If your kids show their budding artist skills by drawing on the wall with crayons or markers, you may already be familiar with the miracle that is called the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. These beautiful miracle workers come in the form of a squishy foam pad. While they look soft, these bad boys can do some serious damage to otherwise impossible-to-remove smudges.
But getting crayon off the wall is not the only thing they're good for. This cleaning tool has gotten a bad rap for containing toxic chemicals, but Snopes puts those rumors to rest and tells consumers that when used properly (for example, not as a face scrub), these scrubbers are perfectly safe.
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Not only are they safe, they're versatile. Check out this list of 30 ways to use Magic Erasers with tips:
1. Clean scuffs and dirt off tennis shoes.
2. Clean grout and bathroom tile.
3. Remove scuff marks from floors and baseboards.
4. Clean tea stains from instant tea machines (pitchers).
5. Clean keyboards.
6. Remove hairspray and makeup buildup from mirrors, sinks and walls in the bathroom. It also keeps the mirror from fogging up.
7. Polish your jewelry by rubbing the stains with a damp Magic Eraser. Rinse and dry.
8. Rub silver gently with a Magic Eraser to remove tarnish.
9. Remove sticker residue from your windows and walls.
10. Remove nail polish from walls, carpets and floors by gently rubbing the area with a damp Magic Eraser. Rinse with soapy water.
11. Remove dead bugs from the grill of your car.
12. Scrub plastic food containers with a wet Magic Eraser, wash with soap and rinse to remove tomato stains.
13. Clean your window screens (and the tracks too!).
14. Clean the inside of your oven using a Magic Eraser and hot soapy water.
15. Clean the wheels, seats and body of a bicycle.
16. Clean markers, dirt and grime from doll faces (and bodies if they are plastic or rubber).
17. Scrub the inside of your tub to remove oils and soap buildup.
18. Remove tar from painted surfaces.
19. Clean yard toys (plastic).
20. Remove stains and grime from toilet bowls and seats (including hinges).
21. Scrub your birdbath with a Magic Eraser to remove bird droppings.
22. Clean grease from the inside of your deep fryer.
23. Clean fiberglass floors.
24. Wipe away fingerprints and stains on a microfiber couch.
25. Remove ink, paint and marker from hands.
26. Remove juice stains from countertops.
27. Clean and buff off scuffs on cars.
28. Clean stains off leather.
29. Remove rust spots.
30. Remove pollen from cars and outdoor furniture.
If you aren't comfortable purchasing the sponges with cleaner in them (or you want to save a bit of cash), purchase melamine foam for a fraction of the cost.
One blogger tested the name brand (Mr. Clean) with a plain melamine foam version of the sponges by allowing her little ones to draw all over a white table. She cleaned each half with a different sponge and got the same results.
So if you're in the market for a handy cleaner and want to save a few bucks, purchase them in bulk online (search for melamine foam). The brand-name version can be saved for really tough jobs. To get more out of the eraser:
1. Cut each Magic Eraser into smaller pieces.
2. Use a spray bottle to mist the sponge with water, rather than fully saturating it and squeezing out the excess.
3. Scrub lightly with the Magic Eraser, and then wipe the area with a wet towel.
4. A light spray will "revive" the Magic Eraser for a few more uses once it starts to get shriveled.
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Friends don't let friends spend hours scrubbing marker off their walls. Share these tips on Facebook and save a friend a few hours of mindless work (and some shoulder pain too!).