Marble is a type of stone so usually people’s expectations on how resilient it is oftentimes a bit much. The truth of the matter is that although marble is a stone, it’s actually a porous stone and this makes it very susceptible to oil and grease stains and if not cleaned timely, the stains can penetrate into the marble even deeper.
So you will need to clean the marble from time to time using the best possible tools. But with marble being such a sensitive stone, not all cleaners and cleaning tools will be suitable for it. In this article, I’m going to focus my discussion on whether you can use the very popular magic eraser on marbles.
So can you use a magic eraser on marble? While you can use a magic eraser to remove dirt, grease, and stains from marbles if you do not want to use chemicals, using the magic eraser can cause some damage to your marbles such as removing marble sealants or causing scratches – especially if it’s not used appropriately.
I know this might sound a little bit tricky but it’s clear there are some benefits and downsides to using the magic eraser on your marbles and in the remaining parts of this article, I’m going to share with you these advantages and disadvantages to using magic erasers on marble. Keep reading this article to find out more!
Pros Of Using Magic Eraser On Marbles
If you have spent hours upon hours trying to get stains and dirt from your marble floors and countertops and have had no success then you might want to give the magic eraser a try.
However, it’s important to add that while there are certain instances where the magic eraser is simply amazing, in other circumstances, you would want to avoid their use completely. Let’s first delve into the pros!
1. Requires No Chemical Cleaners
One of the best things about the magic eraser is that they are very effective just with water. Unlike a typical sponge which you will have to use some added detergents or chemical cleaners, magic erasers are great on their own.
Magic erasers are made of a type of foam called melamine. Melamine is combined with other compounds which causes the foam to have very tiny microscopic textures that gives it enough tooth to remove any kind of stain, dirt, or grime.
This among other things makes the magic eraser very effective when it comes to cleaning so much that other cleaning agents are not a necessity.
The way the magic eraser works on a marble is that when it’s used it removes dirt and stains by scraping and trapping the dirt and stains inside of it. That’s why they are called magic because it’s almost as if the stains and dirt just disappears.
So if you or your kids or pets are very sensitive to cleaning detergents and you need something that will be tough on the stains and dirt on your marble floors, walls, and countertops, then the magic eraser will come in pretty handy.
All you need is ordinary water and a piece of magic eraser or magic eraser pad and your marbles will be sparkling clean.
2. Magic Erasers Are Great For Marble Floors
Today, marble tiles for both walls and floors are one of the most common finishing options due to the numerous benefits it comes with.
Some of such benefits include its affordability, how durable it is, how hardwearing they are, how much insulation you get with them, their resistance to shattering, and more importantly how gorgeous they look.
But with such profound elegance comes the responsibility of how marbles are cared for – especially when it comes to walls and floors.
The marble floor and walls are two of the spots that get a lot of dirt and grime and will from time to time require a robust cleaner for in comes the magic eraser.
The magic eraser will particularly be a great tool to clean your marble walls and floors of any sort of grime, dirt, and stains.
You will be able to clean the large surface areas of your marble floors and walls using magic eraser pads to maintain a great clean look.
3. Magic Erasers Are Great For Honed Marbles
Another instance where magic erasers are particularly useful when it comes to marbles is when it’s used on honed marbles. Honed marbles are basically a type of marble that has a matte finish.
Matte marbles are great because they are a lot more resistant to scratches. Even when matte marbles get scratched the scratches are usually not very visible, unlike the way you would have it with a polished marble surface.
Although honed marbles are really resistant to scratches, it’s however, highly susceptible to stains. This makes the magic eraser the perfect tool for cleaning honed marbles.
This is because you can clean your honed marbles as often as you would want, no matter the color, and how much pressure you apply during its cleaning.
While the magic eraser will significantly help to remove any form of dirt, stains, and grime very easily, what really helps when it comes to honed marbles is cleaning stains as quickly as possible.
Cons Of Using Magic Eraser On Marbles
There are some reasons why most people find using the magic eraser on marbles a no-no. It’s the same reason that’s why you’re contemplating whether it’s the right thing to do.
When it comes down to it, there are certain disadvantages to using magic erasers on marbles. Below are some of the most profound downsides that may occur when you use the magic eraser on your marbles.
1. May Cause Scratches On Polished Marbles
Now here’s what most people are usually dreadful about when it comes to using the magic eraser on marbles – “scratches”.
The widely spread rumors on how much scratch damage the magic eraser can inflict on marbles and it’s unfortunate to say that it’s actually a fact. Magic erasers can put scratches, especially on polished marbles.
Although the look of the magic eraser is pretty deceptive and can only be perceived as a squishy block of sponge, the magic eraser is quite abrasive and it’s capable of putting some ugly and damaging scratches on the marble.
When marbles get scratched this way, it becomes a bit confusing for most people who often perceive marble as a highly durable stone. But on the contrary, marbles are actually very soft stones that can easily get scratched.
2. Dull The Color
Marble countertops, walls, and floors, etc are not only installed for their functionality but also for their outstanding look and interesting variety of colors, patterns, and designs.
What you would want when you clean your marbles is for the marble to pop and look very nice and clean. You wouldn’t want your marble to loose its color each time you have it cleaned.
This is what the magic eraser does. Not the former but the latter. The magic eraser due to its abrasive surface will dull up the color of your marble with almost every scrub making the marble appear dull.
3. Can Remove The Marble Sealant
Marbles are great materials for countertops, flooring, and wall works. Due to how porous it is marbles are often protected with protective sealants that help keep oil stains, grease, and water from getting into the marble and causing permanent damage.
Just take a quick second and take a look at your marble installation. Chances are they will be polished with such protective sealants. That’s why you will find that your countertop is glassy or polished-looking.
It’s clear how vital the marble protective sealants are and getting it removed can really affect the look and the lifespan of your marble.
When you use a magic eraser on your marble and it’s polished, there’s a high possibility of the magic eraser removing the protective sealants placed on the surface of the marble.
This is possible because of the abrasive nature of the magic eraser. The abrasive surface gradually eats aways the sealants on the marble.
This may happen so gradually that the only way you will notice how much damage the magic eraser has done to your marble is when it begins to stain a lot quicker than normal.
4. Magic Eraser Can Cause Spotting On Marbles
The magic eraser is a good cleaning tool for most things around the house but it can oftentimes leave traces of its application.
When you have watermark stains on your marbles, the magic eraser will be able to clean out the spot but after the watermarks and stains are removed, you’re most likely to see a spot or area where the magic eraser was applied.
The only way the magic eraser will remove the stain will be to sand away parts of the actual marble and this is how there is always going to be a spot on your marble after you have cleaned out a stain especially on polished marbles.
Pros And Cons Of Using Magic Eraser On Marbles – Summary
Pros | Cons |
1. Requires No Chemical Cleaners | 1. May Cause Scratches On Polished Marbles |
2. Magic Erasers Are Great For Marble Floors | 2. Dull The Color |
3. Magic Erasers Are Great For Honed Marbles | 3. Can Remove The Marble Sealant |
4. – | 4. Magic Eraser Can Cause Spotting On Marbles |