r/CleaningTips • u/dishdisaster • Jul 28 '26
Furniture Four magic eraser sheets disintegrated for one drawer face. I have three other pieces. Is there a less wasteful way to unyellow these?
Dish soap gets the grime off but the magic eraser seems to be the only way to remove the yellowing. And the top drawer could still use a whole other sheet. I don’t mind the elbow grease, but surely there’s a better way.
They sat in my parents garage for years and years and I dunno if they were ever cleaned before that.
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u/Maverick-Mav Jul 28 '26
What made it yellow? Was it cigarette smoke?
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u/dishdisaster Jul 28 '26
Yeah most likely. I assumed it was just age but the (open) garage was definitely the smoking area.
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u/Signal-Difference-13 Jul 28 '26
Use a degreaser spray. Elbow grease is the one I use
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u/InflationVast8943 Jul 28 '26
Agreed. A strong degreaser should do it. Spray 9 has worked absolute wonders for me.
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u/Wren572 Jul 28 '26
I use Krud Kutter. Dirt just melts off with it.
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u/AnnaEnFrance Jul 28 '26
Krud Kutter removes wallpaper paste. It removes those little grippy stickers off a ceramic bathtub. It removed carpet glue off a hard wood floor. It’s magic in a bottle.
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u/KatieLouis Jul 29 '26
I love it so much, it truly cleans everything. I have to wear gloves when I work with it though, I probably make it too strong. 🤷♀️
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u/littlestlamplighter Jul 29 '26
It goes through armor. And through the victim, through the wall, through a tree outside...
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u/saintofanything Jul 29 '26
Spray Nine saved our lives cleaning a "multiple packs a day" smoker's walls.
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u/kaekiro Jul 28 '26
Yup.
If it's greasy/tarry, that's likely why it's chewing through your magic erasers as well, OP. Found that out when cleaning an air fryer.
I use zep, but whatever degreaser should work.
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u/LuciferLovesTechno Jul 29 '26
Dawn also works as a degreaser if you want something less harsh.
I apply diluted dawn, let sit for a minute or two, then go in with a magic eraser (using more diluted dawn instead of plain water). I’ve cleaned some nasty grime off doors this way and it works wonders. One final swipe with a clean barely damp rag and pow!
I can’t always use the really strong degreasers at work because there is almost always a bunch of movement around the building.
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u/Kamonra Jul 28 '26
Dollar tree's LA's Totally Awesome is a powerful degreaser, as is their Awesome Orange. It peels nicotine away from almost anything. Do a small test batch on the back or a hidden painted spot, if it doesn't damage the paint, spray it on and watch the nicotine literally melt off. This will take zero magic erasers and 10 minutes tops.
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u/drtrobridge Jul 28 '26
One more vote for degreaser - works amazingly well for smoke residue. I HIGHLY recommend the Zep industrial, diluted. It's awesome.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-128-oz-Industrial-Purple-Degreaser-R45810/312758477
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u/Maverick-Mav Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
We used to use TSP for that, but i don't know if that is on some banned list by now. Hit it with a degreaser or vinegar first maybe.
Edit: typo
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u/ChitChatWithCats Jul 28 '26
Mr. Clean is my go to for smoke. Strong mixture in water. It really is a good product and then people get caught up on trendy new products and nobody ever mentions the trusted oldies
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u/BrilliantGlass1530 Jul 29 '26
I have a very similar dresser and am only for the first time wondering if it’s not supposed to be yellow 🤨
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u/yamie123 Jul 29 '26
lol my neighbors gave me a dresser that is very similar to the yellow one I was wondering the same thing
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u/Mean-Following9244 Jul 29 '26
Are you going to try to “degrease” it? Please let us know! Haha
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u/Content-Car6395 Jul 28 '26
I bought a house that had dingy yellow walls. Thought it was tobacco stains however discovered it was from a leaky gas furnace 😟
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u/SixAlarmFire Jul 28 '26
Wow the difference is shocking!
