to regulate bag usage without coming off like a total b-i-t-c-h, so I stopped trying. I mean, these people get paid minimum wage, and all they are told is to put the stuff in the store's bag so somebody looking at a camera can see if anybody is stealing stuff on the way out. You kind of have to draw the line at how many demands you put on an employee in this position - you know? My cloth bags at Target have been used to carry items that had already been put in plastic bags, or they themselves were put in plastic bags. Other times I have left the store with 10 plastic bags for 5 items. It was difficult to suggest that my reusable bags be used for their true purpose, or that I didn't need a flimsy plastic bag to carry my 20 pound box of detergent, without coming off like an adult talking to a toddler, or a deranged woman ranting about what a waste plastic bags are. So I stopped trying to dictate bag usage for my purchases.

I'm excited to see reusable bags sold by the store itself, and hope using them at the store decreases the psycho bag lady factor. I'm not sure if the employees have been educated about the program yet, though. Both Target stores where I've used the new red bags tried to put them in a plastic bag (been there, done that), and then looked nervous when I suggested they put my other purchases inside the red bag instead. I have since put my name on the bags with the hope that they will seem more like *my bags* versus something I am buying. We shall see..."

But of course, who needs those when you got this! Available on the method home site. (Just get some reusable totes, before I come hunt you down, ok? Ok.) And I say ignore the whole "not trying to tell store employees to use your reusable bags because it seems like "psycho bag behavior." Hey, if it's verbal abuse that will get them to put my purchases in a reusable tote, so be it! Ha ha! And anyway, I seriously haven't had too many issues with telling them I've brought my own bag. Just a couple odd looks, but I have also gotten a lot of great "Oh, you brought your own bag! Good for you!" comments as well... so see, it works!

deep thinking

Ok, bear with me for a moment. There's gonna be a little deep thinking here on method lust. I know, I know. Gasping won't save you. It's gonna happen! So here goes.

First up, this isn't a review or a pan of the new method squeaky green book! I love that book, it's so informative, and I've already been checking out all my toothpaste and personal care products for ingredient listings and such. As well as finally moving all the bad cleaning products I've had lying around in my home, OUT of my home (Yes, there were still some nasties living in my home. I confess.) But you know what, and I've heard this echoed on other sites; "this book scares the Hell out of me!" And it does. I mean, it's very informative, but almost becomes too overwhelming. I wanna burn down my home, and launch myself into space, heading for Mars to await the first colony! Cause Earth is doomed!

Which leads me to my second point. As I was waiting for my vehicle to be fixed yesterday, the auto repairman (is that what you call those guys? You know what I mean.) and I were talking about the weather, and how it was 65 degrees (Tuesday); but would be 80 by Friday. And how we didn't have Spring or Fall anymore! And he mentioned that he just didn't know how the world would fare. He hoped earth, and mankind would reverse itself for his grandchildren, and their children. But you know what - he doesn't have much hope. He said it wasn't just the United States that had to make major changes (as I had mentioned that people were going to have to make a huge paradigm shift in the way they lived), but rather the entire world, and human beings are unfortunately a huge "give me now" type of society, not necessarily a "sacrifice for future generations" kind. And really, as I sit and watch the climate crisis, and global oil issues, and now food crisis (though some of this in the US is currently media created paranoia; for the moment) I'm left to wonder if he might not be right.

I try over and over to get my friends to wake up and just do small things (reusable tote bags, no more 90 gallon containers of laundry detergent; please stop using that nasty bleach all over your house, etc.) but you know what, I have to say it's not sinking in at the moment. And I'm at a loss for what to do. I will say, sooner or later I'm gonna give out a big "I told you so" when plastic bags are finally banned, and they HAVE to buy tote bags. But you know, how long will it take the world to do that. We as a society are SO slow to change, it's crazy. I mean, it takes generations to just move beyond racial and sexual orientation stereotypes and hatred. How long will it take us to make the big shift we need to make in order to save our one and only planet from doom. Because I'm thinking it's gotta be NOW, not later. What are your thoughts? Do you think we're doomed? Have a chance? Society is mostly awake? Or still blissfully ignorant?

Didn't know method lust could be depressing, did you?

shout-outs

Look at all these great reviews on method's all purpose (now called all surface) spray cleaner!

"I have been using Method's French Lavender All-purpose surface cleaner for the better part of a year and it is great. It smells terrific, and combined with a microfiber cloth it shines up all sorts of surfaces. I even use it for quick touch-ups of my stainless steel appliances and my sealed stovetop. I spray it on the floor to mop and don't have to worry about keeping the dog away from toxic chemicals. Same goes for people and the countertops and tabletops. Unlike a lot of other eco-friendly products, this is available at several "mainstream" retailers, making it more convenient to purchase, and the price is much more reasonable.
- Kate S."

"I recently purchased the Pink Grapefruit all-purpose cleaner in attempt to be more environmentally conscious. I was replacing my Windex brand product and was a bit wary of how it would compare. I was overwhelmed with the effectiveness!! It smelled great and cut grease and didn't streak up my mirrors. I LOVE it!! I will definitely purchase it again. Not only was it effective but it was friendly on the wallet too.
- Anna A."

"I have a very sensitive nose and most commercial cleaners leave me feeling like someone ran a sharp rake in my nostrils, but not Method. The scents are very pleasing and not overwhelming. I feel more secure using these products on surfaces that my young children touch... I find it more then adequate for everyday cleaning purposes.
- Erin M."

"I am very happy with my Method all purpose cleaner. It smells like flowers, cleans sticky dirt, and makes me feel virtuous.
- Kenna B."

clean your plate

Danny Seo, method's eco-stylist, wrote a post over on his Daily Danny blog about a fun project he did during Detox Boston!

"Okay, so I had a blast in Boston at the Method Detox Boston party. Method, the eco-friendly cleaning supply company, opened a "pop-up" shop on Newbury street to help give people in Boston a chance to try Method products and stock-up on all the latest and greatest.

One some of the nights, I hosted small parties to a group of local people to introduce myself and do a fun crafting project together: reglazed silhouette plates.

We picked up a bunch of old plates from Goodwill, some bakeable porcelain glaze, brushes and 8 1/2 X 11" sticker paper to make these plates. I thought I would share some of the creative plates the guests came up with!"

You can see one of the plates above, with the method logo painted on it! Check his site for more plate photos!

method profiles - melissa sheehan

Whew! It's method profiles! Here is where we get the chance to learn a little bit about "who makes the method world go 'round!" (And I'm surprised I made it on time today, what with my car troubles and all. OH yes, just more stuff this month. Dental issues, car troubles, H.E.L.L. work week, what have I done to Karma, cause she don't like me no more! Geesh...) Look for this special feature on, come on, you know...

