97% OF CHICKS DIG IT
Well, I saw the commercials and heard the hype. I decided it was time to give the little wonder a try. First, I tried it on a few scuffs on the floor. It worked wonders. I've always been able to get those up with minimal scrubbing anyway, though. So, there were a few crayon marks on the wall in my little guys room. This is something I have seen it is supposed to "erase". I was pretty anxious to remove these marks without having to paint over them. To my dismay, the eraser just started to crumble, to fall apart and the marks didn't even begin to lighten. I tried to give it one more try on something totally different before I wrote the product off. I had a mild soap scum ring in the tub. I usually use Tilex and a lot of elbow grease to clean it. I decided to try the eraser to see if it would offer a better alternative. To my disappointment, the exact same thing happened. I began to scrub and the eraser started falling apart and the ring hadn't lightened at all. I called the company to discuss my experience. They want me to try the product again and are sending me a replacement. So, for light jobs, it seems to work well. In my experience so far, it doesn't deliver on all of the claims that it makes though. The company was a pleasure to deal with, though.
As a mom, I always have to have a few of these Magic Erasers on hand. My little artists love to use the hardwood floor, kitchen tile, walls and appliances as their canvasses, and no product is quicker or more convenient for quick and handy clean ups. (No, I do not work for Proctor & Gamble) One of my favorite ways to clean with this sponge, aside from crayon marks, is wiping down grainy/textured surfaces on my appliances that otherwise are near impossible to clean. My refrigerator handle is a classic example of this. I was amazed at the difference from just a few swipes.
However, I'm not 100% sold on them because:
-they contain chemicals. You might assume that just because you dampen the sponge with water and don't need PineSol, you are cleaning chemical-free. The sponge itself has chemicals in it. When you are cleaning sensitive or food-bearing surfaces, you should be aware of this.
-the fine grit of the sponge will wear away on delicate surfaces. I wiped some crayon marks off a painted wall with a little too much enthusiasm the first time and when the light hits 'just so', you can totally see the wipe marks. It wore off the top glossy coat, and when I used it again but with less intensity, it still left a mark. This is not residue; it's a scratch. Very light use on such a surface will not damage your wall. I have not had this problem with wallpaper, either.
-because of the two points I made above, you have to be careful about children rubbing this sponge on themselves. It feels so soft to the touch but will leave painful, burn-like marks on the skin if rubbed hard. The same goes for your hands, too. I make sure to use rubber gloves (as I do with all household cleaners) when I'm working with it or my hands feel drier and more chapped than usual.
There is a variety of such sponges available, and I find that the knock-offs work nearly as well. It's definitely a good product to have for those hard-to-clean messes.
These reviews are the subjective opinions of ChickAdvisor members and not of ChickAdvisor Inc.