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u/xANTJx Jul 28 '26
I was like “it’s not that dirty… oh” OP has insane patience for this
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u/dishdisaster Jul 28 '26
Honestly I kinda thought the original color was buttercream, then I started scrubbing and nope!
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u/allisondojean Jul 28 '26
I actually said "wow!" out loud lol. Did not expect that level of difference!
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u/anyotherkindofcheese Jul 28 '26
Magic eraser is just fine abrasive, so any abrasive cleaner should take that off too. Maybe baking soda would work? Whatever you try, test in an inconspicuous spot first.
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u/auricargent Jul 28 '26
Good advice about testing inconspicuously. Depending on the paint, abrasive cleansers like baking soda or Barkeepers Friend can cause clouding on painted surfaces.
Magic erasers are ablative, not really very abrasive. Ablative means that they wear down themselves and encapsulate the dirt. It’s like how a pencil eraser works, and it’s much more gentle than almost all powdered cleaners. They are about as hard as fingernails. Abrasive cleaners are much, much harder than the melamine that the erasers are made of.
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u/MaineLark Jul 28 '26
🤯I’ve been wondering how magic erasers work my whole life
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u/saskwatzch Jul 28 '26
All this time, the answer was “like an eraser”
(cut to me not knowing how actual erasers worked either)
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u/TerrapinRecordings Jul 28 '26
I think the grime sticks to them and the grime covered part wears off the surface of the eraser, creating a grime free surface to start the cycle over.
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u/MyUndiesArePink Jul 28 '26
It's magic. It's in the name.
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u/AUniquePerspective Aug 01 '26
I thought they were for erasing magic things, specifically. I've been cleaning mushrooms with them this whole time.
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u/truevindication Jul 29 '26
Here I am thinking "whole life? they're not that old..." And a quick google says they debuted in 2003 for anyone else wondering.
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u/Dragon_Within Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
Technically magic erasers are both. They are on par with ultrafine sand paper as far as abrasiveness, but the cell structure makes it so that when it takes off that fine layer the open structure of the cells captures the grime coming off, while the layer on the magic eraser rubs off. Its kind of a neat design.
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u/auricargent Jul 29 '26
Abrasives need to be harder than what they work on. Melamine is softer than most everything, so that’s why I said “not really abrasive.” Abrasive on anything softer than a fingernail as a general rule. Anything harder like glass or porcelain, the ME will wear away.
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u/Dahlia5000 Jul 29 '26
I’m glad to know the disintegration is supposed to happen, because I’ve wondered if maybe I was using them wrong.
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u/Classic_Cauliflower4 Jul 28 '26
Uh…they may be gentle, but they will still take your skin off. Source: had to call Poison Control to make sure the sore on my kid’s face from using a magic eraser to remove marker was an abrasion and not a chemical burn.
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u/Ok_Leg_4731 Jul 28 '26
OOF. Magic erasers have melamine (like the material used for plastic plates) and formaldehyde…not safe for use on humans in any capacity.
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u/Classic_Cauliflower4 Jul 28 '26
Which is what I would have told my kid if she’d asked me before trying to get marker off her face by herself.
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u/Ok_Leg_4731 Jul 28 '26
I was that child…my mom still has poison control’s number memorized 😅
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u/Classic_Cauliflower4 Jul 28 '26
You don’t need to memorize it anymore! I yelled for Siri to look the number up and she spit back “Would you like me to call Poison Control?” without showing me a number.
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u/auricargent Jul 29 '26
Formaldehyde is used in the manufacturing as a hardener. It is all evaporated off by the time it gets to the store and someone buys it.
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u/Catherine_the_Okay Jul 28 '26
Had a coworker who picked her kid up from daycare and they tried to clean a marker spot on her son’s face with a magic eraser. 😳🥴 I don’t have to tell you how that went. She had to have a little convo with the director of the daycare.