Today we have Melissa Sheehan! I got nothin' here Melissa. Nothin. No witty remarks, no snappy one liners! I'm so sorry! I shall go sit in the corner until I learn my lesson. And on that note, on to question numero uno!

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Melissa Sheehan. I’ve heard a few...copyist, cougar, writer monkey.


2+ What was your first method lust?
Probably the laundry detergent. Love the smell, love how it’s all petite next to my neighbors’ detergent. Makes me feel like I’m winning somehow.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
You mean, who? That would be Nate, he brought me here. My initial interest was in the voice, though, not Nate. It’s funny. The voice, I mean...not Nate. I mean, Nate’s funny too, I guess. Sometimes.

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
Copy machine. I’m a professional photocopier. Pretty sure I’m the only one. Okay okay, I’m a copywriter...I’ve been here about five months.

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
I’m trying to teach my husband to embrace composting. We have a heap in our backyard.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
A couple of my bachelor guy friends. I gave them a bottle of the lavender wipes and now they’re hooked.

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
Would love to say that I’m a delicate little French Lavender lady, but really I’m more a Pink Grapefruit gal.

Thanks Melissa! Oh, and Nate in question 3 is unfortunately not me. I wish my voice made someone come work somewhere, but alas it has not (well, that I know of.)

Check back on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next method profile!

Our previous method profiles:
Drummond Lawson
Sangita Forth
Colleen Reilly
Danny Alexander

gohn (method) crazy!

Kelli has a great review of method's bathroom cleaner over on her blog, Gohn Crazy!

"For this week's Works for Me Wednesday I wanted to share with you what I think is hands down the BEST bathroom cleaner. I've mentioned this in passing before but I think I need to highlight it.

Method's tub + tile spray!

Honestly I'm a HUGE fan of all things Method, but to me their tub + tile spray stands out. It's an awesome cleaner. It's worked better than all those harsh yucky cleaners that you think you just shaved a year off your life by breathing in all those super harsh fumes that I've tried. You barely have to scrub and you just see the grime go bye bye. Awesome awesome stuff.

I have been becoming more natural in my cleaning and I have switched to vinegar and water for my floors and some all purpose cleaning type of things, but there are still some areas that I like a specialized cleaner and that's where Method comes in. They are friendly products - friendly to us and friendly to the environment. If you'd like to read more check out Method's Humanifesto.

So if you are looking for a rockin' bathroom cleaner check out Method's Tub + Tile Spray! You'll thank me later. (Get Method products at Target or on their website!)

Oh and if you love Method as much as I do stop by their site and sign up to become a method advocate! Spread the word and help others fight dirty (and you might even score some awesome coupons, freebies, and testers. I did! :)

Method works for me!"

my life with dogs

Well, ok, not really MY life with dogs, cause uh, I don't own one. (And isn't it weird saying you "own" an animal, I mean, yes, you did buy it more than likely, but still... ok, enough of this odd conversation.)

It happens to be Greg's dog! AND his lust for method products (ok, from dogs to method products is a difficult transition! But wait, no it's not! Earth friendly cleaning products mean healthier pets, too!) During last weeks Earth Day, Greg had this to say. Check it out:

"Pop quiz hot shot... (taken from Method's "squeaky green")
1. Would you eat off your floor?

2. Can you safely wash out your (or your kids') mouth with your soup?

3. Do any of the bottles under your sink contain anything that's drinkable without having to go immediately to the emergency room afterward?

4. Is there anything under your sink you could water your plants with?

5. Do you like to inhale while you clean?

If you answered no to any of these questions, your home has a chemical dependency. (here ends the ripoff of the book)

My lovely wife Jen has allergies. Grass, pollen, dust are not her best friends. A couple of years ago, whenever Jen got to the point that her allerrgies were getting the best of her, we knew it was time to clean the house and get rid of the dust.

Out came the clorox cleaners, windex, wetjets, tub/tile cleaners, and we'd clean from the house from top to bottom. However, we started noticing that Jen's breathing would actually get worse during and after cleaning. At first we chalked it up to dust getting stirred up into the air. Then we realized that maybe the cleaners we used were more of a problem than a solution.

Ever thought about what's in your household cleaners? Bleach, ammonia, pesticides, etc... Chemicals that can be found in the bloodstreams of newborn babies, and have been connected to all sorts of health related problems. Why are we killing ourselves to keep our homes clean?

There are better options.

At the time of the story above, Jen discovered method. Through an ad in one of her magazines, we read about a company that was trying to change the way people think about clean. It's all about fighting what's dirty. Not just the dirty in our homes, but the dirty in the cleaning product industry. method has created the "greenest" cleaning products around. In addition to cleaning like a mother, smelling great, and being comparably priced, method products are completely biodegradable. Oh yeah, so is their packaging.

Plus, their stuff looks cool as hell."

Wanna read the rest? (Of course you do!) Ok, head on over to My Life With Dogs! (But please come on back. Ok? Thanks!)

soap me down

I know, the titles just keep gettin' worse, don't they? Actually I don't create them, there is a title troll that lives with me; and he is always coming up with these tacky titles! I beg him to not have me use them, but what can you do? I gotta listen to the title troll, or he'll do something bad to me, I'm sure of it. Oh oh, ouch. He's jabbing me, telling me to move on with this post... ok, ok! (stupid title troll!...)

Check out the always great Sustainable Is Good for a short article on the new method hand wash refill packaging.

A note, I do believe these have hit the shelves in Target stores already. I know I've seen them in most of the stores in my area. - Both the gel and foaming hand washes. Here's hoping the creamy hand wash refill is next in line!

cheers

Speaking of Detox Boston (see below), in the tradition of Detox Seattle, method has been having VIP parties featuring Natalie Bovis-Nelson, The Liquid Muse! She is a mixologist, and also did this during Detox Seattle! Check out this great new cocktail recipe from Detox Boston:

Method Margarita Martini
1 1/2 ounces 4 Copas organic tequila
1 ounce lime juice
11/2 ounces grapefruit juice
1 slice jalapeno
1 tsp 4 Copas agave nectar
course sea salt

Rim a martini glass with course sea salt. Muddle jalapeno, lime juice and agave nectar in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add grapefruit juice and tequila. Shake well and gently strain into glass.

You can find additional cocktail recipes, and more about all the excitement on the people against dirty blog!

