If you are new to magic erasers, this little white wonder is about to forever change your cleaning regime.
If you are already part of the cult that loves this product, well then we probably have a few ideas for you as well.
I am addicted. I used to buy them in dinky little packs from the supermarket, but now I just buy in bulk from warehouses.
So what are they? Magic erasers are made from melamine foam. According to Wikipedia, it’s open-cell foam that is microporous and its polymeric substance is very hard, so when used for cleaning it works like extremely fine sandpaper, getting into tiny grooves and pits in the object being cleaned.
Now we have the technical stuff out of the way, they have literally dozens of applications. Here are a few, and when you shouldn’t use them.
One important note, you should always wet them first and squeeze out the excess moisture before you begin.
Wall to wall
You know those annoying grey marks your walls seem to attract. How do they get there? Is there a hidden army of people wearing grey in your house? Well, however they got there, a quick wipe over with a magic eraser and they are gone (usually). It sure beats scrubbing with the sugar soap.
Grease is the word
Hands up who hates cleaning their oven, it’s all of us right? Well, before things get too bad, give it a solid wipe over with a magic eraser. You will be astonished how much grease it removes. Also good for rangehoods and stovetops to wipe up greasy spills. You may need a more thorough deep clean if things have got away from you, but for a quick touch up, they are hard to beat.
Run for it
Everyone has a pair of white sneakers these days right? They look great when they are fresh and new, but can very soon look a bit second rate. Well, you can scrub them. But to really get them back to their best, a good buff with a magic eraser will bring back the bling.
Rusted on
We all have a tired spray can that’s been hanging around for a bit too long. Pick it up and there’s an annoying rust ring underneath. A quick swipe with a magic eraser and it’s gone. Also works on grease rings.
Hot tip
If your oven or range top has that slightly yellow tinge that lets you know there is a grease build-up, it’s time to crack out the magic eraser. Unless it’s particularly baked on, a good going over should eliminate most of that icky grease. Sadly, it will never replace a thorough clean, but it could stretch out the period between that particularly odious task. And when it comes to cleaning the oven, I’m all for that.
Showered with compliments
With two busy kids, Melbourne’s weather and everyone working full-time jobs, keeping the bathrooms clean is a constant drag. Magic erasers are here to help. They easily remove soap build-up, and if you scrunch them up a bit you can run them in between the tiles to revive your grout. Once again, they are not a replacement for a deep clean, but can quickly and easily give your bathrooms and wet areas a bit of a spruce up.
And six things you should never use a magic eraser for are:
- Stone benchtops. The scouring factor is simply too great to risk your beautiful stone benchtop, engineered or natural.
- Car paint. No, no, no. Magic erasers act like sandpaper on your car surface. Never be tempted.
- Leather and faux leather. The surfaces of both of these products are simply too soft and delicate for a magic eraser.
- Non-stick pans. Once again, magic erasers are too efficient for these materials. You could remove the non-stick surface and possibly release some nasty chemicals to boot. Not what you want on your next omelette.
- Stainless steel pans. Using a magic eraser on stainless steel will work for a while, but eventually the surface will be dulled, so it’s up to you.
- Any antique surfaces. Be it wood or leather, older furnishings and fittings were not designed for modern, highly abrasive cleaning products. Use a specific cleaner for the product.
Do you use magic erasers? Do you have a favourite cleaning tip? Why not share it in the comments section below?
Also read: The surface cleaners that really work