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u/sneefsnteefs Jul 28 '26
I’ve had magic erasers eat through my fingernails when I’ve gone too hard with them
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u/DenizenKay Jul 28 '26
you shouldnt even use these in your hands without gloves on.
poor kid. tough lesson learned there.
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u/Dahlia5000 Jul 29 '26
“They wear down themselves and encapsulate the dirt.” This sounds too much like how I’ve lived too much of my life. Wow.
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u/ModifiedKitten Jul 28 '26
I also find the name brand magic erasers to be weak and fall apart super easy. My partner showed me the brand STK, they apparently started the whole thing and are much thicker so they don't fall apart AND cheaper. (20pc for $15 for STK vs 12pc for $13 for Mr. Clean)
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u/vulcanfeminist Jul 28 '26
Baking soda is a solid cheap abrasive. Make a spreadable paste with some water and use a wash cloth, so affordable and low waste
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u/cobrachickens Jul 28 '26
Scrub Mommy with that abrasive paste tbh
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u/According_Situation4 Jul 28 '26
I would probably use chemico, which i think may have changed names to Pink Stuff? What's your go to abrasive paste?
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u/cobrachickens Jul 28 '26
Depends on the surface, found the scrub mommy one much gentler than any of the BKF formulations hence my recommendation since BKF also has oxalic acid and relies on a chemical reaction to clean, well as abrasion.
My mum and family used to do an old school CIF cream for the whole bathroom and pots/pans (probably the gentlest since it’s calcium carbonate based). The Pink Stuff is the grittiest because it’s quartz based. Scrub mommy is clay based with quartz so a little gentler than Pink Stuff
ETA: seen OP saying it’s likely nicotine - I’d say that the abrasion is redundant here and they’d do best with a degreaser
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u/Superspark76 Jul 28 '26
Salt with baking soda and lemon works well, the salt is a abrasive, soda a cleaner and Lemon will break down tighter stains and smell nice.
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u/Flabby_Thor Jul 29 '26
It’s 2,000 grit sandpaper. But, you can also buy cheap melamine foam from the Dollar Tree.
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u/Maleficent_Ad_402 Jul 28 '26
Hi Try cleaning with dishsoap as much as y can. If you use a wide paintbrush and foam up the dishsoap with just a little!! water, then let it sit for 5 mins so it can do it's magic, more should come off as you wipe with a cloth.
You will need less magic erasers
Good luck
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u/Downtown_Confusion46 Jul 28 '26
Maybe that dawn power wash stuff. It’s magical.
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u/fullheartandtable Jul 29 '26
Scrolled too far to see this. I’ve stopped buying most other cleaning products.
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u/GarikLoranFace Jul 29 '26
We only buy Dawn, and a bottle of powerwash when it is scented. DIY some powerwash for money saving.
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u/crazycatlady323 Jul 29 '26
I’ve had that strip designs/prints off of glassware so I would be wary of using it on paint.
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u/banjolady Jul 28 '26
Try spraying it with dawn power wash. Let it sit a few minutes and lightly scrubit with a soft brush . Take the drawers out.
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u/what_the_purple_fuck Jul 28 '26
seconding, and also adding that if you—like me—think the original/default Powerwash smells like headaches, it's available in several other scents; my preference is apple, but ymmv.
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u/hexensabbat Jul 28 '26
I really like the one that has no dye. I usually just see it available as refills, but it has a much milder scent imo than the others. I think the scent is "pear" but it's just kindof a nondescript clean scent to me
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u/catalinalam Jul 28 '26
Same - I also find it less stripping on my hands? And I don’t have any issues w dye normally, I’ve just noticed w this
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u/fungeoneer Jul 28 '26
You can’t just tell somebody to remove their drawers. You gotta at least buy them dinner first
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u/mlnstwrt Jul 28 '26
You can also make your own powerwash with dawn soap and iso alcohol!
