the blog

people against dirty® are not against spreading the word. get the latest news, check out new products and read all about style, sustainability and everything else about method and the kitchen sink.

ginger yuzu = floor love

by annab, March 10, 2010

 

we’ve been inspiring floor love with lemon ginger and almond squirt + mop floor cleaner for a while now. they both smell lovely and clean amazingly well, but it’s time we spice up the floor care routine a bit. introducing our newest floor love – ginger yuzu.  


we think our ginger yuzu floor cleaner is pretty darn special, but here are some other reasons to try it out:


-    effectively cleans, shines and deodorizes floors
-    has non-toxic + biodegradable formula
-    comes in a 100% recyclable bottle that is made from 100% recycled plastic
-    contains all-natural dyes
-    has a fresh fragrance infused with natural essential oils
-    has a spray nozzle which means no bucket required
-    is never tested on animals
-    is DfE-approved


this little bottle of floor love is available nationwide at Whole Foods as well as at select natural grocery stores in your area. give it a sniff and let us know what you think!

Keywords:

pretty privy- week 4

by sarah, February 25, 2010

 

ever wonder what the bathrooms of the method co-founders look like? what about the real-life w.c.'s of other people against dirty? well, we want to show you in our weekly “pretty privy” post!


suzanne, our lovely fragrance director, is the queen of this stunning loo. wonder if the color of our new hand wash was inspired by her beautiful boudoir?  suzanne has been a person against dirty for 4 years. take a peek at how she keeps her privy pretty.


method- favorite method bathroom product and why?
suzanne-  eucalyptus mint scrub fragrance because the eucalyptus is so true and reminds me of growing up near orange groves lined by eucalyptus trees


method- bathroom cleaning tip your mama taught you?
suzanne- clean your bathroom every day…you never know who might stop by unexpectedly


method- soap or shaving cream?
suzanne- shaving gel for sure- a girl needs smooth legs!


method- bath or shower?
suzanne-  I love a hot bath after a good workout…but when pressed for time- a steaming hot shower feels great too!


method- be honest, do you take calls in the bathroom?
suzanne- never!

if you have a stylish powder room - or just a WC you’re particularly proud of - we would love to see it! submit your pic* to info@methodhome.com if you're selected, we’ll send you a loo crew kit.
 
*remember these “picture privy” tips: we will need a high res photo: turn on the lights, open the windows, avoid a flash, and have fun!

Keywords: ,

pretty privy- week 3

by sarah, February 18, 2010

 

ever wonder what the bathrooms of the method co-founders look like? what about the real-life w.c.'s of other people against dirty? well, we want to show you in our weekly “pretty privy” post!


meet whitney, one-half the brains (and beauty) behind the fabulous blog rookie moms and co-author of the Rookie Moms Handbook. she is also a proud method “person against dirty.” take a look below at how she keeps her privy pretty.

method- favorite method bathroom product and why?
whitney- i use all-surface wipes when the toilet bowl is a victim of my 5-year old son's poor aim.  i feel good about keeping them in the cupboards that my kids    can access because they are not laden with harsh chemicals. and pink grapefruit scent? it smells fresh, not institutional.

 


method- bathroom cleaning tip your mama taught you?

whitney- elbow grease! you can't clean a tub without it.


method- bidet or biwhat?

whitney- biwhat!  seriously, how do you get dry after you do that? is there a towel hanging by the toilet? does the next person who visits the bathroom know what you just used that towel for?


method- bath or shower?

whitney- shower.  baths are nice for vacations, but a shower is a daily wake-up ritual that i require to get started.


method
- be honest, do you take calls in the bathroom?

whitney- for sure i did while growing up, but these days, i try to set limits on how much multi-tasking i'm willing to do.


 


 

 

 


if you have a stylish powder room - or just a WC you’re particularly proud of - we would love to see it! submit your pic* to info@methodhome.com if you're selected, we’ll email you a quick questionnaire to fill out.
 
*remember these privy picture tips - we will need a hi-res photo. turn on the lights, open the windows, avoid a flash, and have fun!



what’s so smart about laundry?

by annab, February 16, 2010

 

 

one of our unsung heroes here at method is fred. fred works on our formulations team, and not to brag or anything, but in his life before method, he developed the first oxiclean® liquid! we are lucky enough to have fred on our team now, and for the past year, he has focused solely on creating the stellar formula for our new laundry detergent. i sat down to pick his brain about what makes our formula better than the rest.

Q- hi fred! Method laundry detergent is here. how excited are you?
A- this project is the coolest thing i’ve ever worked on. now that  this ultra-concentrated detergent has rolled out, it seems the “ultra” theme keeps coming up - i’m ultra pleased that we’ve managed to make laundry ”handy”. the pump is ultra easy, just one hand to use. it’s ultra portable for folks on the go (even if it’s to your mom’s or the ’mat). we’re starting to see people blogging about how they have discovered that method laundry detergent eliminates the need for an extra product for those tough spots and stains. ultra effective! seriously, we’ve heard about grass, garage greases and oils, blood, ink and marker, and that’s just NOT your typical foodie stuff. so give it a go as your pre-treat strategy as well. what can method laundry detergent do for you today?

making life easier and greener, like that, gives me and all of us here at method the ultra satisfaction.

Q- what is so much “SMARTER” about method laundry detergent?
A- there are a whole lot of smart ideas in there, but i think my favorite is that the formula is more efficient at how it approaches the fabric and soil. it gets more work out of less material. so that means super clean clothes with less product than conventional 2x detergents. minimizing the requirement at the washing machine level has translated into minimization all along the packaging and supply line. less packaging, less energy into raw material and manufacture, less fuel and shipping, all equals less waste!

Q – what does ‘ultra concentrated’ mean?
A –it’s 8x!!!  our formula is 4x more concentrated than traditional 2x, and 8x more concentrated than old 1x formulations.

Q – how’d you make it so concentrated?
A – it wasn’t easy! quite a few man-years of development have gone into just investigating material functionalities and compatibilities for method® laundry detergent with smartclean™ technology. this detergent is pushing the limits of concentration, and that’s about all i can say here. the rest is covered in our patent application.

Q – how is it that such a little bit works?  and why does it work so well?
A – we redesigned laundry detergent so it works in a whole new way. getting your clothes clean requires cleaning agents (aka surfactants). surfactants bond to dirt and stains in the wash, lifting them up to be carried away by water.

traditional detergent’s cleaning agents are on the inside in little balls and water is on the outside. for those cleaning agents to work, the cells have to break open to release the surfactants, which requires agitation and time… and is a little hit-or-miss…. not all surfactants break through which means you use (and waste) more detergent than you really need.
                                                
our smartclean technology™ formula is designed to be inside-out with cleaning agents outside, water inside. this allows cleaning agents to get to work right away – once released into the wash, they’re like magnets immediately drawn to dirt and stains. and unlike traditional detergent, more of our cleaning agents are used. that’s why you can use so much less and still get a great clean!

Q- so now that you have revolutionized laundry what are your next plans fred?
A- it’s safe to say you’ll be seeing more news from method in the laundry aisle. stay tuned!

Keywords:

pretty privy - week 2

by sarah, February 11, 2010

 

ever wonder what the bathrooms of the method co-founders look like? what about our fabulous eco –lifestyle expert, danny seo? well, we want to show you in our weekly “pretty privy” post!

this isn’t just any stylish wash room, this is eco lifestyle expert danny seo’s dapper john. danny resides in pennsylvania and has been a person against dirty since the beginning. check out his super eco chic boudoir!

method: favorite method bathroom product and why?
 
danny:  i know everyone is obsessed with the shower spray, but I really love le scrub. i'm all about elbow grease cleaning. i like the marble dust as a mild abrasive because i feel like i'm scrubbing away all those water stains, drops of toothpaste and grime. i also love the little insert on the top of the bottle where i can store the sponge.


method: bathroom cleaning tip your mama taught you?
 
danny: not sure this is a cleaning tip, but i always remember as a child when the cold water was running down the drain as i waited for it warm up to shower, she would have  me fill up a watering can as to not waste water. after i showered, it was my job to walk around the house and make sure all the houseplants got a drink of water.  


method: to pass the time- sudoku or crossword puzzle?
 
danny: i'm a vegetarian.  i don't need to waste time for things like that if you know what i mean.


method: bath or shower?
 
danny: shower everyday, and i'll take a bath if i'm feeling ill or it's just really, really cold outside. for people who feel guilty taking baths because it uses more water than a shower, here's my tip: give the dog a bath when you're done. the soapy water is just fine for him.


method: be honest, do you take calls in the bathroom?
 
danny: i do everything via email from my house, so--yes--i will reply on my blackberry.


if you have a stylish powder room - or just a WC you’re particularly proud of - we would love to see it! submit your pic* to info@methodhome.com if you're selected, we’ll email you a quick questionnaire to fill out.
 
*remember these “picture privy” tips: we will need a high res photo: turn on the lights, open the windows, avoid a flash, and have fun!

Keywords: ,

hand wash ambush

by annab, February 9, 2010

 

with all this laundry detergent talk,  you might not have realized that we have another new super star product on shelves.  it’s our moisturizing hand wash! to tell you the truth, we were so excited about our laundry detergent, we didn’t have a chance to announce moisturizing yet.  luckily method lust and the dieline spotted it and did their own write ups. nice eagle eye guys!


this little ‘bean’ will look adorable by your sink and will naturally soften and clean your hands.  what else would you expect from us?  we use natural ingredients like aloe, honey and plant-based moisturizers to soften and hydrate your hands.


it comes in two new scents: cucumber + aloe and coconut cream + honey. yum.  makes  me want to wash my hands right now.


as always, our moisturizing hand wash contains no dirty ingredients like triclosan or EDTA or animal by- products. the formula is biodegradable and the packaging recyclable.  and of course we would never test on animals.


want to try it out? sign up to become a person against dirty in the next 24 hours (starting...now 1:03pm) and i will email you a code for a free bottle of our new moisturizing hand wash when you purchase any other method products from www.methodhome.com.
valid for usa and canada. **announcement free hand wash reward is now CLOSED, you can still sign up to be a person against dirty to potentially recieve samples and other goodies. 


ps. this is for new people against dirty.  if you are already a person against dirty look in your inboxes for a special somethin'-somethin' soon and get your friends to sign up!

