Magic Eraser on Pools - Further Reading

Magic Eraser Original

Mr. Clean’s Durafoam Magic Eraser looks like a sponge and can help clean dirt around skimmers and scum lines on pools. Questions often arise if the Magic Eraser is safe to use around pools.

The Magic Eraser is melamine foam. Basically, they work as extremely mild abrasives to remove the top layer of whatever they rub against when they're wet. Think super-fine sandpaper.

Where to Use a Magic Eraser to clean a pool

• Black marks and scum/tanning lotion ring out of the inside of skimmers
• Fiberglass stairs
• Scum lines on vinyl pools (Test first on the liner)
• Cleaning tiles below coping

Magic Eraser History

From What's in a Magic Eraser?:

Magic Eraser wasn't originally made to clean; it was made as an "insulator/fire retardant" that just happened to also be an excellent cleaning tool. There is no active ingredient on the box because there is none in the Magic Eraser itself. The "active ingredient," if you want to call it that, is merely your "elbow grease."

Magic Eraser is a formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfitecopolymer foam made by the German company BASF.

Precautions:

Test in a small area

If you are going to use the Magic Eraser on a vinyl liner, it should be tested in a small, out-of-the-way spot to ensure it doesn't damage the liner.

Concerns about Chlorine

The Magic Eraser box says not to use it with chlorine. The concern seems to be with mixing formaldehyde in the Magic Eraser with concentrated chlorine.

In the Champion Expanding Encyclopedia of Mortuary Practices article "Bleach in Embalming Rooms: Overrated and Overused Part 1" written by a chemist at The Champion Company:

Bleach is chemically reactive with formaldehyde and generates several gases when mixed. Chlorine gas and formic acid are formed during the reaction, both of which evolve into considerably noxious fumes. Chlorine oxides are formed and BCME (bis-chloromethylether), a very neurotoxic gas, is also possible. The typical lab synthesis of BCME involves formaldehyde reacting with a bleach-type chlorine species. Phosgene (Cl2CO) is not produced, as has been occasionally reported elsewhere.

Note, however, that formaldehyde in the Magic Eraser is not a separate chemical but one component of a polymer, so it will not be nearly as reactive with chlorine. Also, the above description of problems with chlorine and formaldehyde talks about mixing concentrated solutions. Nevertheless, in some polymers, there are often small quantities of unreacted monomers (individual ingredients), though how much depends on the specifics of the chemical manufacturing process. The patent, for example, describes the formation of a formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite resin (copolymer) that outgases less formaldehyde.

The MSDS for Magic Eraser says the following under Stability and Reactivity:

• Possible Hazardous Reactions/Conditions: Stable at normal temperatures and pressure.
• Conditions to Avoid: Avoid heat, flames, sparks and other sources of ignition. Avoid contact with incompatible materials.
• Materials to Avoid: Oxidizing materials.
• Hazardous Decomposition Products: Oxides of carbon, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, aromatic compounds, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide.
• Other Recommendations:

The bottom line is that the active chlorine concentration in our swimming pools is equivalent to less than 0.1 ppm FC with no CYA. You should not worry about chlorine reactions with the Magic Eraser. Such reactions are minimal due to the polymer itself, and the very low chlorine concentration makes any such reactions occur very slowly.

Adding concentrated bleach to a Magic Eraser would be more of a problem; even then, the reaction rate would be pretty slow. An acidic chlorine solution such as from Trichlor or the use of chlorine gas or use of a stronger oxidizer (e.g. ammonium permanganate, chromic acid, fluorine) would be more of a problem.

Conclusion

Chlorine at dilution amounts in swimming pools should not be an issue.

Tips

• Use a light wipe on vinyl liners. Not a hard scrub.
• Magic Eraser may remove color from older liners.
• Cut them into thirds or halves because, for some reason, they break down quickly when they come in contact with chlorine. Plus, the halves fit nicely in one's hand and less waste.

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