A Clean Machine

Most of us have seen the commercials spotlighting the bald Mr. Clean; it’s hard to get the music jingle out of your head. Cleaning the bathroom sink, shower and toilet with a Magic Eraser sheet makes stains and dirt disappear.

If you’re like most RVers, you have a large basket full of spray cleaners stored under the kitchen or bathroom sink. There’s nothing wrong with using spray cleaners; some work very well. An alternative is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. You know, the sponge-like product you probably saw in TV commercials that magically clean up stubborn stains and dirt. I wanted to try these cleaning pads for a long time, but a number of RV owners warned of possible scratching because of the abrasive make-up of the Magic Eraser.

I did some research, however, and discovered where it was safe to use these pads so I gave them a try — and the results were amazing. Granted, while there were no signs of damage, there are places where these pads should not be used: painted surfaces, wood, non-stick pans and stainless-steel, to name the most likely victims. According to the Mr. Clean information, it’s okay to use the Magic Eraser on porcelain (toilet), plastic and fiberglass (shower stall and bathroom sink).

Rather than use the larger Magic Eraser and store it after use, I chose The Thin Eraser sheets, which are packaged — 16 count — in a book-style cover. Use it to clean the shower, sinks and toilet and just throw it away. Just remember to clean the toilet last (and use gloves); you don’t want to spread the icky stuff to the sink and shower.

The Magic Eraser, like its larger sponge-type counterparts, is impregnated with the company’s Durafoam, which is made of Melamine foam and resin, the ingredients that lift stains and dirt. The company claims that Durafoam is two times stronger than all-purpose bleach spray, which is no longer necessary since the pad/sheets only require water to do their job. The Melamine resin, meanwhile, is suspended in air bubbles and have tiny “sharp” edges which provide the abrasive action. The harder you push, the better it cleans — but use caution on sensitive surfaces.

I found the Magic Eraser easily removed dirt and stains from the shower walls and floor, took care of any build-up in the bathroom sink and made cleaning the toilet palatable (well, sort of, anyway). These sheets do a good job cleaning the bowl valve and the water ports (for flushing) located under the rim of the bowl. Left alone, the rim ports will eventually plug up, reducing the flushing action.

The Thin Eraser “book” is available at just about any home improvement and grocery store, Walmart and Amazon. It sells for $5-$5.50, depending on the store, which comes out to less than 35 cents for each cleaning job. When you’re done, simply toss it in the garbage.