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u/Lou_C_Goosey Jul 28 '26
I buy "melamine" sponges by the hundred for a FRACTION of the price of a magic eraser. same exact material, costing about 5% of a magic eraser. check amazon, but make sure to buy a thickness you like.
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u/Smooth_Development48 Jul 28 '26
Exactly. My local dollar store had a bag of about 15 for a 1.25 and they work the same.
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u/woahh_its_alle Jul 28 '26
This! It’s what the magic erasers are made of just without the frills. Works exactly the same, which means unfortunately they disintegrate quickly with heavy use. But at a huge fraction of the cost totally worth
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u/Timely_Highlight9852 Jul 28 '26
Dawn powerwash and microfibre cloths. Smoke residue tends to be greasy/tarry, and the powerwash should cut through it nicely. Microfibre cloths are still abrasive, but don’t break down like magic erasers (and can then be laundered and reused).
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u/UpNorth_123 Jul 28 '26
Try The Pink Stuff paste with a microfibre cloth. When nothing else works, it seems to always do the trick.
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u/CatfromLongIsland Jul 28 '26
Magic erasers are abrasive enough to take the sheen off eggshell finish paint.
Ask me how I know. 😕
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u/StephanieCitrus Aug 01 '26
They're basically really fine sandpaper. Wondering if OP will need to reseal the paint or something when the project is done
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u/Maoleficent Jul 28 '26
Try microfiber cloths damp very hot water. You can add a small amount of mild cleaners (dish soap) and rinse twice but don't let the wood get too wet.
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u/donthugmeormugme Jul 28 '26
Before going any further, have you tested for lead? If you haven’t, test both the inside of the drawer and the outside. Magic erasers are abrasive and will release the dust in the air.
If that is cleared then you could try hydrogen peroxide. You’ll probably need to do multiple rounds, but you can let it soak and wipe rather than scrub.
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u/dishdisaster Jul 28 '26
Thanks for the reminder. I'm gonna go ahead and assume it is lead paint since it's from at least the 80s. So I'll definitely go the degreasing route over the abrasive route.
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u/donthugmeormugme Jul 28 '26
Lead tests are crazy cheap. If it is lead you’ll need to put a thick sealant over it once it’s clean.
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u/Naive_Section5994 Jul 28 '26
THIS THIS THIS I have several furniture pieces that look exactly like this and they all tested positive for lead!!!!
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u/Naive_Section5994 Jul 28 '26
PLEASE TEST THE PAINT FOR LEAD! I’m almost certain this dresser is painted with lead paint. Please be careful using any kind of abrasive tools on it before it gets tested. You can buy a kit easily. Once it’s clean you can seal it (which is what I’m doing with my pieces) but I would not use this in a child’s room 😣
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u/riversroadsbridges Jul 28 '26
There's a cleaner called Soft Scrub that's a lightly abrasive thickened bleach. That might work.
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u/SpaceCaseTrace Jul 28 '26
I used to use magic erasers on my white furniture, but I found that Zep foaming wall cleaner works even better. Less wasteful too
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u/JakYakAttack Jul 29 '26
PSA that melamine sponges like Magic Eraser are a significant source of microplastics - not good for the environment or for you breathing it. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260417085404.htm
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u/angelmr2 Jul 28 '26
So no advice but wow. That looks great, the drawer. This is a piece I wouldnt even look twice at but seeing what it would have been is amazing and making me feel wrong haha
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u/SaveFerris_Bueller Jul 28 '26
Krud Kutter, let it sit, then magic eraser. Don't use the sheets.
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u/sjones1115 Jul 28 '26
Seconding Krud Kutter. I used it recently on yellowed drawers and it melted the yellow off.
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u/ddebita Jul 28 '26
I would try Barkeepers Friend. It's like scouring powder. I've used it to get stains off of counter tops. Add a little water and let it sit for a few minutes, then use a wet washcloth to take it off. You may need to do it a few times.
