My Favorite Laundry Detergent
Pros: Works great, biodegradable, not tested on animals, different scents & sizes available
Cons: Expensive, Messy, Method doesn't disclose ingredients (YET)
Method hit a home run with me on their laundry detergent. Though I tend to favor Seventh Generation products, I have found Method's detergent to be superior.
Availability: You can find the product relatively easy, Target always has it in stock. The regular scent comes in a blue bottle, unscented (my preference) in a white bottle, and baby formula in the pink bottle. Method packages it in a 32 ounce bottle that will clean 32 average-sized loads or a 64 ounce bottle that yields 64 loads (pricewise, the 64 oz bottle is a better value).
Performance: Method's detergent performs just well as the national brands at cleaning and stain treating. I don't have a HE washer so I cannot comment at HE performance. In my regular washer, I've found it does a comparable job in cold, warm, and hot washes. This is where I feel that Seventh Generation falls short.
Environmental Impact: Because of it's 3x concentrated formulation, the packaging is smaller than a typical bottle of detergent. It is recyclable though I don't believe that the packaging is made of recycled materials (I could be wrong). The ingredients are biodegradable and never tested on animals. Method does not list it's ingredients on the label, though I've read that they will change this in the near future; in the mean time they disclose ingredients at www.methodhome.com.
Room for improvement: Because of it's concentration, the detergent is much thicker than most detergents which can get messy. I find it best to run the cap under stream as the washer fills to rinse it off. You will also find it to be priced at the upper UPPER end of laundry detergents, in terms or price per load.
