we believe in authenticity and in empowering our advocates to make fully informed decisions about the products they choose. so we disclose the ingredients in our products, the processes we use to make them and the practices and values of method as a company.
every ingredient used in a method product is comprehensively evaluated by an independent environmental research institute, MBDC. as a result of this rigorous material research process, we can be completely certain of the health and environmental safety of all method products.
all of our core products are Cradle to Cradle certified, and more than 75% meet gold level certification. this means a team of scientists at C2C Institute have rigorously assessed all ingredients, packaging materials and design, processes, making sure that weve designed for maximum material reutilization.
we're not all about appearances. whats inside counts, too. find out what goes in our method bottles.
| ingredient | what it does | environmental + health summary | learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| acrylate polymer | thickener | low biodegradation but not accumulative or toxic in the environment; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin or eyes | |
| alginic acid | anti-spotting agent | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| aloe barbadensis extract | moisturizer | biodegrades readily; sourced from aloe vera plants | |
| amylase | cleaning enzyme | biodegradable; naturally derived | |
| annatto extract | colorant | biodegradable; + not accumulative in the environment; derived from the seed of the annatto plant | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| benzisothiazolinone | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| benzyl alcohol | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin or eyes | |
| dehydroacetic acid | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin or eyes | |
| calcium chloride | stabilizer | readily disperses in environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| canola-amidoethyl hydroxyethylammonium methyl sulfate, propylene glycol | softening + antistatic agent | biodegrades readily; derived from canola oil; not irritating to skin | |
| caprylyl glycol | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | readily biodegradable; made from synthetic materials + plant sources; low skin irritation | |
| caprylhydroxamic acid | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | readily biodegradable; made from synthetic materials + plant sources; low skin irritation | |
| carbomer | thickener | made from synthetic materials | |
| carboxymethylcellulose | stabilizer | biodegrades readily; derived from plant fiber; not irritating to skin | |
| carboxymethylinulin | optimizes pH levels | inherently biodegradable; derived from chicory plants; not irritating to skin | |
| cellulase | cleaning enzyme | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| citric acid | optimizes pH levels | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn | |
| cocamide MIPA | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from corn sugars, coconut or palm oil; low skin irritation in use | |
| cocamidopropyl betaine | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils such as coconut; low skin irritation | |
| disodium lauroamphodiacetate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut oil | |
| cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut oil | |
| cocamidopropylamine oxide | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources | |
| coco methyl ester ethoxylate | emulsifier | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut oil; not irritating to skin | |
| coco methyl ester sulfonate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils such as coconut; not irritating to skin | |
| coco/soy methyl ester | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources | |
| coco/soy methyl ester sulfonate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils such as coconut; not irritating to skin | |
| colorant | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, caprylyl glucoside, and myristyl glucoside | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from corn sugars, coconut or palm oil | |
| dicocoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate, propylene glycol | softening + antistatic agent | biodegrades readily; derived from plant based + synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| dimethicone | polishing agent | made from sand + synthetic materials; low skin irritation | |
| disodium oleamido MIPA sulfosuccinate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; naturally derived; not irritating to skin | |
| distyrylbiphenolsulfonate | optical brightener | biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| DMDM hydantoin | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| ethanol | solvent | biodegrades readily; fermented from plant sugars such as corn or sugar beets; not irritating to skin | |
| ethyl glycerin acetal levulinate | solvent | derived from corn stalks, readily biodegradable | |
| ethyl levulinate propylene glycol ketal | solvent | derived from corn stalks, readily biodegradable | |
| fragrance (parfum) | fragrance | blended composition is partly essential oils + partly synthetic ingredients | free of phthalates, NPEs + other dirty ingredients; non-toxic in use; free of carcinogens; tested for skin irritation + allergies |
| glycerin | moisturizer | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources; not irritating to skin | |
| glyceryl caprylate/caprate | moisturizer | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut + palm oils | |
| glyceryl distearate, coco glucoside, glyceryl oleate/stearate | softening + antistatic agent | biodegrades readily + not accumulative in the environment; derived from plant sources | |
| glycol distearate | skin softening | biodegrades readily + not accumulative; derived from plant oils + synthetic materials | |
| guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride | thickener | biodegrades readily; derived from plant-based guar gum; not irritating to skin | |
| hydrogenated castor oil | emulsifier | biodegrades readily; derived from castor oil | |
| hydroxypropyl methylcellulose | conditions wood surfaces | biodegradable; derived from plant fibers; not irritating to skin | |
| isopropyl palmitate | thickener | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils + isopropyl alcohol; not irritating to skin | |
| lactic acid | water softener | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn | |
| lauramine oxide | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut oil | |
| cocoalkyl amine oxide | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant based materials; low skin irritation | |
