aha!-mazon

method lust reader Tracy wanted to let everyone in on a secret! If you haven't already discovered this, amazon.com sells method! I've known about this, and I know of at least one method luster that was planning on purchasing some bloq on amazon after it went into method Heaven; but I hadn't actually posted on the whole amazon subject, so thanks Tracy!

Bloq is in fact still available on there! Yay! Now, most of the method purchases are in bulk. As in, you don't purchase one bottle of hand wash, it's six! I've done some of the math, and it doesn't look like you really save anything (in fact it's a tiny bit higher than most Targets + you got shipping) but still, if there's something hard to find it might be a great place to hunt it out!

One item of AHA! for me was method pink grapefruit dish cubes! Available! Hmm...

Go here and get to shoppin! (You can also type 'method' in the search products field for more results.)

20% off!

Colleen Reilly over on method's people against dirty blog has some exciting news to share!

"We’re just tickled pink (and blue, and green, and orange!) to announce our new methodbaby + methodkids products to the world. You may have seen these making their birthday-suit debut on store shelves over the last month or so, or you may have seen them on the Oprah® Earth Day show or the Ellen Mother’s Day show. In fact, on the Ellen show the full set of baby products was given out to a lucky audience full of expectant mommies. With all this great press, our cute little otters are going to need their own agents soon! (Did we mention that we’ve also been recognized for our adorable – and functional – packaging?)

As any mom or dad knows, babies and kids have plenty of parts, and it’s our mission to keep them all squeaky clean. That’s why we developed a full set of products devoted to creating soft, cuddly, great smelling tiny ones while also taking the utmost care with their delicate skin. methodbaby + methodkids are made from 95%+ naturally derived ingredients, with no parabens, phthalates, SLS or SLES. They also offer tears-free formulas without numbing agents.

You can check out the whole line on our web site. And now for the best part: As a special online bonus, if you purchase all four baby products (baby hair + body wash, baby body lotion, baby diaper cream, and baby bubbly bath – hint, they’re the ones in the white bottles) online at methodhome.com between now and June 30, you’ll receive a 20% discount! It makes a perfect gift for your little one or for expectant parents-to-be. Just add the four baby products to your cart and enter promo code “advocatebaby” (without the quotation marks) at checkout to receive your discount.

Getting babies and kids squeaky clean has never been so easy – or so much fun!"

abc news: wipes alert

A (possibly) interesting article over on the ABCnews.com site today, just a little FYI:

Disinfecting Wipes May Spread, Not Kill, Germs
By Allyson T. Collins

The antibacterial wipes that have emerged as a sanitary status symbol in homes, hospitals, schools, gyms and even grocery stores may not be the ultimate answer in hygiene — and they might even spread, rather than kill, bacteria.

Popular antibacterial wipes may not be as effective in killing germs as many people believe. Researchers from the Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University in Wales tested the cleaning power of three different types of antibacterial wipes containing either traditional disinfectants, detergents or natural antimicrobial substances, such as those extracted from plants.

A team led by microbiologist Gareth Williams used the wipes to clean surfaces that had been severely contaminated with the notorious bacterium Staphylococcus aureus — including the Methicillin-resistant type known as MRSA, which has become a growing concern in hospitals.

The study, presented Tuesday at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in Boston, found that natural antimicrobial wipes removed the most bacteria from surfaces, while disinfectant wipes did the best job of destroying bacteria.

"Ideally, you'd want the wipes to kill what they remove," Williams said.

But researchers found that all of the dirty wipes, including those with the disinfectant, still had some bacteria remaining on them. When they were reused, the wipes just transported the bacteria to another location.

"We would recommend that one wipe is applied in one application to one surface, and then discarded," Williams said. "This is in an attempt to prevent the transfer of bacteria to different surfaces."

Hospital Conditions
The conditions in the study were meant to emulate the bacteria-filled environment of a hospital intensive care unit. Health professionals aim to control the levels of potentially dangerous bacteria in these settings through disinfection — in short, the removal of as many microscopic troublemakers as possible.

But disinfection should not be confused with sterilization. Disinfection is not designed to kill all organisms, but rather to simply reduce the number of organisms on a surface, said Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Mo.

"Our bodies are designed to handle a certain number of bacteria," she said. Complete sterilization is unnecessary, especially in homes, which are much less contaminated than a hospital ICU.