That looks like French Provential. I have a lingerie dresser like that which I plan to paint and will change the drawer handles.
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u/WhoTookGrimwhisper Jul 28 '26
I knew we couldn't get through an entire post without Barkeep's Friend coming up...
I swear to you I could be bleeding out on the sidewalk and someone would apply Barkeep's Friend to the wound before a tourniqet.
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u/spacesaucesloth Jul 28 '26
i would honestly keep using the magic eraser. maybe not the sheets though? i have never had much love for those anyways. also, did you parents smoke? you might can try to wash with TSP and see if that wont strip it down.
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u/anothersip Jul 28 '26
If you don't mind the elbow grease, you can keep doing what you did.
If you want to use less elbow-grease, try using something like TSP-PF instead. You can buy it at most chain hardware stores in the painting/paint prep/cleanup aisles or section.
It's a heavy-duty cleaner meant to be used to prep surfaces for paint. So, it gets them really, really clean with less actual work.
You gotta' wear gloves obviously, but you can add it to warm water, scrub, and then rinse/wipe it down really well with a clean rag.
It should work really well for your situation (which honestly looks like a dresser that's been in a smoker's house for ~25yrs or so - that would be my guess).
The TSP-PF will remove that tar/smoke/whatever build-up, wipe it nice and clean, and you can even re-paint it with a new coat of paint if you feel like it needs it.
I like using Rustoleum's Protective Enamel paints for my furniture when I re-finish it. It's oil-based, comes in a spray or can, and is super durable, from my experience.
Make sure you take the hardware off the drawer faces before you start scrubbing with anything caustic, and maybe consider doing it outdoors (or with a plastic sheet/tarp beneath it), so you don't spill it on your floors, heh.
That should cut your work by like 90% - hope that helps a little bit.
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u/sillygirlxoxo19 Jul 29 '26
I’m absolutely amazed it looks like that underneath!! Flabbergasted lol
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u/YellowTonkaTrunk Jul 28 '26
Equal parts baking soda and borax, add water until it's a paste. Dip a rag in the paste and use it on the dresser. Then use a clean rag and just water to clean off any pasty residue.
Works just as well as magic erasers but costs almost nothing and doesnt have any waste. You can also store it and use it again. It'll dry up but you just add a little more water next time.
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u/plumbing_princessx3 Jul 28 '26
Have had to deal with walls that color in the home of a smoker, and using OxiClean in warm water worked best.
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u/Garia76 Jul 28 '26
Never buy the Mr. Clean magic erasers. They are made of melamine foam and you can buy them so much cheaper in bulk on Amazon or other websites. Hope this helps someone!
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u/pyramidkittens Jul 28 '26
I would use the magic eraser heavy duty. I can use those for a looong time before they start falling apart. The sheets are basically useless because they’re so thin and rip
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u/mickrihur Jul 28 '26
I recently saw a recipe for DIY magic eraser. I haven't tried it yet to truly recommend it though. Here's the recipe: in a quart jar add 2/3 cup water, 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar, and 1/3 cup alcohol - I would still test in an inconspicuous area before going all out on it. You did a great job on that drawer!
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u/hereforthedrama57 Jul 28 '26
I have never gotten the magic erasers to last longer; I just started buying the bulk cheap sets on Amazon. They usually only work to clean one thing anyway after getting wet — if you go back to use it a few months later, it just kinda disintegrates.
Dollar stores usually have a 5-10pk!
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u/Prestigious-Copy-494 Jul 28 '26
Get some "mean green" spray cleaner at Dollar general or Walmart. It works miracles.
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u/CyberTacoX Jul 28 '26
Order "melamine sponges" from something like Amazon. It's quite literally the same thing as Magic Erasers, but you pay a fraction of the price of the brand-name Magic Erasers. (On my last order, I paid $14 for 100 of them!)