| laureth-7 (ethoxylated coconut oil) | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources | |
| lauryl alcohol ethoxylate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | silicate derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| lauryl ethoxylate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from palm or coconut oil; low skin irritation | |
| lipase | cleaning enzyme | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| mannanase | cleaning enzyme | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| methoxyisopropanol | solvent | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| methylisothiazolinone | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| benzisothiazolinone | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| methylchoroisothiazolinone | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| monoisopropylanolamine | solvent | made from synthetic materials | |
| octylisothiazolinone | preservative - prevents bacterial growth | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; low skin + eye irritation | |
| oleic acid | surface conditioner | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils; not irritating to skin | |
| organic acid salt | anti-spotting agent | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| PEG 300 monooctyl ether | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant oils such as coconuts | |
| PEG 400 dioleate | polishing + shining agent | inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| PEG/PPG monoalkyl ether | surfactant (cleaning agent) + rinse aid | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources | |
| phenoxyethanol | antioxidant | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials | |
| poloxamer 181 | surfactant (cleaning agent) | not persistent in the environment; made from synthetic materials | |
| polyester | prevents dirt and oils from redepositing on fabric in the wash | made from synthetic materials | |
| polyquarternium 95 | enables a clean rinse | inherently biodegradable + not toxic in aquatic systems; derived from renewable starch sources; not irritating to skin | |
| polysorbate 20 | surfactant (cleaning agent) + emulsifier | derived from plant sources | |
| polyvinyl alcohol | packette film | ||
| potassium citrate | optimizes pH levels + water softener | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn; not irritating to skin | |
| PPG-2 methyl ether | solvent | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| propanediol | solvent | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn; low skin and eye irritation | |
| protease | cleaning enzyme | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| sodium alkane sulfonate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; made from synthetic materials; low skin irritation | |
| sodium bicarbonate | optimizes pH levels | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium carbonate | optimizes pH levels, dissolves stains | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium carbonate peroxide | optimizes pH levels | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium chloride | thickener | derived from abundant mineral sources; the same material as table salt; safe for people (unless too much is eaten on potato chips) | |
| sodium citrate | optimizes pH levels | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn; not irritating to skin | |
| sodium coco sulfate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources; low skin irritation | |
| sodium disilicate | optimizes pH levels | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium gluconate | optimizes pH (apc) and anti-spotting agent (autodish) | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sugars such as corn; not irritating to skin | |
| sodium hydroxide | optimizes pH levels | biodegrades readily; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium lauryl sulfate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | biodegrades readily; derived from coconut + palm oils; low skin irritation in use | |
| sodium metasilicate | optimizes pH levels | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium percarbonate | optimizes pH levels for better cleaning | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium polyaspartate | prevents dirt and oils from redepositing on fabric in the wash + water softener | biodegrades readily; naturally derived | |
| sodium polyitaconate | prevents dirt and oils from redepositing on fabric in the wash | biodegrades readily; naturally derived; not irritating to skin | |
| sodium sesquicarbonate | optimizes pH levels, dissolves stains | disperses safely in the environment; derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| sodium silicate | optimizes pH levels and maintains glass surface | readily disperses in environment; comes from abundant mineral sources | |
| soy methyl ester ethoxylate | surfactant (cleaning agent) | derived from plant sources; low skin irritation | |
| TAED (tetra-acetyl ethylene diamine) | oxidizing cleaner | biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; not irritating to skin | |
| tetrasodium GLDA | water softener | inherently biodegradable; naturally derived; not irritating to skin | |
| tetrasodium iminodisuccinate | water softener | biodegrades readily; derived from minerals and plant sources | |
| tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E) | moisturizer | biodegrades readily; derived from plant sources | |
| water (aqua) | diluent + solvent | deionized for purity; extracted from abundant source | |
| Xanthan Gum | thickener | inherently biodegradable; derived from plant based sugars such as corn | |
| zeolite | water softener | silicate derived from abundant mineral sources | |
| annatto extract | colorant | biodegradable; + not accumulative in the environment; derived from the seed of the annatto plant | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| external violet 2 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| blue 1 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| green 5 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| yellow 5 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| yellow 10 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| red 4 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| red 33 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric blue | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric yellow | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric red | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric orange | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric pink | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric green | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
we follow the precautionary principle: if there's a chance an ingredient isn't safe, we don't use it. period.
