Magic Eraser Uses In My Home And Tips For Use

Below I've collected lots of Magic Eraser uses for around your home, as shared by readers of this site.


When discussing this product, I'm discussing it using the name it's most known by, which is the "Magic Eraser" which is a product branded as from Mr. Clean.

However, I've personally found that the brand name version and the generic version of the product can work just as well.

These "erasers" are really made of a type of foam, called melamine, which is how you may want to search if you're looking for the generic.

The foam acts much like extremely fine sandpaper, which means it's literally rubbing away the marks and dirt from the surface, but also can sometimes scratch soft surfaces or, especially if you scrub too hard, scrub away paint from places like your wall.

Therefore, always use this product with caution, and test first in an inconspicuous place of the surface to make sure you won't damage it.

You also may want to use the product while wearing some type of gloves, because if it's like sandpaper on whatever surface you're using it on, it's also like that on your hands.

Some people have complained that this product isn't very durable, since it wears away and disintegrates with use. However, that's completely normal. As the product is rubbed on the surface it does wear down (it's foam, after all), so don't be surprised when this happens.

Finally, I've heard some people say that these magic erasers have a lot of chemicals within them, and I wanted to discuss this issue briefly. The original magic erasers, and their generic counterparts, didn't have any cleaning product within them. They were just basically the melamine foam, which you wet and then rubbed on the surface you wanted to clean.

However, Mr. Clean began coming out with multiple versions of the Magic Eraser, many of which started to have cleaners and soaps embedded within them. These were advertised as great for cleaning the bathroom or kitchen, for example, since the soap was already embedded in the sponge.

So just understand when you purchase one of these products that they may have cleaners within them, along with the melamine foam. It should be pretty obvious which ones do based on the packaging.

So, without further ado, here are some of the cleaning uses of this product around your home, as shared by readers.

Nora says:

I use my Mr. Clean Eraser all the time. I always keep one on hand.

I have an eight year old boy, five year old boy and a 20 month old girl. Because of them I continually have fingerprints and drawings on my white walls. I love that it takes dirt, crayon and fingerprints off the walls.

I also use it to clean my base boards, and it makes a huge difference. It takes almost all of the dirt and scuff marks off of them.

The only problem I have had is trying to clean my front door with it. Then, it leaves a chalk residue on the door.

I also now drain all the excess water out of the sponge before I begin to use it. At first, I guess I left too much water in it when I would wet it, because it would run dirty water down my walls as I rubbed. Lesson learned.

The positives of this product definitely out weigh the negatives. It is very reasonably priced, and it is easy to find at most stores.

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing how you use your Magic Eraser Nora.

I'm always looking for more ways to use this versatile cleaning product, and also for tips for use and what it does not work well on. You can share your tips and uses for the Mr. Clean Eraser here, or read others that have already been submitted.

In addition, scroll down for lots more uses already shared below!

I Use My Magic Eraser All Over My Home

by Tara
(Fort Collins, Colorado)

Tara says:

I have used the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for many things in my home, and have always been very happy with the effectiveness of it.

I have found that it is wonderful for removing marks off of painted walls and baseboards. I have also found it very useful for removing scuff marks from tennis shoes.

I have white appliances in my kitchen, and it works wonders in restoring them to their original brightness. For example, in my kitchen I've used it successfully on my stove top, the outside of my dishwasher, and my microwave.

I've also used it successfully in the bathroom, such as on my bathroom sink and shower stall.

I have not found any surface that I have used it on that it did not work well.

I also think it is very reasonably priced, considering that you are able to get several uses out of it. The only thing that I dislike about it is that is breaks off and leaves "eraser pieces" while you are using it, and I find these hard to clean up.

Overall though, I have been very pleased with the results from it, and find it quite useful.


Photo by freakapotimus

Grout Cleaning With The Magic Eraser: Before & After Pics

Here's a before and after picture of tile grout, which was cleaned with this product.

It couldn't be any simpler to use it for this purpose - just rub it on your dirty grout gently and watch it get clean! Amazing.

If you've got a favorite grout cleaner I'd love to hear your review, so share it at the link, or read more reviews that have already been submitted.

***Update: An SR101 reader shared this quick comment:

Try it on your shower grout. You won't need to buy cleaner again.

***End Update

Before and after photos courtesy of Amazon.com

Mr. Clean Super Eraser Cleaned Our Boat!

by Edie
(Vancouver Island)

Edie says:

We just bought a pre-owned 30' sailboat and spent the day cleaning it.

My husband happened to pick up a Mr. Clean eraser when he was looking for products to do the job. We were both amazed at what it took off (mildew, black marks, cup stains, stuck on weather grime...) so now we're telling all our boater friends about it!

Taylor says:

Thanks Edie for sharing how this product has worked for you!

What do other people use to clean and remove mildew? You can share your mildew cleaners review here, or read other reviews which have already been submitted.

Used To Clean Old Shoes

Jimmy Dean shared a picture of how he used this product to clean old shoes.

This is a common use, so common that they even show it on many of the commercials for the product.

But who can argue with those results? I love simple fixes!

Here's even more tips for cleaning shoes that you can check out, or share your own as well!

***Update: Another reader echoed the use of this product for shoes, saying, "My kids love to used the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers on their white shoes. Works great!" ***End Update

Photo courtesy of Amazon

How To Remove Soot Stains With Magic Eraser

A Magic Eraser (or its generic equivalent) is a great way to remove soot stains from hard surfaces like cabinets, ceilings, and walls.

The video below shows how to do it.

In addition, it gives some additional tips for soot stain removal, including to use soy candles since she says they don't produce soot.

Please comment below if you have found this to be true or not about soy candles, because I have not heard this before.

In addition, for the smoke smell left behind from the soot she suggests using vinegar and water for odor removal.

