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SC Johnson has been hit with a class action lawsuit claiming that Method cleaning products contain harmful and toxic ingredients.
Method cleaning products are reportedly marketed as “non-toxic,” allowing SC Johnson to charge a premium price for these cleaners. However, these representations are false, according to allegations from California resident Felicia Toth.
Toth says she purchased several Method cleaning products which stated that they were “non-toxic.” The plaintiff allegedly relied on these representations when choosing a cleaning product, but was shocked to find out that the products actually contained several toxic ingredients.
The lawsuit explains that an increasing number of consumers specifically look for non-toxic products to use in their daily lives. This includes cleaning products, as consumers want more natural, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional household cleaners.
As a result of this demand, a non-toxic household products market has developed. Products sold in this category are often sold with representations that they are “non-toxic” and “plant based.”
The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has established new guidelines to help standardize these representations and to “help marketers avoid making environmental marketing claims that are unfair or deceptive.”
Under FTC regulations, “it is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product, package or service is non-toxic” and “a non-toxic claim likely conveys that a product, package, or service is non-toxic for humans and for the environment generally.”
The FTC says that, when making “non-toxic” claims, marketers must have reliable scientific evidence or “should clearly and prominently qualify their claims to avoid deception.”
Unfortunately, SC Johnson allegedly fails to comply with these requirements when marketing their Method household cleaner.
Contrary to their claims, the products reportedly contain a variety of cleaning agents which disqualify the cleaners from making a “non-toxic” claim, including: dipropylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, linalool, methylisothiazolinone, limonene and octylisothiazolinone.
Dipropylene glycol is a synthetic ingredient which is allegedly used as a fragrance in Method household cleaner, Squirt and Mop Floor Cleaner, and Granite Cleaner. This ingredient has reportedly been show to cause temporary eye irritation when exposed to the eyes.
Phenoxyethanol is another synthetic ingredient found in various Method cleaning products including Squirt and Mop Floor Cleaner and Steel for Real cleaner. This ingredient can reportedly cause irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. When swallowed, phenoxyethanol has reportedly been show to have “deleterious” effects on the nervous system which could lead to “impaired functions.”
Linalool, found in the Method household cleaner and Squirt and Mop floor cleaner, can reportedly cause serious eye damage in addition to irritating the skin and eyes. Toth notes that this ingredient can also have negative environmental effects by harming aquatic life.
Method cleaning products, including Squirt and Mop floor cleaner, Steel for Real cleaner and Daily Granite cleaner, allegedly contain methylisothiazolinone. In 2013, this ingredient was reportedly named the Allergen of the Year and “has exhibited skin sensitization effects and may also cause systemic acute toxicity and local effects such as eczema and contact allergy reactions.”
Limonene, allegedly found in the Method household cleaner, Steel for Real cleaner, and Daily Granite cleaner, is reportedly used to substitute significantly toxic ingredients such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and other solvents.
However, this ingredient reportedly also has negative effects including skin irritation characterized by burning, itching, aching, and a long lasting rash.
The last ingredient called out by the class action lawsuit, octylisothiazolinone, is found as a preservative in the Method Daily Granite cleaner. Unfortunately, this ingredient can allegedly cause toxic effects to marine and sediment dwelling life.
Toth argues that the inclusion of these ingredients disqualifies Method cleaning products from the “non-toxic” label.
Unfortunately, the plaintiff says that most consumers would be unable to identify these ingredients as potential toxins, meaning that they could be misled by the product packaging which touts the cleaners as “non-toxic.”
“The Product’s ‘non-toxic’ claim signifies to reasonable consumers that the Products will not be harmful to people (including small children), common pets or the environment,” the Method cleaning products class action lawsuit argues.
“A reasonable consumer’s understanding of ‘will not harm’ is not limited to toxins that cause death but ‘also various types of temporary physical illness, such as vomiting, rash and gastrointestinal upset.’”
As a result of these claims, Toth and other consumers have allegedly been injured financially as they would not have purchased the products or would have paid significantly less had they been aware of the toxic contents of the products.
Have you purchased Method cleaning products? Share your experiences in the comments section below.
Toth and the proposed Class are represented by Michael R. Reese and George V. Granade of Reese LLP and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC.
The Method Cleaning Products Class Action Lawsuit is Felicia Toth v. SC Johnson & Son Inc., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-03553, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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1,163 thoughts onMethod Class Action Says Cleaning Products Are Toxic
We’ve used the Method housecleaning for years because we thought it was safe. Please add us to the case action lawsuit.
