The Surprising Trick to Saving Money on Magic Erasers

Whether you’re up against scuffs on your white living room walls or stubborn grime on your kitchen tile, you’ve probably enlisted the help of a Magic Eraser at some point or another. That versatility is part of the “magic” in these foam sponges. You can (effectively!) use a Magic Eraser almost anywhere in your home without worrying that it will be too abrasive or damaging. 

How, exactly, do Magic Erasers work? It’s actually their texture that makes them so darn effective — in fact, Magic Erasers don’t even contain cleaning ingredients (unless, of course, you’re buying a special Eraser, like the Magic Eraser with Dawn or Febreze).

Rather than relying on harsh chemical cleaners, foam erasers are made of melamine, which becomes nearly as hard as glass when it’s cured into foam. That means a Magic Eraser is basically like ultra-fine sandpaper that can loosen up pretty much any dirt, scuff, or grime you can think of.

Amazing as it is, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers aren’t cheap. If you’re regularly using a Magic Eraser around your home, you’ve probably shelled out a bit of money — name-brand Magic Erasers run anywhere from $0.77 to $1.50 a pop on Amazon. So why not get the same effect for far cheaper? 

Instead of spending your hard-won cash on the name-brand cleaning product, just buy regular old melamine foam. This 24-pack of rectangular melamine sponges breaks down to $0.32 per item, which means you could save anywhere from $0.45 to $1.18 per sponge by skipping the name brand! 

It gets better. For an even cheaper option, head over to eBay, where you can find a 100-pack of melamine rectangles for $15 (plus free shipping)! That breaks down to around $0.15 per sponge! Plus, buying bulk is better for the environment (less one-off packaging!) — and you’ll have enough backup for just about any chore you can dream of! Now, get erasing!