PS - Natalie wrote a short post on her site, The Liquid Muse:

"Wandering around the web, today, I came across this post by Nate at Method Lust with a couple of recipes from my "Sustainable Sips" class in Seattle, last fall, which are not featured in my 2008 tour.

Cheers, Nate. (Who doesn't love a "green," booze-guzzling, clean freak?)"

I'm just curious who she's talking about in the last sentence? Ha ha! (Oh who am I kidding, pour the wine!)

detoxed

More gorgeous photos keep coming in from the Detox Boston fest! Man, I really wish I could be there! (Do you see those little bottles you can use to fill up your very own method hand wash? The so rocks!) But alas, I'll have to live vicariously through others...

"Method’s in Boston right now to expose the dirt on cleaning. We’re on a mission to clean up the way people clean, so we’re encouraging Bostonians to get rid of their traditional toxic house “cleaners” in favor of sweet-smelling, non-toxic ones.

We took flight from SF – taking a ton of people friendly, planet friendly products with us – and set up temporary shop at 329 Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay district. We’ll only be there until April 27, so for anyone in the greater Bahston area...sorry, couldn’t resist...who wants a healthier, happier home, you should come by and check us out."

Read the rest of the article, and check out the great pics from method's own people against dirty blog. (And New York City is next on the list!)

sexy sells!

Wow! Has anyone seen this ad running online? Apparently these screen captures were taken over on Treehugger.com

The copy reads: "Join the zero mile high club. Now doin' the nasty is anything but. Detox your home. - With our omop and our wood for good cleaner."

I've always wondered if method did any actual advertising? Looks like they do!

vs! - orange glo vs. method floor cleaner

Ding, Ding! In this corner we have Orange Glo! And in this corner, method floor cleaner! Make it a clean fight, boys!

From Mummy's Product Review site comes this product comparison:

"In this corner we have the tried and true Orange Glo floor cleaner. Guaranteed to polish your floors and make them shine for more than five minutes! In this next corner stands Method's Wood for Good non-toxic floor cleaner! In a battle royale of floor polishing feats who will come out the clear winner? Let's break it down shall we?

Orange Glo Hardwood Cleaner & Polish - It claims to clean your hardwood floor in one easy step. First it cleans, then shines and finally protects your floors all while revitalizing the hardwood. Using a dry mop I squirted the milky, orange-scented cleaner onto my floor and spread it out evenly. I follow the grain of the wood and I really do see a difference. It takes some scrubbing on some of the sticky parts of the kitchen floor but my floor really does shine and the orange scent thankfully isn't too strong. A day later my floor is still shiny even in the high traffic areas. The rooms I clean that barely see any foot traffic, like my dining room, stay shiny for up to a week. Fabulous! I was looking for a cleaner that was a bit more green though. Plus the solution does not squirt out of the bottle well. The spray goes wayward and hit a few walls despite pointing it nowhere near a wall. This left an oily stain on my wall which thankfully is being repainted soon. I also noticed that after a few uses my floor did not look shiny anymore but dull in fact and in a room with new hardwood this should not be the case... I am now throwing away my Orange Glo...

Method's Good for Wood Almond Floor Cleaner - I used this product first and found that while it takes some scrubbing to actually clean my floors it does work. It is not a fantastic floor cleaner like Murphy's Oil soap but the wood seems to drink it in and remain shiny and polished for a few days even in the high traffic areas. I love the light almond scent that lingers for a day leaving my home smelling clean and fresh. Just like the other cleaner, this one is a squirt and mop job. The oval shaped bottle doesn't drip cleaner out and it dries faster than the Orange Glo, which is great as my child constantly walks on the floor even as I clean it. Still, I didn't feel that it really cleaned the floors deeply, it simply takes a bit of the surface dirt off and maintains a pleasant shine. When I combine this product with Murphy's Oil soap hardwood cleaner it works beautifully, however that is a long process with me on my hands and knees for a while. I do not have time for this each week. The added bonus and the clincher for Method in my opinion, is that this is a non-toxic cleaner that will "put the hurt on the dirt and not on my home or family."

So which one did I go with? Method's Good for Wood floor cleaner wins out. There is no nasty build-up or residue left behind. My floors shine and really absorb this cleaner. It is good enough for those quick dry mop jobs and works fabulously when combined with a deep floor scrubbing. I'll stick with the Method and know that my floors will look great longer. The Orange Glo is already in the trash."

squeaky green baby giveaway

...Or rather, baby kit giveaway. No actual babies will be given away. That I know of... and I know, I know! I'm always last to know about these method contests (don't they know that method lust is THE place to go for all method goodness! Ok, ok, well, not yet. It's only been around for two and a so months, ok, I get it...) So this contest goes until April 29th, so go, now, and enter!

From the cradle site:

"Goodbye dirt and drool... Hello squeaky clean baby.

When you want to create the safest, healthiest environment for your baby, start with what you put on their body. method has created a new line of baby products that are both eco-friendly and kid-friendly.

Enter below for your chance to win a squeaky clean “new baby kit” from method home.

This brand new baby kit giveaway includes:
• method Baby Lotion
• method Baby Body Wash
• method Baby 3 in 1 wash
• method Baby Laundry Detergent
• method Baby Diaper Cream
• Squeaky Green - method's new book"

Head on over to join in on the fun!

bit bites

So I went to the dentist this afternoon (not good news, not good news.) But what was sitting on their countertop in the checkup room, but method lavender hand wash! Too cool!

Also, I just noticed at Target (while getting my antibiotics) the method baby line (bubbly bath, diaper cream, all of it!) is on the shelf in the baby aisle! Yay! Mmm, mallowy magic!

poppin up!

Over at squeaky clean + green, Steve has a post on method sneaking in some product placement on our favorite tv shows! The photo above is from this past week's Desperate Housewives. I also remember, as does he, when Ugly Betty showcased a zillion bottles of colorful method hand wash in one episode a few seasons ago! It's funny when it pops up, you're like "No way!"

Steve told me he plans on posting these when they show up on his favorite shows, so keep a watch out for the next method sighting!

we big heart you

Alright, so this week sucks. Major style. Like, a whole lot. Between some H.E.L. and L. that's been on going at work this week (and late nights!), my neck being so out it's not funny (joyful chiropractic stuff; oh but wait, the doctor is out this week!); and a tooth that has turned half my face into looking like I'm chawing on a giant wad of tobacco (which I don't do, blah! But my lower jawbone and cheek are so swollen from a major tooth issue/ache; and does it hurt? YES IT DOES! Dentist, today at 12:30, I can't wait) this week just blows. So I just wanted to let everyone at method know how you completely made my entire week, and especially Wednesday evening, so much brighter! Thank you!