I have been using Method products for years and saved the pump soap containers for reuse. Since the containers have seen wear and tear, I just replaced a blue one that contained ” AEROFOAM Ocean Minerals Foaming Hand Wash.” Beneath that title is :”DYE-FREE, TRICOLOSAN-FREE infused with botanicals.” On the back of the container it reads: “Manufactured by Brands International Corp…their address, and Made in Canada.”The new container, which I know now from reading this class action suit (I was researching what Method contains) must come from S.C. Johnson! On the front of the container it says simply, “method (small letters) sea minerals naturally derived foaming hand wash.” It says it in French as well, but it is no longer manufactered in Canada. A long time ago, I read an article about how the entrepreneurs who developed the Method line got rich. I trusted Method and have the pump hand soap (for which I buy refills;) glass cleaner; and have purchased many other cleaning products since the inception of this company in Canada. How discouraging it is for consumers when a giant multi-national group eat up the small businesses. I can understand the lure to sell out to a large company because they offer so much money, it must be hard to resist. If you follow the evolution of many products that you may have enjoyed, you can see how they have been swallowed up by others. For example, America’s largest pork producer is now owned by the Chinese. Your favorite brands may still have their original names, but they aren’t the original companies. I guess this sadly goes for Method as well. My niece started buying Method when her husband had cancer. I will inform her of this class action suit.
What the heck! I use methods cleaner basically everywhere I use the dish soap, the antibacterial multi surface spray the mop squirt and also the tub and tile scrub and bathroom cleaner! MONTHLY I switched bec I thought it was a better non toxic alternative and especially have it my kids crawling and touching everything! Please add me to the list
Please add me I have been using these products for years believing they were safe
I have purchased Method products believing they were safe – most recent purchase was the kitchen degreaser. Thought it was weird that I sneezed for a while after using it, thought it was just me!
Pleaseadd me to list I have been using for years
I just got home from a trip to the emergency vet because my cat went into anaphylactic shock after I have been using the method Squirt & Mop & Method All Purpose cleaner (Grapefruit) to clean up after her 5.5 week old kittens who are starting to potty train.
She was near death when I got her in & Ihave NO DOUBT that this was caused by an allergic reaction to Method products.
Oh my. I’m a cat owner. I’m glad your cat is ok, and the kittens too!.
I have been using all the method cleaning products for the last 4 years. I am health. I wanted to use something healthy to clean my house with. I have been using the glass cleaner, antibacterial bathroom spearmint bathroom bathroom cleaner, , The antibacterial bamboo all purpose cleaner, lime and sea salt all purpose cleaner, method clementine dish soap, ,method daily wood cleaner, and the method glass cleaner. Every day I have had colds in the past like every one else or a sinus infection, but I get a antibiotic and it is gone in a couple days. I have been sick since 2918 with sinusitis they said it was allergies which eventually turned into chronic sinusitis. They diagnosed me with chronic sinusitis September 2020, but we don’t know if it crossed over earlier into chronic sinusitis. I have been seen by my primary doctor this whole entire time and at ENT. Eventually I got referred out to another ENT. I was there and I know it’s a chronic cellulitis that was in September 2020. They said I needed surgery and my sinuses and they can’t get me into surgery till March 5, 2021. I haven’t been able to work for three years I’ve been so sick with nose pain of a number 10 and asthma often on and swollen or inflamed nasal membranes. I got my surgery on March 5 and I felt good for about a month then I got a sinus infection again. I have been on so many antibiotics and I’ve been so exhausted and unable to work because it’s exhausting being a number 10 pain and your head I was being stuffed up I’m thinking I’m almost getting better right now I just finished another antibiotic again and I’m hoping this will be the last time I’m taking a lot of herbs and vitamins and trying to force myself to get out there and walk and participate in life because I haven’t had a life for the last three years the first year wasn’t as bad but I just got the last three years with unbearable and I just rested a lot. I was just taking pictures of these products to send to my daughter because I thought they were so great because of all the time and I love natural stuff and I think they smell amazing and then I wanted to Google and tell her how great they were and when I googled I found out that they are actually toxic which really surprised me but maybe this is why I’ve been sick this whole time because no one can figure out why I can’t get better I’ve had a sinus infection in the past I went on a Z pack and three days I was better and jogging again. I haven’t jogged in three years I haven’t worked in three years I haven’t done anything fun in three years I haven’t had a life in three years it’s been horrible I have had no energy I’ve just had a stuffy head inflammation in my nose, Stuffy nose stuffy head painful nose painful head it’s just the symptoms are always changing but they never go away. I take a ton of vitamins and I’m super healthy and drink a lot of water and juice and I E all natural foods on nothing with GMO’s nothing with antibiotics or hormones,
Unless a special night out to dinner I will mot eat organic. I am super health food person and I can’t believe these products are not natural and healthy. It makes me want to cry that I have been inhaling toxic cleaner fumes for so long.
Omg. I use this because I have a baby at home. I have a phobia of chemicals and thought these were safe. Please add me.
I purchased the antibacterial bamboo scented cleaner. I have a newborn at home, please add me!
Please add me. I have been using Method daily shower spray, antibac spray, degreasing spray, foaming shower spray and surface cleaners for years.