a lil' eric ryan...

Sometimes I just take a moment or sixty, and hunt and peck around ye ole' internet to see what method goodies I can find! (You all might think method just hands me these news items on silver trays with little mints! But alas, it's about 90% detective work (just ask method, they'd agree!), 8% you amazing lusters sending me photos and scoops (thanks!), and 2% method actually laying it all out for me. It's work, peeps, work!) With that said, I've stumbled upon a few dandies I thought you'd enjoy, coming via tweets, chirps, and blog posts from method co-founder Eric Ryan! Enjoy!

+ The pic above is a sneak peek for method's new dish soap refill pouches! Ready to hit store shelves this spring!

+ This happens to be an old school photo of method's very first shelf display, sold into Mollie Stones in San Francisco (notice the price!) It's method's tenth anniversary! Can you believe it? Congrats, method! You can check out the complete post over on method's official people against dirty blog, which includes this "who would have imagined that 10 short years later we would..." list:

• beat the odds and become a thriving + enduring business
• live up to the dream of creating a business that is an agent for change
• work at a company where MacGyver is a role model
• convince millions of people to switch to non-toxic cleaners
• attend the prom. every year.
• stand up to Goliath over a flower… and watch them back down
• give people a professional outlet to be weird… and get paid for it
• launch green revolutions including: 100% post-consumer recycled bottles, marvelously concentrated + precisely dosed laundry detergent, smarty dish, bamboo wipes, pouch refills, bio-diesel trucks and all of our incredible green chemistry
• moonlight as front-desk receptionists on a regular basis
• hone our ping-pong skills to a butter-knife edge
• sell products that people use the word “lust” to describe (we got a shout-out, lusters!)
• get sunlight 24 hours a day, with offices in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong
• and most importantly… have the opportunity to hear from amazing people like you and make the world a little bit cleaner.

I've still got three of the four bottles pictured above, under my kitchen sink. Can you believe that?! No, wait, you can. (They're all empty. Actually no, hold on, I decided to take the "vintage" ylang-ylang bathroom spray bottle out of retirement, and refill it. So it's sitting in the bathroom at the moment. And I still have a 3/4 bottle of the kitchen cleaner. Man, that grapefruit mandarin kitchen cleaner was the bomb! I love those pics method used to have on their bottles. Unfortunately, I never got around to picking up the glass cleaner when it first debuted in this bottle style.)

+ Look for a new method book to hit store shelves late Summer, titled The method method! You do all have a copy of method's previous book, squeaky green, right?



+ method recently had a segment on the CNBC show "How I Made My Millions"! (You can see their new spray bottles in the video! Man, those are some great bottles! I have yet to see any hit my Target shelves, but I can't wait!) - Full video above! Enjoy!

clean sweeps

A couple tidbits!

+ I've begun noticing method hand wash bottles are now sporting cute little laundry detergent samples (attached at the bottle neck!) So if you haven't yet, this is a great way to try out their new 8X laundry detergent before you buy a bottle!

+ And speaking of their laundry detergent, over on their Facebook page an advocate asked them:

"I really love your new super-concentrated pump-style laundry detergent. Any chance a fabric softener in the same container is coming?"

...to which method answered with a big ole "stay tuned!" (Which I'd say is a yes!)

clean sweeps

A couple of quick method items I've noticed this past week!

+ Be sure to look out for the slightly redesigned method marine naturals bottles coming your way very soon! Oh the shape is still the same, but they've replaced the white stripe label design with a much simpler big white text printing on the bottle. While I do think it really designs down the look of the bottle (something method sorta keeps doing every time they update their bottle designs, if you ask me. Thoughts?) it IS at least really easy to read now!

+ Love your method vanilla apple aircare pills? Well, you might have to pay a bit more, compared to lavender lemongrass or sweet water lusters! (Which yes, makes no sense.) In the continuation of "WTFreak is going on with method's aircare line?" (It's still around, so my doom and gloom it's going away guess did not come to fruition. - Yet? Though I swear, I think it's about time method did a big ole' aircare shake up. I find the line just boring at this point. And there's NOTHING new going on with the thing. And now with the loss of the candles (which are currently only available on method's website, as far as I know) and no aroma ring refills (though the ring is still available?) and only three scents, eh, come on method, I love aircare. Can't live without it, honestly! But it's time for some cha-cha-changes! Make us proud, ok? Crosses fingers.)