I got home late Wednesday, and a package was on my doorstep? And ta-da! Look what it was! New method squeaky baby stuff! Yay! I'm telling you, it made my night! Look at all the cute packaging, and booklet that was included!

The package contained two items, 3-in-1 kids shampoo in fuzzy peach scent, and the baby hair + body wash in rice milk + mallow.

That baby pic is so adorable! The booklet is a flip over; meaning one side is baby, then flip it over, the other side kids! So cute! It reads:

(baby side) "if you ask us, all babies are perfect. most of their days are spent napping and smiling and making little tiny noises. their little chubby bodies are plump and marshmallow-y. they're yummy. they smell great (most of the time.) even their messes are cute (sort of.)

all they really need is a little maintenance to stay naturally perfect: a gentle bath and a bit of diaper cream to keep their bottoms smooth and non-irritated."

(kid side) "in an ideal world, toddlers and kids would be little bundles of pure joy all of the time; all smiles and laughter. they'd almost never cry. they'd make little teeny-tiny messes. they'd smell naturally yummy like apples and peaches. it would be easy to keep them squeaky clean. they'd be perfect.

in the real world, they're a little more unpredictable. they're creative and resourceful and that's what makes them fun. that's also when spills happen and there's dirt to deal with. because your kids work hard at having fun, we've created a fun line of washes that are 99% natural and 100% hard-working."

So I decided to give them a try! Ha ha! I couldn't resist. The fuzzy peach 3-in-1 shampoo (body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Makes you wonder why we buy three different products when apparently one works just as well?) smells wonderful. I still feel it has an undertone of vanilla; but overall the scent is of a ripe peach, but very light. - Not overpowering at all. It's a really nice scent, once I got to actually try the product. I washed my hair with it, as well as myself (well, half myself, saving the other half for the baby hair + body wash!) While it doesn't lather as much as the adult personal care line (and I realize lathering is bad for the environment, anyway. But I'm so used to it. It's crazy how people get conditioned about certain things and ways. Crazy!) it still worked great! Easy to wash off, too!

The baby hair + body wash was also a big recommendation! The scent is definitely mallow (as in marshmallow); but again, it's so very subtle. - In a great way! It's an extremely light scent, perfect for babies. Not too sweet, just light and clean. Worked great as well, about the same thoughts on this one as I had on the 3-in-1 shampoo. I felt perhaps the bottle was a little small in amount (8 oz.) compared to the 10 oz. 3-in-1 shampoo; since they cost the same at Target (ok, well wait, I haven't seen it in the store yet, so I could be wrong. But it costs the same on the method home site.) I didn't use the cup that comes with it (I'm a little too big for a wash cup, ya know?) since it's for washing off the soap/shampoo on your babies; but it looks like it'd work great.

Overall two wonderful products! I've already shared a coupon with one of my friends, who just had a baby! (Push that method!) Personally, I can't wait to try the crisp apple scent next, I'm gonna go buy some soon! Great products! Great scents! Give'em a try!

green with squeaky envy!

I am SO jealous! I mean, J.E.A.L.O.U.S. Gareth Kay recently made his trek to the Detox Boston "pop-up" store, and gives a complete account of his adventure, with lots of amazing photos! Man, he is lucky! The post begins:

"Finally got down to Method's Detox Boston space (I can't bring myself to say pop up store) on Newbury Street (it's open until the end of the week so if you're in Boston get down there).

I've written before about how much I love this brand - big social mission beyond it's category, great design, built from the product up, etc. - and the store was a great way to bring it to life.

Lots of great stuff - hand cream you can only get hold of it you bring in harmful home cleaning materials to be disposed of; stuff being sold as sets in their 'plastic bag' rehab reusable bags (so of course I felt obliged to)

But my favorite thing was the cleaning confessional, where you wrote your confession for a confessional that was a photo machine. Photos were left on the wall (including confessions from the founders)..."

Read the rest at his site, Hello My Name Is Brand New, and drool!

method profiles - danny alexander

My my my, it's method profiles! This here is where we get the chance to learn a little bit about "who makes the method world go 'round!" Look for this special feature on.. oh you should know by now! (Shh, Tuesdays and Thursdays.)

It's Danny Alexander day! Yay! Why am I so happy cause it's Danny Alexander day? Well, honestly, I don't know. But Yay! So on we go, to Danny Alexander day! (Danny, you do realize you're hereby authorized to make April 24 of every year Danny Alexander day, right? Yeah, I'm giving you governmental approval, cause I just roll that way! Ok? Ok! Oh-k...

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Danny Alexander. Shapeshifter is my job title, but I don’t know if that counts as a nickname.

2+ What was your first method lust?
As I’m sure is the case with many advocates, the method handsoap was my gateway product. The design is timeless.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
I had been designing environmentally friendly furniture in New York, but wanted to work on a larger scale. I wanted to help bring good, sustainable design to the masses. Method’s vision (and products, of course) inspired me, and I wanted to get involved.

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
My title is Shapeshifter, which is method-speak for Industrial Designer. I’ve been here for a little over a year, which, believe it or not, is a long time at method.

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
I ride my bike to work. I recycle and compost religiously. I’ve signed method up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program and I am personally a member of one as well. I try to live my life as sustainably as possible.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
They’re probably not the last people, since I converted them over a year ago, but my parents now probably account for a significant share of method’s sales. When they first saw the Lil Bowl Blu that I helped design, they bought as many as possible, and, according to my mom she brought one in her purse everywhere she went, showing it off to all her friends. How embarrassing.

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
Go Naked.

Ok, I will! Yay! (Thanks Danny! We love the new lil' bowl blu and think you're mom seriously rocks!)

Check back on Tuesday for the next method profile!

Our previous method profiles:
Drummond Lawson
Sangita Forth
Colleen Reilly

new site!

UPDATE G. Lie over at method had this statement to make concerning the new site:

"thanks for your post. i work at method (hence lowercasing everything) and headed up the redesign of this site. just want to let you know that this is really the soft launch of the new site. there's actually a bunch of new features we're adding on top of this first phase launch. expect great things within a few weeks - it'll really act like a totally different site than even what you're seeing now. stay tuned!"

Sounds great! Thanks for the info.!


Previously
Have you seen it? method has a new site up! How cool is that! (Pretty cool!) Unfortunately, due to my fiasco of a Tuesday, I didn't even realize until this evening! (I know, I know; how can I even call myself the man oh' method lust if I don't notice these things! Please forgive me, forgive me...) so be sure to head on over and check it out! I'll be posting more on it as the week progresses.

