My readers have requested that I share some of our “can’t life without” products that make our lives easier, so I have started compiling a list. Have you heard of Magic Erasers? The originals are made by Mr. Clean, and while there are some knock-off brands on the market, I haven’t tried them. (Let me know if you have and how they compare.)
My mom introduced me to Magic Erasers several years ago, and I have kept them on-hand ever since. They aren’t a product that you would typically need to use daily, but they can truly be lifesavers. What are Magic Erasers, you ask? They are foam sponges infused with a cleaning agent that works to remove marks and stains. All you do is add water to the sponge. I most often use them to remove marks from the walls or kitchen appliances (usually the inside of the fridge), but they can also be used to remove permanent marker stains from many different surfaces, clean scuffed shoes, eliminate coffee stains, and so much more.
Have you witnessed the magic of Magic Erasers? If so, what do you use them for?
*This is not a sponsored post.
We have had this product. It is very effective.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Just make sure you always test the Magic Eraser in a very inconspicuous spot if you want to use it to get something off a painted wall. Some paints don’t handle it well. Especially important if you’re renting (ask me how I know)!
Yes, that’s a great reminder, to test it in an inconspicuous spot before using it on a new surface. Thanks, Sarah!
Cleans marks off of bathtubs really well! 😄
Yes it’s great on soap scum!!!
Magic Erasers are my go-to cleaning product for cleaning up our rental houses! They really do clean basically everything, especially dirty marks on walls, kitchen appliances, etc. They’re great because I can use the one product to clean basically everything, rather than having a bunch of cleaning supplies – just add water!
There’s no cleanser in most of those sponges. They work by the rough texture itself scrubbing off the stain. That means you have to be careful where you use them, because they can damage some surfaces. Yes, I’ve used store brand erasers in a pinch. They’re OK. All of these products tear or fall apart eventually.
I love those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and they work so well. I’ve tried the knock off brands from Dollar Tree and they work almost as well as Mr. Clean. Our Dollar Tree just started selling the Mr. Clean brand, but they only come one to a box. We found it’s more economical to get them at Walmart where you can multiple erasers.
Ellie, do you or any readers here knows if they can be used to clean grout? My kitchen floor grout is in need of scrubbing.
Thank you in advance.
That’s a great question, Regina. I haven’t used Magic Erasers to clean grout, but I have heard of others who have. I would definitely recommend testing it on a small spot though. If you end up trying it, I would be curious to know how well/how quickly it works.
Ellie
The best way to clean grout that I have found is to use a spray bottle of water, baking soda, and a toothbrush
I use them to clean our fiberglass white tub and separate shower. They get rid of soap scum EASILY…they also easily clean the glass on the inside of the shower stall. GREAT product!
Go carefully on the fiberglass. You can damage the finish if you rub too much or too hard. My friend damaged the floor of her shower by constantly scrubbing with the Magic Erasers.
I bought the Magic Eraser bathroom one it worked great on my bathtub. I had a mark in my tub and it came right out .
I use them for a lot of things! They’re great for stubborn stains on sinks–particularly rust around the drain, random stains, and marks that metal makes on my white kitchen sink. They’re great for general grime that builds up on trim, walls, light switches, doors, textured appliance handles, and handrails from grubby little hands! Similarly, the walls next to my kids’ beds get generally dirty and scuffed, and it works well–with a light hand on painted walls. They can work on lightly burned-on reside on ceramic cook tops (anything more will shred it). Definitely good for Sharpie on plastic and rubber parts of sneakers (Converse toes, in particular!), and it’s a lifesaver this time of year when we carve pumpkins and use newspaper on the kitchen table, because it’s the one thing that gets transferred newsprint off the formica top. I often feel like a good cloth would do the same, but there’s something about the Magic Eraser that makes it work so much more quickly!
Does anyone have experience using Magic Erasers to get rid of build up on car windows and windshields? Windex is decent but not getting rid of the haze that sometimes appears.
I am a little concerned because my rear windowshield has defroster lines and I don’t want it to damage them.
I don’t think you’re supposed to use the erasers on glass. If you go to an auto parts store, they should have some glass cleaner for the insides of windshields that will leave them streak free. I forget the brand we bought. It had a yellow and black label. Try wiping with newspaper instead of paper towels, or use a microfiber cloth.
Thanks Anonymous for the tip. AL Girl
I love these for my gas stovetop, I hate using cleaning sprays where there will be an open flame, gets off tough spots! A lot of people have already said but on tubs they are great too
I do not know if they still are, but years ago they were tested on a news show here in Canada and found to contain formehldahyde (phonetic spelling!!). I have never used them because of that. Very toxic for breathing. It is the embalming fluid.
Hi there,
You’re correct, they do contain formaldehyde. However, I did some research a while back and read (from multiple sources) that the way it is present in Magic Erasers is not toxic. Still, I often wear gloves when I use them just to be safe.
Ellie
Thanks for that up date. Good to know.
Formaldehyde is bound with melamine into a polymer to make the foam sponges. It’s not harmful to handle or be around in that form. Like formaldehyde, chlorine sounds scary to be in contact with, until you consider that you sprinkle a compound of it (sodium chloride) on your food and consume it in the form of table salt. As long as you don’t eat the Magic Erasers or let your kids or pets eat them (they’re not digestible), they’re safe to use for cleaning.
My friends cat eat on and never got sick so they are safe for pets.
Your friend’s cat was lucky. They could easily cause a blockage in an animal because of their bulk, and the abrasive texture could irritate the digestive tract.
I forgot to share a funny Magic Eraser story. We had moved into a house a year or so earlier, and one day I used a Magic Eraser to clean a scuff mark off the kitchen floor. In the process I discovered that the grayish coloring that I thought was part of the faux stone tile look of our linoleum was actually dirt in the grooves of the textured surface! I’d mopped and Wet Swiffered the floor plenty, but the Magic Eraser super cleaned the spot I rubbed it on and I discovered that maybe I needed a more aggressive floor-cleaning method! Apparently it took something special to get to the dirt that got into the grooves! So now I use a good scrub brush periodically, but if Magic Erasers didn’t fall apart so quickly I’d prefer to use those on the whole thing!
Haha! I completely understand. There have been times when I have wondered if a mark was dirt or part of the design.
As a teacher, I loved them for cleaning grime off of my little students’ desks. The knockoff brands cleaned nearly as well, but tended to tear or disintegrate more quickly.
One word: Norwex
Magic erasers have horrible chemicals inside of them. Google norwax and you’ll never look back
I have some Norwex products and I love them, but the cost prevents me from using solely Norwex, unfortunately. I end up making make most of my cleaning products or finding other natural products on sale.
Ellie
Anon 3:56 That information is not true. You can’t sell a cleaning product in the US without labeling the chemicals it includes. There are no chemicals listed on the packages of these erasers. In fact, they are so careful to follow that rule that they state the erasers do not include phosphates. Nothing is included, and there’s what’s NOT included, too.
Did you know that the sponges are made in Germany? This type of foam has been used there for decades as soundproofing and insulation.