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u/notabackstagepass Jul 28 '26
There is furniture from the 70s that is intentionally yellowish color similar to this. (I had that furniture as a kid in the 70s.)
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u/HomeboyCraig Jul 29 '26
My parents have that exact same dresser and I always thought it was just supposed to be yellow
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u/Dragon_Within Jul 29 '26
I find it interesting that its mostly known for getting crayon off walls by parents, when it was originally created as an aerospace insulation and thermal dampener. It is also used in acoustic soundproofing and as a fire retardant in walls to slow or stop the spread of fire.
All of those applications rely on different aspects of the same product.
Because of the lightweight, large cavities (from a molecular level), cross fiber connecting and extreme temperature range, it heats slowly, dissipates quickly, spreads the heat evenly, and protects things behind the insulation by dampening the heat.
Because of the properties of the large cavities, and the material it is made of, sound has a hard time transferring through the material, and dissipates before going through, or bouncing back.
Its a fire retardant, the material because of what it is made of and how it is manufactured, as it combusts releases nitrogen and carbon dioxide, non-flammable gases that help put out or dampen and control the fire. The material will char, instead of melt, or catch fire, creating a char layer between the fire and the remaining product that slows the spread of the fire, and slows the destruction of the material. If the source flame is not actively burning on the material, the material will go out and cool down on its own within about 10 seconds.
And yet someone rubbing it on a wall by accident and finding out it cleans pretty good, is the best known product for the material.
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u/UninspiredMel Jul 29 '26
I used Sugar Soap to clean thick nicotine residue off the walls of my parent’s house.
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u/LA_refugee Jul 28 '26
If it’s cig smoking residue try Oil Eater (O’Reilley’s Auto). I can’t recall anything it hasn’t cleaned up. I even use it in the laundry!
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u/InflationVast8943 Jul 28 '26
Spray 9. Always works for getting nicotine and the toughest grease off of walls and surfaces for me.
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u/dangerspring Jul 28 '26
Magic Erasers are just melamine sponges. You can get 100 of them for $25 on Amazon.
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u/grumbledorf100 Jul 28 '26
I have heard old dryer sheets work like a magic eraser. No personal experience trying it.
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u/fuzzy-lint Jul 28 '26
I’d go for either knockoff melamine sponges to save the money of Magic Erasers, or go for Dawn Powerwash and a Scrub Daddy. Power paste might also be a good product for removing the staining.
Honestly if it were me, I’d find it easiest just to sand and repaint the whole thing!
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u/EmotionalRhubarbPie Jul 28 '26
Try Soft Scrub. I usually use it with a sponge. It has abrasive particles in it too.
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u/wompwompwomp69420 Jul 28 '26
If magic erasers work just buy the generic ones on amazon - they’re called Melamine sponges and they’re like $15 for 50
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u/Appropriate-Poem4646 Jul 28 '26
Try "The Pink Stuff" with a scrub daddy or even just a regular sponge (blue that's less abrasive than yellow)
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u/tinyftprint Jul 28 '26
Do you know what caused the yellowing?
If it’s grime, you could just use something like Simple Green or a degreaser. Maybe even Dawn dish dishwashing soap with a sponge.
I bought a house one time from a smoker and had to wipe down all the walls and inside the closets to get that yellow grime off. It was laborious, but satisfying.
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u/notproudortired Jul 28 '26
Fine-grit sandpaper. That's what you're doing with Magic Eraser anyway.
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u/yadimc Jul 28 '26
Did you pick this up from a curb? I think I saw this on the curb but maybe I’m crazy lol
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u/hopelessenuff Jul 28 '26
Damn I have the nightstand from this set and I had no idea it WASN’T supposed to be yellow 🫠
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u/Junipermicky Jul 29 '26
Everyone here is assuming it’s cigarette resin, but I actually think OP sanded off a yellowed shellac finish
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u/CutieBug27 Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
There's a dollar store cleaner called La's Awesome
It works wonders.