And OH MY WORD, check out the little method squeaky green crisp apple otter that is just too precious for words! He pops up on the front page... I just wanna squeeze him! (Yeah, don't go any further with that, ok; just don't...)

method of buying

What do you think of method's new buying, well, method, on their updated website? Like it? Loathe it? Don't really feel anything towards it? (I think they make medication for that kind of thing, ya know?) What do YOU think?.. I mean about this new storefront for method; not what you're going to have to eat tonight... or wear tomorrow (I'd suggest the red, by the way. Always a great choice! Trust me.)

in with the new

NEW

OLD

Take a closer look at method's new site, and you'll notice something big! They've redesigned a majority of their package labels! From cleaning sprays, to creamy hand wash; it's been relabeled. You can see an example of the old and new cleaning spray labels above. What do you think? Is it an improvement? Too simple? Perfect? Liked the photo style labels? Give your opinion!

An interesting note - method is known (at least to me) for using lots of lowercasing. I mean, take a look at the method profiles, those people even write in lowercase! I think it's a career requirement over there! Ha ha! So it's surprising to me that all the titles on the new labels are in caps. Perhaps to make them more immediately noticable? You'll also notice some new terminology on select products. The method glass cleaner is now called 'best in glass', replacing 'blue sky'. And 'all surface' replaced the term 'all purpose' on the cleaning sprays. - Just some FYIs.

Look for more detailed posts concerning the new packaging, and site soon.

pop that top!

Check out the new packaging for the method cleaning wipes! Complete with a pop open top! How cute, and functional!

Their site lists lavender, pink grapefruit and go naked cleaning wipes. (go naked wasn't available for the above photo. He had a prior engagement and wasn't able to make the photo shoot, but sends his apologies. Oh ok! So I was just too lazy to include him in the photo, ok? Happy now? Of course you are.) Missing are (cucumber?), as well as the leather, wood for good, steel and granite wipes. (I hope those were all still current, man I'm losing it today, I tell you! But I also must admit I don't really buy the wipes; I'm more of a microfiber and spray kind of guy!) so I'm wondering if those have been discontinued, or the new packaging for those products simply wasn't available to include on the site as of yet. I'll let you know, when I find out.

method profiles - colleen reilly

Oh look, it's method profiles! Ok, this is where we get the chance to learn a little bit about "who makes the method world go 'round!" Look for this special feature on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Colleen Reilly is SO lucky today, since my tooth is pulsating like a jackhammer (Ok, maybe not THAT much, but man oh man does it hurt) I'm gonna take a reprieve from my usual jabberings, and get right to the good stuff! Colleen's name can be found all around (ok, not in that way!), including making regular posts to the people against dirty blog on method's home site! (And does she not have the best hair! Trust me, she does! I could put like eighty products in my hair, and it falls flat. Her hair is so awesome! Perhaps it's the eighty products I put in my hair that MAKE it fall flat, but let's not dwell on that, ok...) Since she's wondering why I'm blabbing on about her hair now, let's just head on over to the to the Q&A!

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
colleen reilly.  i don’t have a nickname that i’m aware of – could be that i’m too new (I’ve been here about 5 months), or that i just don’t know what my colleagues call me behind my back.

2+ What was your first method lust?
i bought other products first and really liked them, but if you’re talking LUST it has to be the old old version of our olive leaf body wash. i’d never smelled anything like it! luckily the scent got a do-over in our new line of natural moisturizing body care, which you can bet is in my shower right now.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
 i started following method after we got named to Inc. magazines “Fastest Growing Private Companies” list in 2006 (that’s the first time i realized that method was in san francisco, where i’ve lived for 16+ years).  my very first job in san francisco way back when was with a pioneering socially responsible company, and i’d always intended to find another job eventually that enabled me to have a job and live my personal values at the same time.  and as luck/fate/destiny would have it, it turned out i had a friend who had a friend here who started the ball rolling for me. i feel very lucky to have found a place here.

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
my “real” title is the director of advocate experience.  at method we don’t believe in the word “customer”; you’re an “advocate.”  everybody in the whole wide world is either an advocate, which means that she is already turned on to method, or a potential advocate, which means we just have to reach him with our message to turn him into an advocate. our advocates love us so much (yes, you’re a perfect example!) that the title i prefer to use is “president of the method fan club.” and i do everything in my power to make sure those fans feel happy and loved and have the tools they need to spread the word about us. it’s only been 5 months, but i’m definitely feeling the love!

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
 i think it’s more that i’m more conscious overall and do lots of little things, like finally finishing replacing the light bulbs in my house with CFLs, driving a lot less (even in my hybrid car), not buying bottled water unless absolutely necessary (i had to buy a bottle in an airport earlier this week + was mad about it). we are lucky enough to have a tiny little yard in the city and we just got an electric lawn mower. it’s pretty funny to be pushing a lawn mower on a 30-foot extension cord!

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
a good friend in seattle who has a couple of little ones.  of course, it didn’t take much to turn her on to squeaky green baby + kids – moms love the stuff!

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
 hmmmmm ... i guess pink grapefruit.  i can be sweet as they come but sometimes a bit tart too. (not a bit OF a tart – that would be, um, totally different.  more like go naked!)

Thank you so much Colleen! Do these people rock, or what!

Check back on Tuesday for the next method profile!

Our previous method profiles:
Drummond Lawson
Sangita Forth

method retrospect

vroom brand car care products

I told you I'd get to these someday! I'm just, well, lazy. Yeah, that's it. Why hide it! Ok? Ok. Time for another method retrospect! Where we take a moment to remember those wonderful products that came and went. To method product Heaven is where they went. Oh WOE is me, to method product Heaven! But they shall forever be in our hearts. Our obsessive method product filled hearts. Maybe that's why I have no boyfriend, I have no room left for love. For my heart is all full of method products. Ok, wait, that's just so sad... so very sad. I think we need a moment of silence here.

OK! So today we're featuring the vroom brand car care line! Did you purchase these products when they were released, in 2005? Here's a bit of background:

"Target Corp., Method's largest customer, signaled its belief in the brand when it approached the company to develop a new category; which was the "catalyst" to launch Vroom.

The automotive merchandisers at Target saw that existing products did not engage the store's target customer. Target approached Method to devise something to appeal to soccer moms instead of hardcore car enthusiasts. It took Method three months to go from idea to a packaged product.