OH, now where in the world was I? Yes, ok. method unfortunately has no control over the pricing Target puts on their products (to my understanding) so it's really weird that Target seems to be testing the waters with their aircare pricing. Right now if you purchase lavender lemongrass or sweet water pill refills, $7.99. Vanilla apple? $8.99 (which, is crazy. I think $7.99 is crazy, so $8.99 is just maddening.) Along with that, if you purchase the vanilla apple or sweet water aroma rings, $5.99. Lavender lemongrass? $6.49. See, see, I told you, it makes NO sense. But just a warning next time you head in to pick these items up. At least until Target figures out what it is they really want to do. (Aroma spray is still $3.99, and aroma sticks are also still $12.99.)

+ The holidays items have hit clearance. I've seen some soap here and there. Though not much, and usually only in peppermint vanilla. Only a mere 15% off right now, so you might want to wait a tad bit longer, unless you think you might miss out. Oh, and don't even think you'll find a candle, cause those things are like, history. They were history in November. Well, at least around my parts, that is.

long form clean sweeps (+ the contest winner!)

+ Run on over to your fav-OH!-rite Target, cause the new guest-star (stating it's a limited release scent on the back of the bottle) mandarin mango hand wash is hitting the shelves (Jamison, why do you never have faith in me? Ha ha!) I've got to say, when I gave it a good sniff in the store, I wasn't too impressed. (I'm not a big fruits/foods scent kind of guy. I lean more towards earthy, herby, and minty scents. And it really smelled like mango in the store, which wasn't a good thing for me! Eh, what can you do? I realize it says MANGO, but I was hoping it was more MANDARIN. So I snatched one up for the mandarin mango lust contest winner, but DIDN'T pick up a bottle for myself! Can you believe that?! Ok, so but then it was just calling to me at home, going "you need to give me a good try. Wash your hands!" "But my hands don't even need washed?" "But you want to know what it really smells like!" "But that's such a waste of water!" "Succumb!" and so, I did!

And I have to say, I was much more impressed with the scent in actual use, over just the sniff test in the store. The orange does come out much more during use! It sorta reminds me of orange Kool-aid. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? I'll let you decide! But they should be in your local Target store soon, so keep a lookout! Cause they won't be around forever!

+ And speaking of mandarin mango hand wash! How about the big randomly chosen winner to our recent contest? And the winner IS... Kirby! Who had just purchased the lil' bowl blu! Yay, Kirby! Congrats! Drop me your mailing address, and one lustful bottle of mandarin mango hand wash shall be on it's way to you! (And never fear, I'm going to run out and pick up a new contest winner bottle! You won't be receiving my test bottle! Ha ha! I'm keeping it, now that I like it more than I had original thought I would!)

+ You can now find some .75 cent coupons stuck on select bottles of method daily shower spray! Check them out, and pick some up while the savings are good!

+ I've been seeing some random changes in packaging, including the term go-naked being removed from the spray cleaners (now it's just fragrance & dye free; and it's back to multi-surface, from all-surface. Unless these were old bottles? But they looked new to me. Really, I can't keep up anymore. method is constantly tinkering with their packaging? For better or worse, you let me know.) And they're changed the blue color on their lil' bowl blu bottles. Which I really got to say, not a fan! I love the subtle light blue, method! Bring it back. Their new thinking must be bright screaming colors, cause suddenly the blue blu bottle is this deeper bright blue; and some of their hand washes have almost gone neon (I'm talkin' to you, waterflower and refresh mint!)

+ Yo' method, I was standing in your aisle in Target today, and this older woman reached over to buy some lavender spray cleaner. Of course I started a conversation with her about method, and she told me her husband had recently bought some nasty Clorox spray cleaner that attacked her nose every time he used it; and she had started buying the method lavender and loved it (all her words!), and that's what she was sticking with from now on. Of course I was trying to get her to buy a bottle of the daily shower, with the coupon (which she thanked me for pointing out.) BUT she said to me "The thing I can't understand is why they will put out a big refill bottle for their daily shower (which she said she had at home) but nothing for the spray cleaners! They need the same thing in spray cleaners!") I know others would love this, so ding ding idea method, idea!

+ method luster Jamison (mentioned above!) let me in on a small secret that Target will place grey round stickers next to the shelf price stickers, meaning that particular item is being replaced, more than likely with an updated version. WELL, these grey stickers were next to most of his aircare line, which made him think the aircare line was indeed heading for a revamp! So he told me to check out my Targets. Well, Jamison, unfortunately, NONE of the three Targets I went to had grey stickers. But I know Target has this weird way of sort of doing things differently from store to store. So perhaps that's what your store does, and mine in this area does not. Time will, as usual, tell... but next time you're in Target, check the shelf price stickers next to the aircare, and see if you find any grey round stickers! And let us know! Thanks Jamison, and all you advocates!