"We use way too many antibacterial agents," Duberg said, adding that the overuse of products like wipes, soaps and cleansers that contain these substances can lead bacteria to become resistant to our methods of extermination.

"I personally believe there isn't anything that good, hot soapy water can't clean," she said.

How to Use Antibacterial Wipes
Dr. William Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, agreed that people should be careful to use antibacterial wipes appropriately to avoid spreading bacteria around their homes.

His motto for disinfectant wipes: "use it and lose it," especially on highly contaminated surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen. For example, don't use the same wipe to clean both the toilet and the sink. Schaffner called this type of reuse a "false economy," trading the price of wipes for the spread of germs.

But Schaffner added that in hospitals, surfaces are not the primary source of bacteria that infect patients. Other patients and health care workers are the ones who transmit the most germs. "It is hands that are the great transfer vehicle for bacteria from patient to patient," he said.

So the rising use of antibacterial wipes shouldn't overshadow the most important rule of hygiene: Wash your hands."

longings for you

So while I was at the dentist (or oral surgeon, or whatever they call the people that do the big dental work and charge you lots of money) getting my root canal retreatment done (gah, I'd rather be poked and prodded by a doctor all day long then go to the dentist. I just hate it...) anyway, I took a step into the bathroom there, and what was on the counter top but method sweet water aroma spray! That's two dentists I've gone to, and they both had a method product! Sorta crazy cool, ain't it?

It got me to longing for the aroma spray, and wondering whenever it was going to come back? And why everyone at method was ignoring my previous request for any information they may have pertaining to it's return. Which scared me cause they really don't want to tell us, cause I bet it's going to be a long while. But no no, that's alright, we don't want to know. Definitely don't leave a comment or anything, cause we're not interested. No way. Uh-uh. (Reverse psychology. Think it'll work?)

But anyway, it also intrigued me cause the bottle was on the counter top without it's lid, for ease of use I guess. And it got me to thinking about the current Febreze bottles, and how the "lid" is a trigger "lid", meaning no real lid, just a trigger you spray. And I was thinking, I wonder if method might also be taking the time for an aroma spray bottle redesign while they wait out the other issues? And if so, would you like a trigger spray like this? Would it make spraying easier (no lid to remove and put back on. Ok, ok, I know, how lazy can we be? But still...) Curiosity wants to know. Immediately, cause well, curiosity is a bit of an, ahem, and if you don't get right back to her, she throws a fit, ok? I'm just sayin', is all.

method profiles - katherine farkas

method profiles is back in da' house! It went on a tiny vacation (I hear to the French Alps! Lucky profiles!) But now it's back and better than ever! Ok, well actually it's the same as before, but sometimes it likes to gloat a little. Ah well.

Today we have Katherine Farkas. Profiles is too exhausted from it's French Alps vacation to make witty commentary today, so it apologizes in advance. Ok? Here goes!

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Katherine - Nickname: hippie

2+ What was your first method lust?
Was and always will be the eucalyptus mint tear drop hand soap.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
I used to make my own cleaning products. When I moved to SF and started working at a law firm I realized that I did not have enough time to make my own products any more. I saw method’s products at a corner store and thought that I would give them a go. I fell in love with the products and I started to research the company. I found out that there was an opportunity there for me to make a difference so I dropped off my resume and a cover letter to the front desk and wow! Four months later I was family!

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 with method for one year. My title is natural-law. I am a paralegal and I work with our Chief Justice to help protect methods patents and trademarks. Copy cats can be quite dirty.

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
I am not buying plastic water bottles and I scoop my pets poop with compostable bags and put them into the compost container.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
The man at the printing store who helped me with my wedding invitations.

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
None, eucalyptus mint is the only way I roll.

Thanks so much! Now didn't you miss ole' method profiles? It sure missed you! But never fear, it's back on Thursday, just like that annoying friend that won't get off your couch and start looking for a job! It'll always be here. Except, well, not annoyingly so. Just the always being here part. So maybe it's nothing like your annoying friend on the couch. OK, so...

Check back Tuesday and Thursdays for the next method profile! And be sure to catch up on previous method profiles by selecting from the sidebar list!

more discoveries!

Guess what I found this weekend at Big Lots? Cut grass and fresh lychee candles! More of the "summer line" is starting to show up at the close-out discounter!