"When you have a major retailer give you the support this launch (of Vroom) will have, it gives you confidence to put capital investment into a new brand," said Eric Ryan, co-founder of Method with Adam Lowry. He said Target saw only the Vroom concept and signed on for "endcap displays," the coveted real estate at the end of a shopping aisle. Vroom was fully funded by Method; Target provided no financial support."

The product line included: all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner (which you can see in the photo to the very left; it's all bubbly cause I just dropped it on the floor right before the photo was taken, ha! It doesn't come pre-bubbled like that!), tire shine, protectant (for your car interior), air plug-ins (not pictured), hand wipes (for carrying in your car), interior refreshers (scented sprays for your car interiors; the item I keep mentioning would work great as a Febreze competitor); and a multitude of mitts, cloths, and such.

Most of the cleaners were actually unscented. Which surprised me coming from method (perhaps this was due to them only having three months to create these products?) I expected the glass cleaner to maintain it's method style mint, and so on. But they were all unscented; excluding the air plug-ins (which you snapped onto your car air vent), hand wipes and the interior refreshers. These items came in Sea Flower (an AMAZING scent! I wish method would bring this fragrance to the method line!), Lavender Vanilla, Mandarin Melon, and Basil Verbena (another scent I loved.)

Sadly the line lasted little more than two years (ending around 2007.) I'm not sure why it didn't work, or if method simply didn't want to focus on that area of cleaners long term. I think a lot of the ideas and products could have been brought in under the method brand (as this brand was labeled: vroom brand, a method "people against dirty' product.)

You can actually still find a vroom brand line at Target, though it's only fabric items (cleaning cloths, mitts, sponges and the such); no cleaners. Target somehow retained that name from method (unfortunately I don't know the details) and kept those products around. I've always wondered if that caused any confusion for method.

I loved the line (big surprise there, right?) and HELLO method, (I keep beating this horse dead, but hoping sooner or later they hear me. Hello, hello? Anyone there?) Vroom brand interior refreshers = method Febreze competitor. It's PERFECT!

Did you purchase this line? Lusted after it? Didn't really like it? What were your thoughts? Drop me some comments! Thanks!

we heart mother earth

Speaking of Earth Day, do you have any plans on celebrating April 22, 2008? What goals are you making to help out Mother Earth? I liked this one comment I found recently:

"If you only do ONE thing this Earth Day, register to VOTE." (And then, vote! This can be a surprisingly big thing!)

Let method lust know, what will you do April 22?

not just green... squeaky green!

method has just posted their latest update to their people against dirty blog, pertaining to the new squeaky green book! It begins:

"Congratulations – it’s a... book! It’s our first one, and we’re so proud. We’ve named it Squeaky Green: The method Guide to Detoxing Your Home. (Kind of a mouthful, we know. We hope it doesn’t get teased too much on the playground.) In a nutshell, it’s a room-by-room guide to lots of easy things you can do to rid your home of toxins so you and your family will breathe easier.

In celebration of Earth Day, here are five easy and inexpensive tips – all pulled from our very own Squeaky Green.

1. Exercise that green thumb by picking up a plant, or five. Plants are nature’s detoxers and can actually boost oxygen levels in your home. Some real botanical champs are philodendrons, green spider plants, dracaenas, palms, ferns, English ivy, peace lilies, mums and daisies.

2. Slay the energy vampire. OK, we know you don’t want to come home every day and reset the time on all your appliances. Neither do we. But for those times you’re leaving for a while, plug everything into a power strip and simply switch it off. (Er, you might want to make sure you haven’t lost the manual for your DVD player.)"

To read the full Earth Day tips list head over to their site!

granite me the wisdom...

Yeah, yeah! You knew those bad titles would be back! Yes you did, don't lie! Lying isn't nice. (Unless it's... well, ok, no, it's not nice!) Anyway, I got a phone call this morning, and it was from method's granite polishing spray. You see, he was a little miffed that I hadn't given him any spotlight here on method lust. It was all "lil' bowl blu this, and squeaky green that!" Ok, ok, Mr. Daily, here's ya go! Geesh!

How about a quick, but informative review from Meredith:

"Granite countertops are quickly becoming the standard. We've loved the granite counters that the previous owners installed. After a year of hard use, though, they no longer feel as smooth as they first did. I set out to investigate the best granite cleaning products.

Granite is extremely hard, but it's still porous. If you've used Windex as a default granite cleaning product, you may need to re-seal the countertops earlier than the once-a-year recommendation. (Guilty as charged!)

Special care is needed when cleaning your granite countertops:

Wipe spills immediately. Grease can absorb.
Avoid abrasive granite cleaners, even "soft scrub" style pastes.
Don't choose acidic cleaners, like vinegar or citrus based formulas.

I have been pleased with Method brand's The Daily Granite, which you can pick up at Target. Method granite cleaner has a fresh smell that matches its all-natural marketing. Method left my counters smooth and streak-free, but it's expensive. With the messes we make, we could easily spray through a bottle every two weeks.

The best granite cleaning cloths are definitely microfiber. The ultra-smooth nap makes the granite streak-free."


What? Not enough for ya Mr. Daily? Man, you are an egomaniac! Ok, ok, how about another one!

"Anyone who has black granite knows that you can't use any old cleaner on it. It'll show streaks and look just as dirty as if you hadn't cleaned it. Well, I've had the pleasure of having black granite in two houses now (honest, I do love it) and out of necessity I've become an expert in keeping it look good as the day it went in. The product I've come to trust the most to get the job done is Method Daily Granite.

This cleaning product from Method is actually designed for both Marble and Granite. Of course, like all Method products, it's formulated with the environment in mind, as it contains biodegradable surfactants derived from corn and coconut. Ideally, you should use a microfiber cloth with this product (less wasteful than paper!). Method does sell a separate companion microfiber cloth, but I have plenty on hand, so I have not used the one they sell.

Daily Granite comes in a 12 ounce spray bottle with a trigger handle pump. It is a little spendy, considering the bottle is pretty small. But I love this stuff, so I'm (willing to splurge) every 4 weeks or so for a new one. I should add that I have a lot of granite counter space in my kitchen, probably 3-4 times the amount that I had in my old home. If your kitchen is smaller, this bottle probably would last easily 2-3 months. I use it primarily after dinner when my counter gets the messiest.

I have used other "green" granite sprays. But what makes Mehod Daily Granite more appealing is its wonderful scent. Method describes it as orchard blossom. It's a pleasant light floral scent that isn't cloying or so sweet like some floral scents in cleaning products that have the tendency to give me a headache.