we use the precautionary principle, meaning that if there's a chance that an ingredient isn't safe, we dont use it.
method chooses never to use dirty, conventional cleaning ingredients, like phosphates or bleach, in our formulas.
all method ingredients are rigorously evaluated by an independent material research agency for health and environmental safety.
Cradle to Cradle® is our mantra for the design of safe, green products.
our formulators use advanced green chemistry technologies to create powerful and safe formulations.
the world's first line of cleaning products to be Cradle to Cradle® certified for their responsible manufacturing, green package design and safe + effective formulation.
we don't do dirty. here's a list of some ingredients we dont ever use (and why).
coming soon
in a world where cleaning products smell at best bland and boring, and at worst noxious and offensive (fake pine, anyone?), we take pride in making products that smell great. so we make sure that we put the right attention into developing fragrances that don't pose a threat to people and the environment.
our front-end design screen is known as the dirty fragrance ingredients list. it is an array of materials that are frequently used to make conventional fragrances, like phthalates, but that we specify never be used in method's fragrances.
all method fragrance ingredients are reviewed by our greenskeeping and toxicology groups.
additionally, all of our finished products are clinically tested for irritation and allergy concerns.
we believe vibrant colours make cleaning more fun, so we use colourants that are safe for people + the planet.
vibrant colour is a pillar of great design. we believe sustainability should be beautiful, lively and appealing. so we design our products that way. we do this by using safe, environmentally compatible colourants that are effective at ultra-low concentrations, that are non-toxic and will not accumulate in the environment.
we use only colourants that are safe for people and the environment. some are made from natural materials, but the majority of the most effective ones are made synthetically. in either case, we find the safe ones by partnering with our colourant suppliers to complete detailed health + environmental material assessments.
| ingredient | what it does | environmental + health summary | learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| annatto extract | colorant | biodegradable; + not accumulative in the environment; derived from the seed of the annatto plant | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| external violet 2 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| blue 1 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| green 5 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| yellow 5 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| yellow 10 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| red 4 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| red 33 | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric blue | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric yellow | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric red | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric orange | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric pink | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
| polymeric green | colorant | ultimately degradable + not accumulative in the environment; made from synthetic materials | free of heavy metals or other dirty ingredients |
effective, safe + biodegradable. our preservatives are necessary for a clean you can count on.
method formulas are predominantly made from naturally derived ingredients, so effective preservatives are required to keep them from spoiling and to maintain their effectiveness and safety over time. by choosing effective preservatives, we can use them at ultra-low concentrations (under 0.1% for most of our cleaners).
all of the preservatives used in method products have been comprehensively assessed by the material scientists at MBDC, so we can be certain of their full health + environmental profile. this research allows us to be sure that our formulations remain non-toxic and biodegradable.
all of our core products are Cradle to Cradle certified. more than 75% of our portfolio is certified at the gold level, and the remaining products are certified silver.
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