I love Method cleaning products so I was delighted to receive a complimentary bottle of their new Clementine scented washing up liquid, via an email promotion. Method is an American company which have a small, but growing, range of eco-friendly products, designed to work effectively without using harsh and unnecessary chemicals.

I have actually been lucky enough to try one of their washing up liquids before. I found that the original variety (Lavender) performed well enough but the packaging was pretty slippery and impractical for the task in hand. One of the benefits of being a smaller company is that Method listened to customer feedback and they have actually redesigned the entire range of washing up liquids. The new range, available in this Clementine or Cucumber fragrances, has been repackaged and now comes in a really attractive large curved pump.

This new design looks really stylish and stands out from all the other brands of washing up liquid available. Crucially, this time around, the funky packaging has actually been designed with practicality in mind. Despite being quite a large dispenser (containing 532ml, so considerably larger than most 'standard' sized products) the body is shaped to curve inwards. This design makes the bottle easy to hold, even with wet hands. The transparent bottle shows off the attractive bright orange washing up liquid inside to good effect too, making this a product that I'm proud to have next to my sink.

The pump dispenser is pretty unusual and means that the liquid can be pumped straight into a sink full of dirty dishes or dispensed straight on to a scouring sponge, cloth or brush, if preferred. I like the versatility that this offers as I can squirt some washing up liquid straight on to a scourer, if needed, without even having to pick up the bottle itself. The pump is pretty chunky but dispenses a generous squirt of washing up liquid each time. Once mixed with hot water, this produces an abundance of fluffy white bubbles, even with just a single squeeze of washing up liquid. My husband can be a little heavy-handed and over-exuburant and when he gave an extra squirt from the bottle, the sink resembled an over-the-top bubble bath rather than a sink full of dirty dishes! A little really does go a long way here! Most importantly, I found that the bubbles and cleaning power lasted for as long as the water remained hot, rather than dying out quickly as I've noticed other Eco brands (such as Ecover) tend to do.

I was very pleased with the overall cleaning performance of the washing up liquid in use. I have a dishwasher so only use washing up liquid for items that are too large, too dirty or not suitable for dishwasher use. This means that this stuff has been put through its paces on various casserole dishes, saucepans, frying pans and roasting tins. Whatever has been placed in its path, however dirty, Method has dealt with it without any difficulty and I haven't had to resort to prolonged soaking or scrubbing, even with burnt or dried on residue.

One of the nicest features of this particular product is the scent. Washing up can be a bit of a thankless task so it is always nice to cheer it up with a pleasant aroma. The Clementine fragrance here certainly does that. I did suspect that 'Clementine' might just be a sexier way of describing what would be a basic Orange fragrance but I found that the name was justified. The scent is far more subtle than a full-blown Citrus fragrance and would not be off-putting, even to somebody not overly keen on citrus notes. It is a very mild scent but leaves the sink and the cleaned dishes (as well as my hands) smelling fresh but in a very under-stated way.

I rarely use gloves when washing by hand, despite having dry, sensitive skin around my hands. I was pleased that the Method formula was gentle enough not to irritate or sting my skin in any way. In keeping with Method's environmentally credentials, this washing up liquid is biodegradable, contains naturally derived ingredients, is phosphate free and isn't tested on animals. The stylish bottle is also made from 100% recycled plastic and can be either recycled or, even better, refilled using a pouch refill after use.

This particular product can be purchased via Ocado or the Method website for £3 per bottle. This does seem expensive but I have found that the concentrated formula goes such a long way that a single bottle lasts for ages. (We've been using our bottle for several months although, admittedly, in conjunction with a dishwasher.)

I do feel that this is expensive but it is an eco-friendly product that performs exceedingly well and looks pretty attractive too!

More information about the range and local stockists can be found on the Method website at www.methodproducts.co.uk