You should know that Daily Granite isn't designed to be a counter sanitizer. Its purpose is to give your counter a nice shine without any streaking. And that it does very well. Its consistency is pretty much like glass cleaner, although it's clear and not blue. In my experience, however, it isn't very good in cutting through heavy messes on its own. So if you need to cut through dried-on messes, you're best off (using another product), and then as a finishing step, use Daily Granite.

When I first got granite counters in my old home I tried to see if I could get by without using a granite spray, opting for a traditional cleaning spray instead. I soon learned I needed a spray such as Daily Granite. It really is a necessity for me, especially since black granite is probably the worst when it comes to showing streaks. Despite its high cost, I would still recommend this product. Granite is an investment and what's the point of having it if it doesn't look good. Daily Granite will keep your precious granite looking great and you'll be the envy of all your neighbors."

There ya go. Never again shall you be taken for... granite. Ba-dum. HSN.com currently has a great deal on a 6-piece method granite cleaning kit, for $19.98!

pod people

From Podtech.net:

"Can cleaning and washing be a green process that actually brings beautiful products into the home? Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, entrepreneurs and co-founders of Method (”People Against Dirty”), believe so. They have created an arsenal of health-conscious cleaners, soaps and detergents based on green chemistry. And those green products come in bottles with funky designs made from biodegradable materials. In this first issue of Green Design, Lowry and Ryan talk about their vision, the design process at Method and how to build a sustainable company."

Check out this informative video featuring a peak into method, and what they're all about!

green tips

"Gigantic jugs of laundry detergent are a gigantic waste of water, plastic, and gasoline. Most laundry detergents contain up to 80% water. This makes them heavy to carry and is bad for the environment. Solution: switch to a 3x concentrated detergent and pour to level one."

- taken from squeaky green, the method guide to detoxing your home

kickin' it old skool

Hey, let's take a moment and check in on a tried and true method product! It's been around pretty much from the very beginning. Ta-da, it's method hand wash, with a review from Emily over at Living Cruelty Free (who gave it five big stars!):

"I’d almost forgotten I even have Method Hand Wash — it was one of the first Method products I ever bought and I’ve had a bottle of it next to my sink for years, so I don’t even notice it’s there any more. I usually stick with the french lavender scented one, because I like the purple color, but I’ve also bought the clear bottled one — it’s a “sweet water” scent, and it was nice too. It also comes in an aqua eucalyptus mint, a pink grapefruit, a yellow-green green tea and aloe, a pale blue sea minerals, a green cucumber, and an unscented-and-undyed go naked.

The Method web site states that Method Hand Wash is super gentle, made with naturally-derived, biodegradable ingredients, contains vitamin E and aloe. It contains no antibacterial ingredients, because those are usually made from harsh chemicals that are dangerous around children, and, if used excessively, may actually promote the development of super bacteria that regular antibiotics can’t kill. (Method Hand Wash is vegan, but not organic.)

Interestingly, it turns out that while antibacterial hand soaps are most effective at removing bacteria from your hands, it turns out that plain soap and water is the best remover of viruses from your hands — even better than antibacterial soaps — it forms a slippery surface that the viruses slide off of, or something like that. Apparently non-water-using hand wipes and sanitizers are the least effective method of removing bacteria or viruses from your hands. Sickbert-Bennett EE, WEber DJ, Gergen-Teague MF, Sobsey MD, Samsa GP, and Rutala WA, “Comparative efficacy of hand hygiene agents in the reduction of bacteria and viruses,” American Journal of Infection Control, 2005 Mar: 33(2);67-77. Though using an antibacterial handsoap is more effective at killing bacteria than just plain hand soap, you should still only use antibacterial soap if you’re in a hospital or have a compromised immune system — otherwise you’ll promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are really nasty. There’s also some evidence that the prevalence of antibacterial soaps has led to antibacterial agents permeating the groundwater, and so wild animals are exposed to it and may develop and foster bacteria resistant to antibiotic agents and thus eventually cause breakouts in the human population of drug-resistant-bacterial diseases.)

Mostly, I like Method hand wash because the bottle is so much more attractive than any other hand soap out there. I mean (have you seen the others?) — they’re perfectly good hand soaps but they just don’t look that cool. Plus they’re probably full of chemicals. I also like the lavender scent — it has a pretty, faint floral scent, it seems to wash my hands pretty well — they end up clean with no residue and no frighteningly strong chemical-floral fragrance."

method profiles - sangita forth

It's our next method profiles; where we get the chance to learn a little bit about "who makes the method world go 'round!" Look for this special feature on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Our second participant is Sangita Forth! We've just heard her name rather recently, in a wonderful Q&A session discussing the new baby + kids personal care line, Squeaky Green (where she was mentioned as method's new Baby + Kid Brand Director!) But what's that, you want to know more? Of course you do! So without further ado, let's learn more about Sangita Forth!

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Sangita.

2+ What was your first method lust?
It was 2004 and I was shopping for a hand soap in Duane Reade in NYC. I came across method’s green tea hand soap and fell in love with it. Loved the simple design, bring color and fragrance. It was super disruptive for the category.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
After discovering method in NYC and after deciding to move back to SF, method was the first company on my list. I was so excited to work for a company that was small and had such passion to make an impact in the categories that they compete in and for the environment. I knew it was the place for me after I visiting their offices and getting a true feel for the culture and the people.

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
I have been at method for almost 3.5 years and have loved every minute of it. I am in the marketing group (Category Champion).

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
My resolution for 2008 is to compost all of my food waste and use it as fertilizer in our backyard. We are super anal about recycling everything and and are conscientious about only buying products in packaging that is recyclable.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
My mom… believe it or not, I couldn’t break her addiction to using bleach and other toxic cleaners. In the past year, she has become so much more conscientious about the chemicals that she is bringing into her home. She is a full method convert now!

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
Hmmm... I would say Pink Grapefruit only because people would describe me as having a bright, bubbly personality and being a bit sassy too.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Sangita! (See how I didn't torment you like I did poor Drummond! It's a low torment kind of day, what can I say? Lucky for you, lucky for you!)

Check back on Tuesday for the next method profile!

Our previous method profiles:
Drummond Lawson

green tips

"Antibacterial soap and cleaners are registered pesticides and can do more harm than good since they don't actually kill viruses (only bacteria.) Solution: trust nonantibacterial products to get the job done and keep you healthy."