Also, as has been stated by other method lusters here, this particular Big Lots finally got in some morning bloom detergent, more plug-in refills (in sweet water and lavender + lemongrass); and a zillion, a zillion I tell you candles. They already had fig (which I bought one more of. I could only do one, I want to buy them all, but I'm so freakin' poor, and uh, I own ten, and just couldn't justify it.) and lavender + lemongrass. But they've added the cut grass, fresh lychee, sweet water, and some discontinued eucalyptus + mint.

I bought five things! And get this, only one was for me (the fig candle.) I'm trying a "tis better to give than to receive" mentality (which by the way, I completely disagree with, it's ALWAYS better to recieve! Ha! But uh, I'm trying to be a good person. THIS week...) and bought two of my friends some delightful spray cleaner (which I'm not saying any more on here, as they might be reading this and I have yet to give it to them!) and I picked up one surprise find for the method lust adovcate spotlight contest! It's vintage method! Still haven't found any fig plug-in refills yet. Don't think I will, either. sniff sniff.

sweet water swan song

No, sweet water isn't going away! Don't fear. BUT, it appears it is being clearanced from Target. I noticed this weekend Target is reworking their entire laundry detergent section, and the sweet water method detergent had been clearanced. It looks like they'll only be carrying the free + clear (go naked) and uh, not sure what the other one will be (as it was out at the time, and I didn't look at the shelf label.) And they only carry the large $12.99 bottles now (which I personally think blows. But luckily a grocery store near me carries the $6.99 bottles.) You know, I love some Target, but I'll be really happy when method gets real big as a brand, and is carried in lots of stores, so I can purchase anything I want (uh, like wet dryer sheets!) and not have to buy them online when Target decides they need the space to carry yet another version of Downy. Grr... rant over.

Go get your sweet water while it's on clearance!

baby on the way

No, not my baby! Our office is having a slew of babies on the way as of late (well, alright, if you count two a slew. But then the woman down the hall in another business had a baby recently; and there was this mysterious baby crib sitting in the hallway near our office for a day that no one knew who it belonged to; so in my mind babies are freakin' falling out of the sky right now! Alright?) Anyway, I decided it was time to jump on the "giving method as a gift" bandwagon so many others here on method lust do, and gave method baby for a shower gift!

The first baby shower we had was pre-method baby. It was just getting ready to debut, so no luck on that one (though I did give the dad my baby wash method had sent me as a sneak peek! Just cause I'm sweet you know! But that fuzzy peach 3-in-1 shampoo so stayed with me.) But this time around I was trying to decide what to give the other father-to-be that works in our office (and we were going to be having a baby shower for him and his wife) and decided on the method baby line! (While at Target, mind you, the new Dwell Studio baby line; blankets, clothing, plush toys, all in such modern adorableness threatened to sidetrack my method plans! Those things are so amazingly mod and retro and just plain cool, I decided I was gonna go adopt right then and there just so I could dress the kid up in cute clothes! ...then I decided that might not be the best thing to do. Children aren't accessories, children aren't accessories. Repeat as necessary.)

Anywho... whew! In the end I decided to save the planet, and realized the method products would be much more useful. Plush giraffes with blue polka dots do have a place, but all babies gotta be washed, ya know? So I picked up the method baby wash, diaper cream, and body lotion. I SO wanted to pick up the bubbly bath, but money is tight; and I decided that was the least necessary item in the line. (Poor little albino otter, I'm sorry.) Yes, my photographic skills still suck, but you can see from the top photo the before, and this photo, the after.

I actually ended up using the original box method sent my sneak peeks, to put the gift in; including the brown recycle crinkle paper to pad the bottom. I did put one sheet of white tissue in to perk it up. Then wrapped it up all nice and gay like! And I think they'll really like it! (I got a thank you note today!) Many times when I give method to people, I really don't think they "get it" without me saying "it's good for the environment, and natural, and healthy, and will save baby seals and kittens; and bring all of Mother Nature together!" but I'm hoping people will read the small print on the bottles, and catch on. We'll see!

One note, Target either sells out of the baby wash like crazy, or barely orders any. I only found one bottle each at two different stores. The first bottle had, uhm, exploded or something, so I passed on that. (I love how even though the bottles are all nasty and messy, the Target employees just put them out/leave them out anyway.) Target needs to order more, or method is cleaning up on baby wash! Ha ha, get it, cleaning up... Yeah, it wasn't really funny to me, either.