+ And finally, who else has recieved this rather secretive email from method recently:

"hello fellow person against dirty, congratulations you have won (drum roll please)….a box! we want to give you a heads up that you will be receiving a special treat for being such a loyal method advocate. it will be in a box that is shaped similar to a mini pizza box. the contents inside won't be quite as tasty, although they will smell delish. so when you get it make sure to: 1. feel special, 2. read carefully, 3. spread the method love anyway you know how (hand deliver/ flickr/ youtube/ facebook/ tweet/ blog.) 4. tell us how you did it on method's facebook fan page! sorry to be so cryptic but we think you will be pleased with the surprise!" - Curiouser, and curiouser... (and excited to get it, whatever "it" is!)

clean sweeps

+ method's got themselves a sparkly new website! Make sure you check it out over at www.methodhome.com! Some of the navigation is a little "hidden" (but I do sincerely like it! - example: to get to the store, click on the word products in their title "method creates products for people against dirty.") People against dirty takes you to their blog, etc. It takes a little searching, but once you figure it out, it's a snap!

This also makes me feel the aircare line is moreso heading for a revamp, rather than a discontinued status. The product line is second only to their home cleaning line (with 48 products), so let's keep our fingers crossed! Let me know what you think of the new site design!

Oh, And right now, you can get yourself a shiny new $1.00 coupon off of their new site! Whee!

+ Looks like Target is clearancing both the stainless steel "steel for real", and the granite "daily granite" wipes. Pick some up, before they're gone from Target!

+ Next time you pick up a bottle of method's refresh mint or waterflower foaming hand wash, you might notice it's gotten a bit more colorful. I'm not sure if this is a quality control issue, or method just decided to brighten some of their colors; but the green and pink is REALLY green and pink now! I noticed this during a recent trip to Target. Random, I know. But hey, I'm a random kind of guy!

clean sweeps!

+ As a couple lust readers have mentioned, method is currently on sale at Target! And this time around it's like, a whole slew of stuff! From hand wash, cleaning sprays and wipes at 3 for $8.; to the aircare line (including $6.99 candles, and $2.99 aroma sprays, and on and on!) Check it all out, and stock up!

+ I got actual, honest to goodness, up front knowledge that Target does indeed give it's left over clearance items to Goodwill to sell! I was returning a pair of shoes the other day, and mentioned I needed a different size. (Which I'd already purchased, but the cashier didn't know.) And she said "well, they're already zeroed out of the system." Which I hate, cause they do that so quickly, like with holiday! Do you know there is a winterberry AND a toasted hazelnut candle sitting in the regular method candle section, still! And every time I see them, I want to buy them, but the toasted hazelnut has lost it's paper wrapper; and the winterberry still has a price of $6.98. AND since they went down to $3.98, but are zeroed out of the system, well, it'd be a miracle to get those candles. At least that's my thought. Alas, whew, off track...

And I said "Yes, you do zero out stuff quickly here!" reusing her "terms" so I sounded über smart, don't you know! Ok, well, not really, but whatev' ok? and she said yes, they did. But it was at least good, because Target always sends a huge chunk of the clearance stuff to Goodwill! Which we'd figured, but weren't sure just how it made it there! So now we know! Next time you're hunting some leftover holiday method item, check Goodwill, and you just might find it! (BUT, unfortunately, after my winterberry aroma ring find at my local Goodwill, I've found nothing else. Anyone out there found anything from the holiday line at their Goodwill? Let us know!)

clean sweeps

A couple items of note I thought you'd all be interested in!

+ method (via their twitter, methodtweet) has said they've fixed the dish soap problem! What problem? Well...

"we've noted the clogging dish soap issue too & we think we solved it. the new formula is now available for the next time you buy."

Some people have said in the past the bottles tend to clog up, and it becomes more difficult to squeeze out the product. Sounds like it's an issue no more! Yay! I hope the holiday dish soap line fit into this "next time you buy", cause I've backstocked like four bottles of yummy spiced pear!

+ I'm sure you all realized this, but in mentioning the holiday line had gone on clearance at Target, gingerbread + spice was sort of included in that thought process. But just in case, gingerbread + spice is also on clearance! It hasn't hit the same markdown as the holiday items have, yet, but give it time! So run out and pick some up, before it's all gone again!

+ Luster Netta wants to let us know drugstore.com is having a sale on method products! It says "up to 40%!" and sorta while it is, they only have four method items at 40% off. Plus, I'm not really sure if their prices are that great, since AT 40% off their all-surface spray is STILL $3.59. (It's only $3.29 in Target, at regular price.) But you might be able to find some goodies there, such as wet dryer sheets! method's new "Holy Grail" item. As in you can never find them anymore! Fun shopping to you! Thanks Netta!

