The Cheaper Alternative For Mr. Clean Erasers That's Half The Price

When it comes to cleaning scuffs and stains, sometimes you need a little magic–and a bit of elbow grease to get the job done. But your magic erasers don't need to cost a fortune to tackle those tough cleaning projects. You can easily pick up a melamine foam brick to use as a generic replacement for your Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. And it will cost you half the price! From scuffing left by wall art to getting pesky scratches off your flooring, the no-name option might be your best bet.

The active ingredient in Mr. Clean Magic Erasers is melamine, a microporous foam substance that works like extremely fine sandpaper. Essentially, it makes tiny scratches on the surface that you are cleaning, effectively tackling scuffs and markings. As you rub it, it leaves behind a residue that can easily be washed away, making it the perfect material for addressing those "uncleanable" jobs. 

With just a tiny bit of moisture, it can get into tiny cracks and grooves on most finishes, giving your space a much cleaner, scuff-free look. It can be the perfect material to remove those tougher stains on your walls, like crayon, markers, and grease, without damaging your paint. Melamine foam also works well to get rid of stains on your flooring, whether it's hardwood or water residue on tiling. But should you splurge on Mr. Clean, or does a generic option get the trick done just the same?

The major difference between generic and brand-name products is, in fact, the name and packaging. Name-brand products like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser don't really bring much to the table other than a friendly face on the front of the box. Because the main ingredient in Mr. Clean products is melamine, you can easily grab generic melamine bricks for more than half the price of name-brand products. A pack of six Mr. Clean Magic Erasers will run you about $5.44 on Amazon, around 90 cents per eraser. However, the generic options allow you to buy in bulk, costing you around $11.99 for 25. Meaning, you're only spending around 48 cents per brick. A small but substantial difference for products that are just as effective.

But the real question is: is it worth it? It might not seem like a lot of money to be saving on something as simple as an eraser for scuffs and scratches, but that money can quickly add up. If you have children who use every surface as their canvas, or just an active household that is prone to scraping and scuffing, you might need to use these bricks fairly frequently, meaning the bulk option is your best bet. Since there are so many other uses for magic erasers, they can easily become a staple in any home. So if you're in the market for cleaning products, skip out on Mr. Clean and grab yourself a no-name option to tackle those tough cleaning jobs.