Understanding Eraser Sponges: Don’t DIY!

eraser spongeMost homeowners agree that eraser sponges are a staple when it comes to household cleaning supplies.

People swear by them, and with good reason. They can get almost anything out of any surface; there’s very little that an eraser sponge cannot do.

Eraser sponges are great and easy enough to obtain, yet with DIY becoming more popular, everyone wants to find a homemade solution for everything.

Some things, you just cannot replicate, like an eraser sponge.

Regardless, people try; you may even see some DIY eraser sponge tutorials on Pinterest. The quality, professionally made eraser sponges will get stains out of your walls, floors, and surfaces.

However, the DIY substance that you make based off a stranger’s advice is likely to just make a bigger mess.

The material used in these is referred to as Melamine Foam.

This is an efficient tool for removing stains, and it’s easy enough to obtain the material. However, executing the creation of a quality eraser sponge is much more difficult than a DIY project.

Trying to DIY with this particular project just isn’t worth the possible outcomes.

When using the sponges on your surfaces, remember to wear gloves for protection… from the water.

There have been many internet rumors about eraser sponges and their “danger”.

Fortunately, Snopes recently debunked the myth about eraser sponges being harmful, so there’s nothing to worry about as far as cleaning with them.

So go ahead, make eraser sponges a staple on your shopping list too.

Myths about Eraser Sponges

Eraser SpongesThere are many myths about eraser sponges, because of how well they work.

Here are a couple of the popular ones, and the truth behind them.

Eraser Sponges were banned from stores because they contained formaldehyde.

  • False!
    • Many people are worried that they have to put faith in the cleaning products industry to keep them safe from harm. The fact that they can be somewhat strong on polished surfaces makes people wonder. Eraser Sponges are non-toxic. Because of how safe it is, the eraser sponges are still available today.

Eraser Sponges and similar products gave a child chemical burn.

  • The only chemical that is in these sponges is melamine, which if found in foam form on the sponges.
    • There are not any chemicals in there that would cause chemical burn; you would have to essentially “sand” your skin off in order to have that effect from an Eraser Sponge.

Eraser Sponges do not contain chemicals.

  • Again, this is false.
    • The melamine that I mentioned before is in fact a chemical, just maybe not one you would see in a mad scientist’s lab. You shouldn’t eat it and you should keep it away from children. However, it is safe to use in your home and around your children and pets.

You can leave an Eraser Sponge in your toilet overnight and it will be bleach white!

  • The truth is, you would have to have an extremely strong, and possibly unsafe chemical in order to do this.
    • On a side note, we don’t suggest you do this, especially if you have animals or young children that occasionally get curious about the toilet.

So tell me- what sorts of rumors have you heard? We are interested to know what else is circling out there in the ether. Comment with your response!