Dear Umbra,

I've noticed lately that Method cleaning products are now being sold in a number of different retail outlets, whereas before they were only sold in Target. This shouldn't seem too weird in our every-store-sells-the-same-thing world, but seeing these products on the shelves in Whole Foods got me wondering more about them. You see, I went looking for some trusty Bon Ami cleaner the other day and found it gone from the shelves and many Method products in its place. The Method stuff seems a little too good to be true (though they don't seem to offer an elbow-grease product like Bon Ami in their line). Maybe it's the slick packaging; maybe I'm just a cynic. Is it really true that such a positive cleaning product is being sold in big retailers around the country? Are there any bad things we should know about these products? Thanks!

Micha M.

Tucson, AZ

Dearest Micha,

You are far from the only cynic among us. I have also given Method the gimlet eye. Method products have become omnipresent, the bottles look good, yet I've never noticed any green claims. My cynicism feels a little deflated after researching your question: I can't seem to find anything bad about Method merchandise. Of course, I'm not without a bit of advice regarding the complete line of Method products. But I'll give said advice at the end. First, let us celebrate what seems to be the mainstreaming of environmentally-better products. We pick Method for the first round of applause, but that's only our latest example. Tom's of Maine and Burt's Bees, mentioned months ago, are everywhere I look. Target, the store you mention, not only carries the Method brand but also is reducing its use of PVC. Just a few brief reasons out of many for celebration.

Full Story: http://grist.org/advice/ask/2008/08/20/?source=daily

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