The Backyard Essential You Didn't Know You Could Clean With Magic Eraser

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are known to be a powerhouse cleaning product. These little sponges can clean anything from walls and doors to bathtubs and ovens, making them a great multi-purpose cleaner. There are other things you didn't know you could clean with Magic Erasers, like shoes and permanent marker stains, but did you know you can also take them outside? Magic Erasers can make outdoor furniture look new again, including bringing life back to your grill.

The "magic" in Magic Erasers is melamine foam, a material created by NASA in the 1960s to insulate spacecrafts. It's also an acoustic buffer, used for noise reduction in cars and aircraft. When it's time to put Magic Erasers to work around the house, their scrubbing power comes from melamine's sandpaper-like abrasiveness. Its coarse surface scrapes away dirt and grime, which may be just what your grill needs.

Before diving into your grill with a Magic Eraser, you'll want to prep the surface. Scrape any debris off grill pans, grates, and the sides of your grill to start. A brillo pad or grill scraper can help you get the job done. Then, when it's time to grab the Magic Eraser, just add water to the sponge to activate its power. Get to scrubbing and watch the grease and food residue disappear.

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are made using melamine resin foam, which the Missouri poison center lists as low risk; that means you don't need to worry about toxic chemicals getting near your food. However, melamine foam will break down and release microplastics when scraping your grill grates, so you'll still need to rinse the sponge's residue off your grill before it comes into contact with any food. There are hacks to make your Magic Eraser last longer so they don't break down as fast, but err on the side of caution and rinse off any surfaces you've used them on before grilling.