Keywords:

loo crew

by annab, February 2, 2010

there’s nothing worse than a dirty bathroom, right? fuzzy floors, murky mirrors and grody grout…oh my!  


here at method, we have decided to do something about the bathroom filth. so we’re dedicating the months of february + march to the loo and its general beautification.  speaking of beautification, bathroom sounds crass, so we’ll be pulling a queen elizabeth and calling it either “loo” or “privy.”


what you can expect to see:


-    weekly blog posts highlighting “pretty privys.” do you have a pretty privy? email info@methodhome.com with 4-5 pictures* highlighting the design, cleanliness and originality of your
privy.


-    weekly facebook contests will occur every wednesday. you will have 24 hours to answer a question correctly to win goodies from www.methodhome.com. facebook fan us to participate!


-    weekly twitter contests will occur ever fr
iday. again, you will have 24 hours to answer a question correctly to win goodies from www.methodhome.com. follow us on twitter to participate and make sure to hashtag your answer with #loocrew.

let’s get this potty started. cheerio!


*picture tips- we will need a well-lit high res photo, so turn on the lights, open the windows, avoid a flash and have fun!

target limited edition

by annab, January 28, 2010

 

introducing method’s new limited edition gel hand wash fragrance… waterfall! (insert golf claps.)


this vibrant aquamarine gel hand wash is available only at target stores, for a limited amount of time (6 months). it will be in the cleaning aisle, in-line with the rest of the method products. so go ahead, scoop it up and let us know what you think! if it’s a big enough hit, it just might stick around a while longer.


we’re always innovating around here, so expect to see other limited edition hand wash fragrances on target's shelves in the future!

Keywords:

creative reuse

by annab, January 25, 2010

we are obsessed with beautiful examples of creative re-use.   can you blame us? when you have great package design, you want to reuse it.

 

the design team at Garcia Tamjidi realized this when designing the method offices, and they used clusters of our first dish soap bottles to create beautiful and unique chandeliers in two of our meeting rooms.

 

so, what do you think? have you seen any other great examples of creative reuse?

   

 

 

 





Keywords: ,

introducing the laundry revolution

by annab, January 10, 2010

 

 

big news, people against dirty! a new laundry day is dawning. we’re thrilled to introduce you to the world’s smartest laundry detergent: method laundry detergent with smartclean technology™. this revolutionary new detergent is powered by a patent-pending formula in a custom-designed pump bottle that will transform laundry as we know it. there’s no time like a new year and a new decade to say out with the big ol’ jug, and in with the new.


i sat down with drummond, our director of sustainability here at method, to discuss what makes this product so super duper sustainable.  here is what he said:
 
anna: what’s the problem with regular detergent (aka why should there be a war on jugs?)


drummond: the biggest problem is that the majority of the liquid in regular 2x detergent isn’t actually detergent. it’s water. which is a pretty silly thing to buy and carry around and pour into a washing machine. in fact, we think they should all change their name to ‘detergent infused water’. the consequence of all this detergent-infused water is that each year, tons and tons of excess plastic bottling and millions of gallons of water are shipped around the country, taking up space, wasting fuel, and making laundry into one heavy, drippy headache.

anna: so how did we address these problems when designing method laundry?


drummond: we thought there had to be a smarter way, and sure enough, our green chefs found the key.  they designed a high-powered, plant-based detergent to contain only the water needed to hold it all together, which means it is 4 times more concentrated than the plain old 2x stuff.  it’s so revolutionary, we are patenting this formula and are calling it smartclean technology.  the result is that load-for-load, method laundry with smartclean technology  uses 70% less plastic than the jugs, takes out all that excess water, and gets cleaning power into a handy, lightweight pump bottle.

anna: pump? why use a pump?


drummond: we also knew that the hard-to-read caps on laundry jugs mean most people unknowingly use far more detergent than they really need to, and worse yet, that the excess detergent doesn’t make clothes any cleaner, it just washes down the drain and out into the world.  so we tried an array of designs, and found that making an easy-to-use, no drip pump solved both the overdosing and the blue-tinted mess.  given how concentrated this detergent is, all you need is just a little amount – ¼ the dose of the leading national brand – so a pump also makes it easy to exactly measure out what you need.  no guess work or eye-balling!


thanks, drummond, that’s it for now! have a question that drummond didn’t address? ask it below. in the upcoming weeks we will take a deeper dive into the formulation, design, graphics and fragrance of our revolutionary laundry detergent.


for more info + coupons check out methodlaundry.com. interested in a sample? sign up to become an official method person against dirty, you never know what you might get!




Keywords:

Featured Promo

back-to-school bundle