I’ve been a big fan of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for years now — in fact, they are one of the essential supplies I recommend for spring cleaning. After I bought my first package, they sat forgotten under my kitchen sink for quite some time. One day my son Kell was looking for something to clean his golf shoes. I wasn’t sure what to tell him until I remembered those Magic Erasers under the sink. I told him to try one, and it worked like MAGIC!
It made me curious about just how these babies work, and it turns out the answer is pretty darn interesting.
Check out these magic eraser tricks in action in my video at the end of the post!
What Are Magic Erasers, and How Do Magic Erasers Work?
Magic Erasers are sponges made of melamine foam, which have been used for decades as an insulation and soundproofing material. About ten years ago, some smarty-pants discovered that melamine foam was also an effective abrasive cleaner! It works because when melamine resin cures into foam, its microstructure becomes almost as hard as glass – causing it to act like super-fine sandpaper on stains. The abrasive foam loosens up dirt and grime, and the open microstructure of the foam sucks it in and traps it there. Neat, right?
While a magic sponge will work when it’s dry, adding some water makes the job of cleaning tough messes a little easier. It’s similar to getting a washcloth wet before scrubbing the kitchen counter.
The only drawback I’ve found regarding these erasers is that much like a pencil eraser, they will break down and fall apart as they are used. However, I’ve found that a small piece of Magic Eraser works just as well as a larger piece, so you end up getting a lot more use out of each sponge if you cut it up into smaller pieces.
That one little tip will extend the life of each eraser dramatically and keep costs low for you. Another way to keep costs down is to avoid brand name erasers (like Mr. Clean Magic Erasers) and buy generic ones. I like to get my melamine foam erasers in bulk online! We buy them in packs of 20. They cost about $0.20 less per eraser than the name brand ones, and work just as well, in our opinion!
Are Magic Erasers Safe?
It’s so hard to find a cleaning product that can do such a good job without using chemicals. This little cleaning scrubber is just that. If you’re still worried about the safety of a melamine foam sponge, here are a few facts to help put you at ease.
- The ingredients in Magic Eraser have been safely and commonly used for many years in a wide range of household products and are considered non-toxic.
- No ingredients are subject to any health-related labeling laws in North America or Europe.
- Formaldehyde is not and never has been an ingredient in Magic Eraser. One ingredient in Magic Eraser (formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer) contains the word “formaldehyde” in its chemical name. However, this ingredient is not formaldehyde and poses no health or safety risks.
How to Use Magic Erasers
To use a magic eraser, add water to the sponge, squeeze as much water out as you can, scrub the surface with light pressure, and watch the grime disappear.
Magic erasers work extremely well as a wall cleaner. I use them to remove scuff marks on my walls and baseboards. Every once in a while, I tackle all my baseboards, and every time they end up looking practically brand new!
- Remove marker, pen, and crayon marks off high touch areas (like walls, light switches, and furniture.
- Remove sticker and label residue.
- Clean those notoriously hard-to-clean fiberglass shower floors.
- Polish your silver jewelry, and remove tarnish from jewelry and silver utensils.
- Clean residue off-dry erase marker boards. (You can remove permanent marker from whiteboards, too!)
- Remove scuff marks, pen marks, and dirt build-up on leather couches, shoes, purses, and luggage.
- Clean countertops and other finished surfaces. (Always perform a spot test first, or check with your countertop manufacturer.)
- Remove spray paint from vandals or mischievous 3 year olds!
- Clean keyboards, mouses, and other electronics. Use on everything except the screen!
- Remove scum from your shower and glass door.
- Remove stains on clothing.
- Scrub tile grout.
- Clean grease from stovetops.
- Remove coffee, tea, and kool-aid stains from countertops. Be especially careful when it comes to granite and marble countertops – scrubbing too hard could remove the sealant.
- Clean microfiber couches and chairs.
- Remove scuff marks on shoes, as well as scuff marks on the floor.
- Scrub your plastic and metal patio furniture.
- Clean car interiors, exteriors, wheels, and paint scratches.
- Clean RVs and boats, inside and out.
- Remove bugs that are stuck on cars, windshields, house siding, etc. (Always spot test on glossy finishes, and rub very gently.)
- Remove ink and paint stains from hands.
- Sprinkle some baking soda into your toilet bowl and use the magic eraser to clean toilet bowl stains without harsh chemicals.
