Home Cleaning Cleaning Hacks 35 Brilliant Uses for the Magic Eraser Some of our favorite ways to use the beloved stain-fighting sponge. By Stephanie Sisco Stephanie Sisco Stephanie researches and reports on solutions for cleaning, organizing, and decorating challenges. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Leslie Corona Leslie Corona Leslie Corona is the Associate Home Director at Realsimple.com. She has been styling, organizing, writing, and reporting on all things in the home space for a decade. She was previously at Good Housekeeping, HGTV Magazine, and Parents. She has shared her expertise on the TODAY show, Cheddar, and local television news outlets. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 15, 2024 Close Photo: Olena Palaguta/Getty Images There's no doubt that The Magic Eraser has become an iconic cleaning tool. It's a household staple for so many, filling caddies far and wide, because it has dozens of uses: Just wet it, wipe it, and watch scuff marks, burnt-on grease, marker scribbles, and so much more disappear. There are so many ways to use it, in fact, we've compiled our favorites tricks for the classic sponge. Instead of using the entire sponge to address a tiny speck, cut it into quarters to extend the number of uses you get out of it. 01 of 35 Wipe Up Grease Splatter on a Stovetop It's the easiest way to eliminate burnt-on grime from a gas range! It also works wonders on flat electric cooktops. 02 of 35 Erase Hairspray Build-Up From Styling Tools If you've ever noticed a film on your curling iron or hair straightener, give it a swipe with the dampened eraser. 03 of 35 Revive a Dirty Computer Keyboard How gunky is your keyboard? Gently rub it down with the sponge to delete the grime on the keys. Just unplug it first before going to town! 04 of 35 Combat Dried Dog Drool Slobbery pets making your walls look speckled? Try this tool to eliminate discoloration. 05 of 35 Clean Up After Kids Who Color Outside the Lines It works beautifully on marker, crayon, and colored pencil markings that inevitably make it onto the walls. 06 of 35 Remove Rust Residue If you've ever lifted up a bottle of shaving cream from your tub surround to find a ring of rust beneath it, swipe it with the sponge to instantly eliminate it. 07 of 35 Refresh White Sneakers After a day in the grass or when scuffs from everyday wear and tear develop, the sponge offers an easy way to revive your shoes in a snap. 08 of 35 Revive the Microwave and Fridge Interior When splatters and spills build up in these kitchen appliances, wipe them up quickly with the sponge. 09 of 35 Clean Up After a Cooking Session If you've ever roasted beets or de-seeded a pomegranate, you know the stains they leave behind. This sponge swipes them away along with marks from curry spices and other highly pigmented ingredients. 10 of 35 Refresh Dingy Grout If your once-white grout is looking lackluster, bring it back to life with this tool. 11 of 35 Get Rid of Marks Remove scuffs from baseboards and walls in a hallway or mudroom after boots, shoes, and bags have left their mark. 12 of 35 Remove Toothpaste Tackle hardened toothpaste in the sink and on the faucet. 13 of 35 Eliminate Fingerprints From Cabinetry If dirty hands leave behind a mark of makeup or gardening debris on your cabinets, this is an easy fix. 14 of 35 Clean Up a Well-Worn Handbag Try it in an inconspicuous area first, just to be safe, but the sponge can help remove color transfer from jeans and other marks. 15 of 35 Refresh Small Appliances It easily removes burnt-on liquid from your coffee maker's hot plate or roast residue from your slow cooker's handles. 16 of 35 Brighten Up White Furniture "We have a white leather couch in my apartment and the Magic Eraser is the only thing that gets it to look really white!" one of our staffers says, You can also use it on light-colored laminate surfaces. 17 of 35 Get Tiles Super Clean This is one of our favorite soap scum removers for tile. 18 of 35 Prevent Scuffs From Shifting Artwork If your walls seem to mark up easily when a frame shifts along the surface, try attaching a small piece of the Magic Eraser as a "bumper" between your wall and the frame (no more marks!). 19 of 35 Remove Permanent Marker From a Desktop If you've ever written in permanent ink only to discover that it bled onto the surface below, have no fear: This sponge should do the trick. 20 of 35 Eliminate Sticky Residue If you're trying to clean off the remnants of a label from a jar, try this sponge to tackle the hardest-to-remove glue. 21 of 35 Scrub Shower Doors Don’t be afraid to give your glass shower door some TLC! A damp Magic Eraser is still gentle enough on most kinds of glass, but powerful enough to blast away soap scum and hard water stains. 22 of 35 Wipe Grimy Baseboards These notoriously get grimy, especially in the kitchen and bathroom areas where grease and hair sprays can accumulate, respectively. A sponge will break this gummy layer down. 23 of 35 Clear Your Oven Door’s Window Can’t see through the oven glass thanks to the yellowy, greasy film? Enter the Magic Eraser. Refrain from using this on the rest of the oven’s interior though—you may void the warranty! (Here's how to clean the inside of the oven.) 24 of 35 Get Rid of Scum and Mildew from Shower Curtains A mildewy vinyl curtain is no match for the Magic Eraser. It’s a quick fix when you’re rushing to tidy up the bathroom. 25 of 35 Clean Stubborn Mug Stains You might think that coffee stain is permanently etched into your mug but nope! A sponge, or even melamine foam sheets (which fit better around your hand in tight spaces), will do the trick to remove it. 26 of 35 Polish Dry Erase Boards Over time, dry erase boards get harder to wipe clean. A damp sponge will eradicate the faded markings from forever ago. 27 of 35 Spruce Up Outdoor furniture Plastic outdoor chairs and tables with a layer of filth will look brand new after a pass with the sponge. 28 of 35 Make Plastic Storage Containers Crystal Clear Again Remove the notorious red ring (thank you, marinara sauce!) by scrubbing plastic food containers with a Magic Eraser. 29 of 35 Scour Away Stains on Glass Baking Dishes Your Pyrex pieces have seen better days, and they deserve to see them again. A sponge will take care of any baked-on crud without you breaking a sweat. 30 of 35 Dust Plastic Window Blinds Plastic window blinds are like avocados—blink and suddenly, they’re not fine! These get sneakily dirty, especially in kitchens where cooking oils splatter on them. Pass a Magic Eraser over them to quickly make them sparkle. 31 of 35 Remove Stains on Clothing Whoops! Got ketchup on your shorts? Rinse the stain and then blot it with the sponge. 32 of 35 Revive Dirty Sporting Equipment That soccer ball will inevitably get filthy, but a few quick swipes from time to time will get it looking good as new. 33 of 35 Clean Light Switches and Faceplates These things are super high-touch areas, so they start to show fingerprints and dirt faster than you realize. A Magic Eraser can brighten things up. 34 of 35 Gently Polish Tarnished Silver The key word here is gently! Rub the damp sponge in small circular motions until stains are gone. How to Clean Silver Jewelry 35 of 35 Shine Up Cloudy Car Headlights Just don't use it on the painted parts! (See below!) What You Shouldn't Use the Magic Eraser On Once you see how well The Magic Eraser works, it's easy to go overboard with it. Keep in mind that it's technically an abrasive material (albeit, a very fine grit one), and that there are some surfaces you should never use it on. Marble or granite countertops. You might etch the surface. Glossy paint. This can lead to a literal rough patch.Nonstick pots and pans. It may rub away the non-stick coating over time. Wood floors. Say goodbye to the finish if you tackle hardwood with a Magic Eraser. Stainless steel. The sponge may dull the shine.Cars. You might think you’re polishing the surface, but you're doing the reverse. The 12 Best Sponges of 2024 to Wipe Away Every Mess Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit