The Handy Cleaning Tool That Makes Spot Cleaning Ceiling Stains A Breeze

Say you've fallen asleep on the sofa, and you awake to find yourself staring up at the ceiling — and the unsightly stain you've just spotted up there. How can you get rid of such marks? Luckily for you, the tool you need is likely already in your household cleaning arsenal. A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works well to remove stains from your ceiling.

Depending on how often you clean your ceiling, you may already be familiar with some of the broad brushstrokes for keeping this upper surface of a room clean. First, brush it clean with a microfiber or feather duster with an extended telescopic handle, or use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and a long attachment to sweep the ceiling. In either case, you'll want to put a tarp or towels down on your floor to catch the grime that falls to the ground, and take the proper precautions if you're cleaning a popcorn ceiling. Then, the first line of attack against stains is to try gently rubbing them out with a mild soap and water mixture.

For those stains that are especially sticky or stubborn, however, a Magic Eraser is your friend. Just get the melamine sponge wet with water and use it to rub out the stain. You can use this method for various sources of stains, including yellow or gray smoke stains that have proven impervious to a vinegar and water mixture.

You don't want to scrub your stain too hard with a Magic Eraser, however, or you risk damaging the paint on your ceiling. The way these melamine foam sponges work is that they gain a similar abrasive quality to ultra-fine sandpaper when they get wet. While it's not a harsh abrasive, you still need to exercise some care in using a Magic Eraser on different types of ceiling finishes.

For example, the abrasive quality could cause some damage on textured ceilings. If you have glossy paint on the ceiling, a Magic Eraser could dull the gloss, and rubbing it against a dark-colored paint might create some lighter spots. And definitely don't use a Magic Eraser on fresh paint that hasn't been given a few weeks to fully dry.

Instead, it's best if you can first find an out-of-the-way spot on your ceiling to test the Magic Eraser and see if it's likely to cause damage. Then, as you apply the Magic Eraser to your stain, start with light pressure and increase gradually as needed. Move the melamine sponge in gentle circles, rather than back and forth. Make sure to keep your Magic Eraser damp, but not soaking wet, throughout the process. Adding a pre-treatment of 3% hydrogen peroxide in water to the spot can also increase the effectiveness of this cleaning method. If, after all that, your stain remains, it may just be time to paint your ceiling.