I want my house to be always clean. But the cleaning process is very tiring. Therefore, housewives are interested in life hacks that can make their work easier. One of these is the use of a melamine sponge. It appeared not very long ago, but quickly became in demand. It easily copes with a variety of contaminants, does not require the additional use of chemicals. True, while many are confident in its insecurity. But is it really so? Let’s figure out what it is — a melamine sponge and how to use it correctly.
Watch a short video in which we have listed the main facts about the melamine sponge
All about melamine sponge
What is it made of
Advantages and disadvantages of cleaning products
What can be cleaned
Instructions for proper cleaning
What not to do with a cleaning eraser
How to store
Is sponge bad for health
What is melamine sponge made of?
Melamine eraser, as it is also called, is compressed crystals and fibers of melamine, which, as a result of a chemical reaction, are converted into a porous material. It turns out a product like a foam rubber washcloth.
Let’s figure out how the melamine sponge works. When wetting, a little foam is formed, which facilitates friction. Wet eraser rub the contaminated surface. In the process, the bonds between dirt particles and the base material are destroyed, and the porous melamine fibers completely absorb dirt. Gradually, it decreases in volume and loses its snow-white color.
Pros and cons of an eraser
The cleaning tool has many advantages. True, they are fully manifested if you follow the recommendations on how to use a melamine sponge. Let’s list its advantages.
pros
- Versatility. Means well clears the most different surfaces, is suitable for cleaning of various materials.
- Economical expense. An eraser of standard sizes cleans about 10 square meters. meters of coverage.
- Does not require the use of detergents.
- It absorbs liquid well, does not leave any streaks or marks.
The cleaning product also has disadvantages, we will list them too.
Minuses
- Difficult to use on oily surfaces. Particles of fat clog pores, the washcloth becomes unusable. There is no benefit to this cleansing.
- Risk of damage to abrasive-sensitive coatings. Rigid melamine «works» as an abrasive and can leave scratches.
- Rapid loss of form. Moisture and dirt particles destroy the structure of the material in a short time.
What can be cleaned with a melamine eraser
The main advantage and reason for its use is its versatility and the ability to quickly clean dirt from almost any surface. For example, in the kitchen and bathroom, it will help wash the tiles from lime and soap deposits, clean furniture, plumbing and faucets, grout and joints between tiles. In living rooms, it is quite possible to clean dirt on wallpaper and painted walls, recent and outdated, with it. If you believe the reviews, the melamine product can even remove traces of felt-tip pens and pens on the walls.
Therefore, mothers of young children resort to it — after all, the drawings of babies often remain for a long time and are not removed with ordinary foam rubber or detergents, you simply have to paint over the areas or wait for the next cosmetic repair. Even window slopes and glass surfaces can be melamine cleaned. It can also be used to clean shoe marks on laminate and linoleum. A melamine sponge is suitable for cleaning leather and fabric shoes.
How to use the cleaning product correctly
To get a good result, you need to use the cleaning agent correctly. We have prepared simple instructions for using the melamine sponge.
- We put on rubber household gloves. This will protect the skin from small particles that appear when working with such a washcloth.
- Cut off a piece. Wet the edge with warm water. It should not be hot, heated melamine becomes toxic. The optimum temperature is 36˚C and below.
- Slightly squeeze the eraser. We do this carefully, squeeze a little, but do not twist. With strong pressure, the structure of the product is broken, it loses its properties.
- We press a damp sponge to the stain and rub it with a little effort. It is best to rub with a corner of a washcloth, so it will be spent sparingly and will last longer.
- The contaminated fragment of the product is periodically washed in water, slightly squeezed. We do not twist it to keep its shape longer.
In the process of cleaning from the eraser, small and rather large fragments can break off. This is fine. They must be removed from the surface to be cleaned. These are the basic recommendations on how to use a melamine sponge for cleaning. At the end of the work, particles of melamine are washed off the cleaned surface with water. Detergents are not needed for this.
What not to do when working with a melamine eraser
It is not enough to understand how to use a melamine sponge correctly, you need to know what you can not do when working with it. The main concern is that melamine is a toxic substance. If it enters the human body, it can settle in the kidneys and contribute to the formation of stones. Therefore, the tool should be used with caution.
The main features of its use: you can not wet and squeeze the washcloth strongly, you should not use it whole — it is advisable to cut it off in pieces. Most consumers do not know about this and make mistakes. Another prohibition is to use detergents with chlorine in the composition with a sponge. Together, they can provoke a dangerous chemical reaction.
If the product is so dangerous, is it really worth using it? Here is the main question. If you look at it sensibly, then most of the household chemicals that we use on a daily basis are no less poisonous, as they are made on the basis of chemicals. But abandoning them altogether and switching to soap and water is probably a pointless decision. You need to know the safety rules and follow them.
- Use gloves while working with the product.
- Do not wash with it surfaces that will come into contact with food (pots from the inside, dishes, especially for children).
- Store the eraser in a sealed bag or box so that it can’t be reached by children or accidentally chewed by pets.
- Do not wash vegetables, fruits, eggs with it before use.
- Rinse hands and surfaces thoroughly with water after cleaning with melamine.
How to properly store the product
Eraser maintenance is easy. After work, it must be rinsed to wash off the dirt, wring it out slightly, and let the wet washcloth dry well. The dried product is cleaned in a cabinet or on a shelf. It is important to keep it dry. Excess moisture will ruin the cleaner. Another important point: neither children nor pets should have access to the storage area. This will keep them out of trouble.
Is it true that melamine sponges are dangerous to health?
Everyone has probably heard about the dangers of cleaning products. But how true is this statement? Let’s try to figure it out. According to the international classification, pure melamine belongs to slightly toxic substances. This is a synthetic drug, which contains toxic noniphenol and formaldehyde, but their content is relatively low. Melamine crystals pose a real threat to health only when they enter the human body in large quantities.
Sponges are made of foamed melamine. That is, they contain many times less toxic substances. In this form, the polymer is absolutely harmless. However, there is still a potential danger. In fact, foamed melamine is a rather brittle abrasive. When they rub the surface, large and small fragments break off. The smallest ones pose some danger.
If they remain on the surface to be cleaned and then enter the human body from it, they can accumulate in it. Most often, they are deposited in the form of salts in the kidneys, which can lead to the development of urolithiasis. Therefore, it is not recommended to wash dishes, kitchen utensils or food with melamine erasers. And if necessary, then the cleaned coating should be washed well so that no harmful particles remain on it.
A melamine sponge can present some health damage when heated. The heated chemical evaporates, releasing toxic substances into the air. Therefore, products must not be heated and moistened with hot water. Otherwise, the cleaner is completely harmless and safe.
Write your opinion: do you use a melamine sponge and what do you think about its benefits in everyday life and harm to humans?
[ad_2]