Eraserlike products that get rid of stains you thought you were stuck with for good are now a staple in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket. For example, Mr. Clean sells a line called Magic Erasers, and Scotch-Brite offers a product called the Easy Erasing Pad.
The secret behind these types of erasers is a material commonly called melamine foam. With just a little water, melamine foam can dig in and destroy stains that other products can't touch. Kids go crazy with the crayons? Co-workers leave a trail of scuffmarks wherever they walk? Erasers made with melamine foam might be just what you need.
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Stain removal isn't the only thing this special foam is useful for. It's actually been around for about 20 years and has a variety of applications, such as sound insulation (whether to improve a room's acoustics or dampen excess noise) and temperature insulation (whether to protect against very hot or cold temperatures). It's just recently that developers realized its potential as a cleaning product.
A couple of melamine foam's specific physical properties make it a great stain remover, and we'll dive into what those characteristics are on the next page.
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