Typically I am not picking about brands, I usually buy what is on sale or what I have a coupon for. Lately I have been using Tide for cold water and I really like it, it gets tough stains out on the first try. I was starting to run low on my Tide, when I went shopping the best deal was Method detergent. I thought I should give it a whirl, the back of the package says, “Methods Squeaky Green Laundry products are, a biodegradable, plant based formula thats phosphate-free, dye-free and hypo allergenic. A laundry detergent that’s tough on stains, easy on clothes and gentle on the planet.” Sound great right? Well, I have been using it for about a week and I will say that it doesn’t even compare to my Tide. The typical stains that I have to deal with disappear with Tide right away, they were still there after 2 washes with Method. I wish Method worked better because I would love to use this earth friendly product in the future but I don’t think it would be very “green” of me to have to wash certain items multiple times to get the stains out. I was pleasantly surprised that Tide for cold water is considered “green” in online reviews because it uses cold water and less energy. I will try to use up the bottle I bought on darks and delicates but in the future I will stick to my Tide.
And the Winner Is? Method vs. Tide
VS.
I agree, if you have to wash something multiple times, it's lost some of it's “green-ness”. However, there are two Moethod products I can't live without, regardless of their eco-friendly nature: Unscented handsoap and Cumcumber Multi-Surface Cleaner. I feel more comfortable using this around Tobin (the cat) and places where we prepare food. The smell is so great, it smells clean and fresh without smelling like chemicals or odor maskers. I used to use the grapefruit scent but it has a little funk after the intitial mist. I used this cleaner on my stove this morning and it cleaned up the splattered oil and other spils without a problem. I also use this when Tobin gets sick on the wood floor. It takes a little work but I think it's worth it.
Thanks for your tip on the detergent though, some sales items aren't worth the savings!
Eliza
p.s. For anyone with sensitive skin who needs to use unscented laundry detergent, Costco sells 1.32 gallons for about $12 or $13.