+ And lastly, method lust reader Melissa just let us in on a big secret (well, not so sure it's a secret, but I didn't know it!) Pertaining to the holiday line (and future method markdowns):

"The one near me has the holiday hand soaps marked down to $1.48, which will be the final markdown if they're following normal clearance procedure (.48 at the end usually indicates that the price won't go any lower)."

Who knew?! Well, probably everyone but me. But hey, now I know! So na-na-na-na-na! Thanks Melissa!

clean sweeps

+ method's got a great deal going on right now! You get a free reusable "Plastic Rehab" tote with any all-surface cleaner purchase! Can you believe that deal!? These regularly run for $15. Grab the deal while you can! (This was mentioned in method's twitter, methodtweet! I'm not sure how it works on their site... anyone from method care to give more details? Thanks!)

+ While (again) roaming the Harris Teeter aisles this past weekend, I stumbled upon the lustfully wonderful method hand wash cardboard stand, and my eyes bulged out! It's as if that sucker had been wiped out! Apparently last year's scents are still a big deal, as there was only one cinnamon bark left (all beat up, too. Poor cinnamon bark bottle), one hollyberry, and surprisingly (as I always think this is everyone's favorite scent, though not mine. - Too vanilla-y, not enough peppermint for me) four peppermint vanilla's were sitting there. I'm curious to see if these get restocked, but either way, I'd do a run and grab before they're gone!

+ Where is everyone? It's like the day after Christmas and you're all in a sugar coma! I haven't heard barely a peep out of anyone for quite a while! Peep, peep!

clean sweeps!

+ Ok, so get this. I thought this was just TOO unbelievable. This past weekend we had our annual crafts festival. I lust it! It happens every Thanksgiving weekend, and I go every year. It's a great place to not only be inspired, but to pick out some amazing handcrafted works for your loved ones this holiday season!

So while waiting in line (for a sampling of some hot cranberry beverage that I try every year, but actually don't like. But it's tradition! Yes, yes, I'm insane. Did you just now figure this out?) these two women in front of me were making purchases. Each bought a package of the drink mix (what were THEY thinking?!) and the man placed each one into a plastic bag, which the women then took and slipped into...

oh we need a drum roll here really bad.

...their "Paper or Plastic? Neither" reusable totes they'd purchased from Walmart; which they were each sporting on their shoulders. I literally rolled my eyes and spoke OUT LOUD to them, in as nice a way as I could muster "Don't you think that pretty much destroys the entire point of those bags?" and let out a laugh, so they didn't think I was about to beat them out. They both started laughed uncomfortably, realizing what they'd done, and one said "Oh my, it just might." and then the other one, I guess realizing she wasn't going down without a fight, said "Ha ha, It might not, though." To which I responded, "Oh no, it does."

Ok, OK. So I didn't say that very last line. But it was burning a space in my brain as I walked away from them. I mean, COME on people? Give me a break. And... rant over. (Hey, it's almost resolutions time! What will yours be this year? No more plastic bags? No more paper towels. Come on, break that bad habit! AND, more on this later... I know, you're so excited.)

+ method lust readers Josh and Kirby have both been scouring the aisles at their local Big Lots lately, and have come back with lots of method finds! Josh has found quite a few of the items previously mentioned here on method lust (eucalyptus + mint hand wash, fig candles, aroma pill refills, etc.) but did also find some sweet water laundry detergent. Perhaps because the new line has hit stores (note on that. Has anyone seen this yet? Target clearanced out the old laundry line, we now have nothing but some softener. And nada. No new line. I'm curious if it's hit anywhere else? But I swear method said it's already made it's way to stores. Perhaps this is the line that will hit in waves. I forget... hey, I write a lot of method stuff. I forget, I'm not an elephant. Anyway...)

Kirby happened to find some ginger yuzu foaming hand wash! So you might want to head out to your local Big Lots and give them a new look see. Josh said to check everywhere, as many of the items he found were in boxes throughout the store, not even on shelves! (Or uhm, perhaps you just have a really messy Big Lots there, Josh. I've seen some doozies!) Good luck everyone!

(PS - Thanks to Sustainable Is Good for the (doctored) photo.)

+ Yeah, see over there on the right. There is no advocate spotlight. You really want to see me cry, now don't you? No, you, I'm pointing at you. That's alright. If you want to see a grown man cry, just keep not sending in your advocate spotlight. OR, you could make me happy, and send one in! Oh, happy is so much better than crying Nathan. Trust me. All cranky and red eyed. Not a pretty sight. Come on, rub your lust for method in everyone else's face! You know you lust method more than they do. Go on, show it. Get in their face. Make them know just how much you love method! I dare you! (Is any of this working? Is this thing on? Hello, hello?)