Check out these and other magic eraser tips in action:
What do you use Magic Erasers for?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
More Ideas You'll Love
I have also “cleaned off” the paint on my latex-painted walls with a Magic Eraser, LOL. I find a very rough washcloth works much better for wall washing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do NOT use in Formica countertops! It will remove the shiny finish.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Magic erasers can and will scratch if you rub too hard. My dogs would come in from outside rough housing. Every day they’d run their coats on the corner of the wall at the top of my stairs. Needless to say this spot got dirty!
My housekeeper used magic erasers on semi gloss paint, scratching them.
I think that most of the uses, even oh high gloss finishes can work with caution. You’re only after the stain or dirt after all. I believe had she used hot water and gently worked to remove the dirt it would have been fine.
For marble, quartz and Formica counters, I think it would just be easier to use something else unless the surface was ruined. As in the magic eraser was a last ditch solution.
Leslie
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have had them scratch my laminate counters.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also on skin be VERY careful…don’t rub too hard or too fast, it can burn the skin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds perfect for removing calluses! I think I’ll try it — carefully.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Friend suggested to use on greasy wood cabinets and ranges. Worked like a charm. But avoid if cabinets are high gloss!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use them for many things. They are fabulous. I always wet them. I never thought to use them on my microfiber fiber couch, though.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you use them wet or dry? I love the results you got on the woodwork.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found that it’s the only thing that removes doggy nose marks on the windows that surrounds my front door!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The magic eraser did not take the tarnish of my silver. Did I do something wrong??
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for doing the reasearch! I’ve wondered if those were safe for a while, but never took the time to look it up. Thanks Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do Not use on quartz countertops!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Not for wallpaper
Please log in or create a free account to comment.amen. People have to remember these are abrasive! Frequent use instead of a cleaning solution (say, on doorjambs) means you will just have no paint left eventually in those areas. They are fab for very hard surfaces. Glass, microwave/toaster insides etc. and tile possibly. Or anything you want to remove the surface of a tiny bit and it’ll look the same farther down. Like natural unstained solid wood etc. lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My brother used a magic eraser on his arm to get something off and ended up with a dangerous burn that took a few weeks to heal. I would not encourage people to use this on themselves. They work wonderfully on my shower floor and doors though!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use them to get the baked-on gunk off the inside of the oven window before I run the self-cleaner. Magic!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, I think magic erasers are scary! I’ve heard of a man who “erased” his car paint down to the bare metal trying to get a spot off. I’ve damaged the finish on the vinyl siding of my condo. I wouldn’t touch one to my fiberglass tub, nor would I touch my silver with one. I can see it ruining the surface of a kitchen counter, scratching plastic and metal surfaces.
I’ve bought just one package, which I guess will last the rest of my life. I would like to see it refined by putting it into the form of a mechanical pencil, complete with sharpener. I could use one with a sharp tip.
Caveat emptor. Don’t use it on anything you wouldn’t use very fine sandpaper on.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.people need to be reminded they are taking a little bit of the paint/surface off with each use of this product! Not so with glass and metal (uses it was intended for, I think) . Eventually those using this on painted areas will run out of paint to buff away lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t the Magic Erasers that you buy at the grocery have cleanser in them? I’ve hesitated about buying the foam ones on Amazon since they wouldn’t have cleanser. Do you use some kind of detergent with the Amazon ones?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Only some varieties of the Magic Erasers have cleanser in them. The original ones are plain. But Pkalbe is right, the way they remove stains is that they are like extremely fine sandpaper. Just something to keep in mind when you use them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have never had luck with the knock-off melamine. I ordered in bulk, but the erasers just crumbled. I guess I need to try again. Magic erasers are literally magic.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank Jillee for the information on magic erasers. I’ve been using them for years and wondering about their “magic” ingredients. Your research assured me it’s ok to use them. I then went to Amazon and ordered a box of twenty. I forwarded your article to friends.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I really look forward to your posts and read all of them. Thanks for the hard work and helpful ideas
Sue
Some painters left red marks on my wall. The cleaned off with magic eraser. The next day it left a mark on the paint that would not some off. They ended up painting the area along with walls nearby.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so very much, Jillee! I’ve been walking past these things for years, wondering what they could do. Of course, I could’ve stopped and read the directions, but that may have slowed me down. Now, I’ve missed out on a lot of things. Ah, change . . .
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Be very careful using on skin. I once removed paint from my arm with a magic eraser and the resulting friction burn was extremely painful.
Magic erasers are a staple in my cleaning supplies. Thanks for a few extra ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used a magic eraser to get black Sharpie off a green vinyl diner seat. It removed most of the black but also started to remove the green seat color. Just go slow and don’t be over zealous. It also works well cleaning the grout on my floor tile.
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