Here is my advice for removing soot stains from clothing, upholstery and carpet.

I Use It To Remove Coffee Rings From Mugs & The Coffee Pot

by SR101 Reader

SR101 Reader:

I use a clean magic eraser for removing coffee rings from mugs.

It also works wonders on the coffee pot too.

Taylor says:

Thanks for the tips. Definitely would want to use a clean one, for sure!

You can find even more home remedies for removing coffee and tea rings from mugs here, and tips for cleaning coffee pots here.



Photo courtesy of odolphie from Flickr CC

Cleans Keypads On Computers & Laptops

by Dawna
(Studio City, CA)

Dawna says:

They also work very nicely to clean the keypads of computers/laptops.

Just make sure you really wring out the water from the eraser first, before you begin to scrub.

Taylor says:

Thanks for this tip Dawna.

I would also add that you should be careful or you might scrub off the letters from the keys, and I don't know about you but I rely on seeing those to know what the heck I'm typing sometimes!

Photo courtesy of zulfinho

Gets The Road Grime Off My Car's Windshield

by Jill
(Santa Ana, CA USA)

Jill says:

This works great on the road film on the windshield of your car - even the car wash doesn't get that stuff off - but the Magic Eraser takes it off with one cleaning!

Photo courtesy of dennis

Cleaned Off White Streaks On Side Of My Vehicle From Swiping Concrete

by SR101 Reader

SR101 Reader says:

When I first purchased my van I didn't realize how much bigger it was than anything else I'd ever driven.

I purchased gasoline and started to leave the pump when I side swiped the island.

There was a dent and lots of white streaks on the side of my vehicle.

When I got home I was disgusted with myself.

Tadadah! Magic Eraser! Cleaned all the white off and the dent was almost unnoticeable once I finished with using it!

Taylor says (Plus Words Of Caution):

Thanks for this tip!

As with all very expensive things -- like a vehicle -- I always suggest using caution, especially with something like this because it could mess up the paint.

That's because these sponges are really like very fine sandpaper, and that means they could easily remove the clear coat finish from your paint, or even the paint itself.

However, that being said, I'm very glad it worked for you!

Here's another tip from a reader, Patti, that I received that as quite similar. The same cautions from me apply if you choose to use this product on your car's painted surfaces -- you might take off the clear coat, if you're not careful!

Patti Also Used It On Her Car To Remove Paint When Her Car Was Sideswiped

Patti says: I used the Magic Eraser on my car to remove paint.

My car was sideswiped and it left dark paint on my gray car.

I used a wet Magic Eraser and it removed the transferred paint without additional damage on my paint.

It didn't remove any of the clear coat on my car so it still is shiny. I was very careful not to use a lot of pressure.

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons, tcaauto.com

Get Rid Of Crayon Stains On Walls With A Magic Eraser

A great way to get rid of crayon stains on walls is with a Magic Eraser (or its generic equivalent).

Below is a video which demonstrates getting off crayon marks from the wall with the Magic Eraser, and it generally is quite easy to do.

I would caution that you need to rub gently to make sure you don't rub off the paint along with the crayon.

If you are worried about removing your paint first rub the Magic Eraser in an inconspicuous area to make sure it works alright before using it over a large surface covered with crayon.

Here is the video:

You can check out even more ways to remove crayon from walls here.

Photo by batgirlbob

Cleans General Grime Off Plastic Refrigerator & Freezer Handles & Light Switch Plates

by Shawna
(Texas)

Shawna says:

I keep one at the sink to keep my white refrigerator handles looking new.

They are also perfect for keeping light switch covers clean.

Taylor says:

Thanks for the tips Shawna. You're right, as you and your family grab and touch these surfaces all the time they slowly just accumulate a layer of grime.

Great idea to use the eraser for a quick touch up of these areas!

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

How I Use My Original Mr. Clean Magic Eraser In My Home

by LeAnne
(Stamford, CT)

LeAnne says:

The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a must have for household cleaning, in my opinion. It is the one product that cleans up all the things that other cleaners can’t remove.

I have used mine on many surfaces in my home, and it removes even the most difficult stains and marks easily. All you have to do is wet the Magic Eraser and rub the stain you want to remove.

I have successfully removed crayon marks and dirt stains from the white walls in my apartment with it, and it didn’t harm the paint at all.

I also use it every time I clean the bathtub to get the stains out of the tile grout.

I even use it to clean the permanent marker writing off old garage sale and other signs to reuse them.

The best part is that you can use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser over and over again, until it just completely "disappears" with use, which takes quite a while. Overall, I love this cleaning tool!

Taylor says:

Thanks LeAnne for sharing how you use the Magic Eraser in your home.

Looking at all of the uses which readers have shared above, it is just amazing how many uses people have found for this product.

I'm always looking for more ways to use it. Plus, I want to know if you've ever been disappointed with how it works, or if it ever harmed a surface you tried to use it on.

Further, Mr. Clean has come out with several "versions" of the Magic Eraser, such as for the kitchen or bath specifically, plus the original which many of us have previously used. I would love to hear from those who have used these newer versions to say how they differ and otherwise compare to the original.

You can share your uses and reviews here, or read others that have already been submitted. (I've collected some here, but there are more scattered throughout the site, which I've collected together.)

Related Pages You May Enjoy

House Cleaning Equipment & Tools Reviews

Tips For Cleaning Walls

Cooktop Cleaner Reviews

Kitchen Cleaner Reviews

Bathroom Cleaner Reviews

Shower Cleaners Reviews

Go From Magic Eraser Uses In Your Home To Home Page

There are affiliate links on this page, and if you purchase a product through them I receive a small commission. Purchasing through my links costs you nothing extra, but helps support the free information provided on this site and my family. To learn more please see my product review disclosure statement.