Does Magic Eraser Remove Toilet Bowl Rings?

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As its name suggests, Magic Eraser promises something magical. It can clean a variety of things from bathroom shower doors to bathroom shower glass. But, does Magic Eraser remove toilet bowl rings?

Magic Eraser can remove toilet bowl rings only when it is used as intended. Slightly wet the Magic Eraser and scrub the toilet bowl ring. Then, flush the mess away. Simply placing the Magic Eraser in the toilet bowl or toilet tank and leaving it overnight won’t magically make your toilet sparkling clean.

Indeed, there are plenty of articles on the internet that suggest how easy it is to use Magic Eraser to remove toilet bowl rings. In this article, we’ll debunk the whole thing and show you how it’s done.

Does the Magic Eraser remove toilet bowl ring?

The internet is full of cleaning tips, but not all of them work. For example, one hack promises to transform your toilet bowl sparkling clean with no effort – by placing Magic Eraser in the bowl and leaving it overnight.

Other websites share something similar with a slightly different twist: let the Magic Eraser sit inside the toilet tank, and every time you flush, the “magical” sponge will clean your toilet bowl automatically.

These effortless hacks are based on the theory that the ingredient inside Magic Eraser, melamine foam, gets released into the water and magically cleans the toilet. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Letting Magic Eraser float in the toilet bowl won’t work

As you may have assumed, letting Magic Eraser float in the toilet bowl or sit inside the toilet tank won’t magically remove toilet bowl rings or make the toilet cleaner. There’s not much basis to the theory.

Morgan Brashear, scientific communications manager at Procter & Gamble, says while the Magic Eraser is a great cleaning product for cleaning dirt around the toilet bowl and the exterior of the toilet (as an abrasive cleaner), it won’t actually prevent unsightly stains and rings inside of it.

This is what she suggests about this topic to Apartment Therapy:

“What people might not realize is that the Magic Eraser provides a mechanical clean, meaning there is no added chemistry in the Original and Extra Durable Erasers. At best, the Magic Eraser might act as an additional filter in the tank of your toilet, but there aren’t any cleaning chemicals inside the Eraser to be dispersed into the water as you flush.”

One thing you need to know about the Magic Eraser is that it doesn’t actually contain any cleaning ingredients (unless it’s specifically labeled as “Magic Eraser with Dawn” or “Magic Eraser with Gain,” which are meant for kitchen messes and soap scum, respectively).

These white rectangular sponges are made of melamine foam, a material that works like extremely fine sandpaper. Basically, Magic Eraser works when you scrub it on hard surfaces.

You cannot expect a Magic Eraser to absorb dirt from the water of a toilet bowl, much like you cannot expect a Magic Eraser to magically clean your swimming pool. It’s not meant to work like a magical absorber.

Instead of using Magic Eraser as a makeshift toilet filter, use Magic Eraser how it’s intended: tackle stains from hard surfaces, remove grime from stovetops, or make glass shower doors and windows clean.

You can, however, scrub the toilet bowl ring with Magic Eraser

Now you know that simply placing Magic Eraser in the toilet bowl or inside the toilet tank won’t work, but can you actually scrub the toilet bowl ring with Magic Eraser to make the toilet bowl sparkling clean?

You can scrub the toilet bowl ring with Magic Eraser because most toilets are made of ceramic (porcelain). They are durable enough to withstand the abrasive nature of Magic Eraser. All you have to do is to slightly wet the Magic Eraser and scrub the toilet bowl ring. Then, flush the mess away.

However, you’ll need to be careful when scrubbing things with Magic Eraser. The sponge is basically an abrasive cleaner, so to protect the skin on your hands and fingers, it’s best to wear rubber gloves.

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Another tip is to cut the Magic Eraser into smaller pieces and use one piece at a time. Chances are, you can effectively remove any toilet bowl ring with a ¼ or ⅙ of the original Magic Eraser. By doing so, you save money on spending more Magic Erasers. If you want to learn more, here’s how to use Magic Eraser.

Key Takeaways

Now you know Magic Eraser can remove toilet bowl rings, but only when you use the magical sponge to scrub away the dirt. Placing the Magic Eraser inside the bowl or tank won’t magically clean your toilet.

And to keep your toilet clean? Unfortunately, there is no simple hack. As annoying as it is, you will need to deep clean your toilets once per week with an antibacterial cleaner, a toilet brush, and rubber gloves.

Cleaning your toilet bowl regularly will help keep germs at bay and prevent grime and hard water stains from building up. And once they build up, they will become more difficult to remove.

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