As some of you already know, I'm all for going green.  Despite what Kermit the Frog may have taught us decades ago, it CAN BE "easy being green".  heh heh. 

And I just found one more way that I am SO excited about that I have to share.  http://www.methodhome.com

You see, it happened like this. 

Months ago, I was in Target, and saw the packages of Method cleaning products, and thought cynically, "OH, isn't that nice...they are trying to look sleek and recycled so that people don't think about the fact that they are spraying toxic cleaners all over their homes."  And very promptly went home to my Planet detergent and Clorox wipes.  (*GASP!* Yes, Clorox wipes.  I'm addicted.)

THEN...a recent issue of Organic Style proclaimed Method products to be green.  GREEN?  Huh?  In seeing their incredibly attractive packaging, I chalked these products up to one more slick marketing scheme and refused to be "deceived".  Oh ye of little faith, eh? 

Time for Mel to eat a little crow.  For my birthday I was given a much needed $20 gift card to Target.  I say much needed because I needed sponges to wash pots and pans and decided a trip to Target would be way more fun, if potentialy pocketbook damaging, than the local grocer.  Hmmmm...well, we've got that Target card, so let's go!  In the process of claiming my 3-pack of no-scratch sponges my little one and I stared at My Little Ponies and Care Bears (yes, Momma's birthday gift also bought a little Care Bear...funny how that happens) and then wandered the car care aisle (MY TRUCK!  My truck NEEDS something too, right?  Actually...yes, a little pack of cotton twine for our "grab & go bag" in the truck was procurred).  Next we meandered down the pet care aisle...despite Bekah's choice of a tiny fluffy fun fur bed which would have fit my dog's tail and not much else, we ended up with a pet massager which should suffice for brushing.  (She's 72 pounds of short, sleek hair that doesn't need a curry comb but DOES need a good going-over for summer.)

"SO where the dickens does the Method thing come in?  Get off the rabbit trails!" you're yelling right now.  I know, I know...but I just had to share my little side trips...proof positive that a small gift card only serves to get the recipient into trouble...we all know one canNOT stop at the dollar amount one has been alloted on said gift card. 

Soooooo  we wander past the household cleaning aisle for those sponges...kindly placed on an end-cap where I could grab 'em and make a run for the...oooo, what's that?  What are those pretty bottles?  And curvy containers?  *drool* 

OH, it's that METHOD stuff.  Hmmmm...that's the stuff I skipped months ago cuz I thought they were faking it.  And then they were mentioned in Organic Style.  Hmmm....HEY NOW, wait a minute...is that a SALE sign?  What's that say?  $2.50 a bottle for the spray cleanser?  2 for $5.00 on the wipes and floor cleaner?  Does that purple one say LAVENDER???  {I am a NUT for lavender...come check my butterfly garden if you don't believe me.  Then meet me at the Sequim Lavender Festival on 15 June!} 

SOLD, to the lady in aisle whatchamacallit who just blew her whole gift card in the process of buying sponnnngesssss! 

Yes, folks, I brought home a bottle of lavender floor cleaner, a container of lavender surface wipes (notice a trend there?) and a bottle of cucumber spray cleaner (they didn't have lavender, blast it all).  And I also spotted some super cool organizing bins on sale as well (read my bio in TOS Magazine to find out why THAT is no surprise, then invite me over to color-code your sock drawer and alphabetize your cds....YES, I really do that and I LOVE doing it).  Somehow this $3.00 plus tax pack of sponges turned into a $40 shopping trip, thankfully offset by said gift card...so that means I got it all half price, right?  HAHAHA  Wrong...but always worth justifying that way.

Now for the reason I am so TOTALLY rambling about Method, Method, Method (http://www.methodhome.com)  ...  Upon arriving home I thought I'd give this goo a shot...literally.  My thinking was, if it's horrible, it goes back and I complain to Organic Style about their choices. 

I headed upstairs to put the cucumber spray cleaner away in my bathroom, with plans to use it this weekend.  Then, on a sudden urge to see how it smells, I sprayed the underside of the toilet lid.  Yes, the TOILET LID...not exactly the place one would test out a new cleanser, but you know what...you wanna claim to be a big dog, you better be ready to clean like one.

I spritzed this stuff on there, grabbed a handful of tissues and wiped the lid...almost completely CLEAN.  (Now mind you this is a lid that is stained from backspray from our lovely municipal water...everyone in this neighborhood complains of stained toilet seats and lids, and none of us can figure out why it's doing this...we all use different cleansers so SOMEBODY should have figured out a way to clean these bloody things...instead we all look like we rarely clean our toilets.  NICE.  But at least we all know.)  This is using a handful of TISSUES.  Kirkland brand, fairly thin, FACIAL TISSUES.  No scrubbing.  No elbow grease.  Sprayed it, wiped it...and no bleach stench besides. 

Needless to say, I tackled my sink next...CLEAN.  Yeah babeeeee! 

The entire double-sink vanity has been cleaned, with Method and tissues.  LOL  Including the sink that I haven't used since my husband moved out over a year ago.  (I've turned the water on a couple times to make sure the faucet still works, and occassionally blow the dust out of it after deep cleaning it once last fall.  Otherwise I don't touch it and try not to even look at it.  I use "my" sink exclusively, even though technically both are now "mine".  Somehow an extra sink is no consolation at this point.)

The best part...my bathroom, which I redecorated in a serene spa theme about 8 months ago (okay, it borders on austere, rather than serene), actually SMELLS like a spa.  I'm talking Gene Juarez Day Spa & Salon here, folks.  I thought I was cleaning with PERFUME!!!  Shower gel.  Something along those lines!  It's like spritzing Bath & Body Works' body spray on your counter and making them come clean.  HALLELUJAH.  And it's safe.  Non-toxic.  Not tested on animals.  Come to find out (by visiting their website tonight, did I mention it's http://www.methodhome.com? ) one of their high-muckety mucks DRANK A SHOT OF METHOD in Japan to prove how safe it was.  Side note here...they don't recommend doing that...they say it smells great but tastes bad.  hahahaha 

My daughter heads to her father's house tomorrow and he always asks if I have "big plans for the weekend".  This week I think I'll smile and say, "Yep, sure do!"  Then I'm going to come inside, brush my dog with her new massager,  vacuum my house (can't do that while she's around, she HATES the noise of the vacuum), then mop my floors with this lavender Method floor cleaner (I HATE mopping...but for this, in lavender, I'm willing to give it a shot) then deep clean the rest of the bathrooms.  Oh, and scrub those pots and pans.  Wonder if they make a dish soap???