15 Super-Smart and Handy Ways to Use a Magic Eraser
Designed for cleaning hard-to-scrub surfaces, Magic Erasers (or melamine foam pads) are the gifts that keeps on giving. Not only can you deep clean everything from your kitchen oven to the grout in your bathtub with one, but when purchased by the eight-pack, these sponge-shaped wonders also break down to less than a dollar a pad.
And while there are a handful of things you definitely can’t do with your Magic Eraser, there are still tons of clever ways to use them to spruce up all kinds of stuff around your place. From keyboards to clothing stains, here are 15 ingenious uses for a Magic Eraser — just remember to dampen it first! (Of course, with all of these, test on a small part of the item first before you scrub away.)
1. Remove adhesive residue from price tag stickers.
Just rub the sticky residue with a moist Magic Eraser and say goodbye to the goo.
2. Remove stains on clothing.
Whether it’s ketchup or grease, blotting (and not rubbing) a clothing stain with a dampened Magic Eraser should remove it for good after rinsing it clean.
3. Clean your cell phone case and screen.
Stuck with a mobile phone covered in scratches and scuffs? Nothing a quick wipe of a slightly wet Magic Eraser can’t fix!
4. Clean your shower curtain.
Instead of throwing out a vinyl shower curtain covered in mildew and mold, try lightly scrubbing it with a damp Magic Eraser to clean it up in minutes.
5. Refresh white sneakers.
Love the look of white kicks but constantly scuffing them up? Fret not, my sneakerhead friends, a damp Magic Eraser can remove anything from grass stains to scuff marks in seconds.
6. Clean and polish your jewelry.
Looking for a way to freshen up your gold and silver jewelry without taking it the cleaners? Just grab a moist Magic Eraser and delicately scrub them until they shine.
7. Fix stained mugs.
Chances are that your favorite mug is clad in tons of coffee and tea stains. Luckily, you can remove those stubborn stains by hand with nothing more than a damp Magic Eraser. Then make sure to rinse with soap and water after.
8. Remove build-up from hair tools.
Hair tools (think: curling wands and flatirons) can accumulate gunky buildup over time from styling products. Fortunately, much like any other sticky residue, blotting your tools with a dampened Magic Eraser will get rid of the crud in no time. Wipe down with a wet towel when you’re done.
9. Freshen up leather.
Good news: You can use a damp Magic Eraser to remove everything from scuffs, to pen marks, to food stains on your leather sofa, shoes, luggage, and other accessories.
10. Clean your laptop.
Who knew that you could degrease your laptop with a Magic Eraser? Clearly the good folks at Lifehacker, who say you can wipe your laptop’s trackpad and keyboard with a slightly wet eraser to swiftly spruce it up.
11. Deep clean your dry erase board.
Nothing’s worse than a dirty dry erase board covered in marker stains. Get your dry erase board looking like new in seconds with just a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol, water, and a Magic Eraser, just like we saw on Thrifty Fun.
12. Remove nail polish stains.
Ever stumbled upon a gunky stain in your carpet that came from a spilled bottle of nail polish? Don’t worry, it’s nothing a moist Magic Eraser can’t handle with a nice little scrub.
13. Get rid of pet marks.
If you’re a pet owner, you’re probably used to finding smudges on your windows and doors from the wet noses of your furry friend. Remove those endearing, but oh-so-unsightly marks in seconds with the wipe of damp Magic Eraser.
14. Clean your microwave.
I don’t care how filthy your microwave may be, we guarantee it’s no match for a good wipe-down with a wet Magic Eraser.
15. Spot clean your walls.
Whether it’s fingerprint smudges or crayon, just dampen a Magic Eraser and gently scrub off soiled spots to make your walls look freshly painted again in a pinch.
This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: 15 Smart and Handy Ways to Use a Magic Eraser