- taken from squeaky green, the method guide to detoxing your home

review - kids fuzzy peach 3-in-1 shampoo

Tiffany sent us this thumbs-up review of the new method kids squeaky green personal care line; in particular the 3-in-1 shampoo! Check it out:

"Hi! We just tried the new Method Kids 3-in-1 in Fuzzy Peach, and it was great! My son is 2, so all we really need is a combo product, and this one really delivered (and smelled good too!). When he was a baby, we used the Aveeno baby, but with all the phthalate issues, we recently switched to the Burt's Bees Baby Bee wash. That, however, seems to be very drying- my poor son got all these dry spots, which he'd never had before. His skin even felt dry just getting out of the bath!

So, we tried the new Method Kids (no baby product yet in our Target), and think it's great. Son loved the scent (orange, he says! OK, I thought it smelled a little orangey myself, but either way it smelled really nice, but not overwhelming at all). Foamed up just right, washed out quickly and well. And the washing out quickly and well is pretty important, because what toddler likes having water dumped over their head repeatedly? Once or twice maybe, but that's it! And that's all it took with the Method (you don't want to know how many dumpings the Burt's Bees took....) So, my review is great product, good price, easy-to-use (and cute) packaging, nice but not overwhelming smell that seemed much more moisturizing than previous products and was just right for us. Loved it!"

Thanks! Got a review of a product you'd like to submit to method lust? Send your review to: artist@nathanaaron.com

living cruelty free

We love giving some big hugs to the method omop here at method lust! So be sure to check out this article, from Living Cruelty Free. They actually review multiple mops in the article, and GUESS which won earns 5 stars! (It's an easy guess!)

"I feel like this is one of the few things I’m extremely qualified to judge — I have bought not one, not two, but THREE poor excuses for microfiber mopping devices. Though technically one was the swiffer, which really isn’t a microfiber mop thing, it’s more a huge waste of trees and money bad for the environment kind of paper mop/sweepy thing, which I gave up a few years ago because I hated paying for the (expensive) disposable mopping things, of which it usually took four to clean my (tiny) apartment at the time. But I thought the swiffer itself was perfectly fine — just overpriced with all the disposable mop heads, so I gave it away and bought a Bona Kemi mop.

The Bona Kemi microfiber mop was awful. It didn’t maneuver very well, and usually managed to unscrew parts of itself while mopping — it was just a very poorly designed mop. The handle is made of four parts, and they all screw together, so if you apply the slightest pressure counterclockwise, one of them will come unscrewed. If not the part where the handle screws into the base, which is also prone to becoming unscrewed. It’s just a nightmare. I really didn’t care for it (though the Bona Kemi floor cleaning solutions were excellent, and I think the Bona Kemi people were totally ahead of their time — the first microfiber mops I ever saw were Bona Kemi, and the microfiber parts were very high quality. I think I might have a few of them left around and I’m hoping they will work with the O Mop so I can keep using them — they seem pretty similar.)

So, after the Bona Kemi fiasco, I moved on to the Real Simple microfiber mop. This one was definitely better constructionwise than the Bona Kemi mop — the handle was one solid piece of metal! It only had the part where the handle screws into the base that would become unscrewed if pressure was applied in a clockwise direction! So it was less prone to self-destructing, but it was still a little difficult to maneuver — not only could you not apply much counterclockwise pressure, but it also was very inflexible so it wouldn’t go very far under edges of tables, and the base was kind of curved upwards instead of lying flush to the floor, so it has to have constant pressure applied downwards or it would not actually pick anything up. So you can see — these features made it not as maneuverable as it could be. So I ended up promenading around my house pulling a microfiber mop in a pattern of parallel lines to get the floor clean — I always felt like I was mowing a lawn or something. It was just insane. So I ended up not really using it that much. Though I’ve had it for the past two years and used it weekly (ha! more like monthly) because I wanted to get some use out of it before ditching it.

However, a few days ago I was at Target and I could not resist buying the O Mop. It was in the Method section, and I needed to buy more wood floor cleaner (my Bona Kemi wood floor cleaner finally ran out!), and I’ve never been very happy with the Real Simple microfiber mop, so the O Mop magically found its way into my cart.

My first impression of the O Mop was good. I took it home, and put it together, and it seems much more sturdily made than the Real Simple or Bona Kemi mops, and much more aerodynamic and cool-looking. The parts chink together and just looking at them you know they’re not going to fall apart if you accidentally maneuver the mop counterclockwise.

Then . . . I swept my ENTIRE HOUSE in about FIVE minutes with the microfiber attachment (1500 sq feet? something like that). Usually it takes me 20 minutes with the highly annoying Real Simple mop that has the maneuverability of a lawn mower. This Method one though it’s like I stand in the center of the room, swish the mop around me in a giant circle, and the mop uses its own weight to glide over the floor and pick up all the dog hair (you have no idea how much dog hair my dog produces — it’s frightening) and dirt that coat the floor in a few seconds, and the room is clean! I managed to clean the area behind the toilet while standing two feet away from it, with one hand! The Real Simple mop required my standing with one knee on the toilet, and two hands trying to maneuver the wretched base of the Real Simple mop behind the base of the toilet, and then having the base of the mop fall off at some point because you have to twist the mop counterclockwise to get it out from behind there. It was aggravating.

So I’m a complete convert. I really didn’t think the O Mop would be that much better than the Real Simple mop — I figured anything HAD to be slightly better because that thing doesn’t even seem to have a mop surface that is parallel to the ground. But the O Mop is a lot better.

So I HIGHLY recommend this mop. If you’re still using one of those wretched bucket contraptions, seriously, you need to buy one of these. (Microfiber mops are so much less trouble than bucket mops — and they’re much better for wooden floors than bucket mops because those leave huge puddles of water on your (expensive) hardwood floor, and that’s bad for it. You can prolong the life of your floor finish by using a microfiber mop, the floor dries a lot faster, and if you use it dry it makes an excellent broom. Though you should still keep your bucket mop for the really heavy jobs — microfiber isn’t good for soaking/scrubbing caked on filth.)

(Method products are cruelty-free and vegan — but not organic.)

The Method O Mop is available for $30 at the Method Online Store, your local Target, or Orchard Supply and Hardware. It comes in two starter kits — one is for hardwood floors, the other is for nonwood floors. The “wood for good” starter kit contains 1 wet/dry microfiber mop pad that velcroes on to the mop base, 3 compostable sweeping cloths (I think these are pointless — just use the wet/dry microfiber pad and buy a few more — you’ll save a lot of money in the long run), and a 14 oz container of Method wood floor cleaner. The “all floor starter kit” contains 1 wet/dry all floor microfiber mop pad, 3 compostable sweeping cloths and a 14 oz container of Method all floor cleaner."