Magic Eraser Warning

**staceyy** · 11-08-2006, 08:50 PM

http://kerflop.com/2006/11/02/chemical-burn/

**bumplett** · 11-08-2006, 09:11 PM

wow - I've searched the few sites that I know of, such as truthorfiction.com to find out if this is true - I couldn't find anything.

so - I will consider it a warning!

Thank You!!!

**emily_hope** · 11-08-2006, 09:15 PM

Wow, that is awful. I use those.

**Tracy** · 11-08-2006, 09:40 PM

There was a documentary in Canada called chasing the cancer answer and magic erasers was on it because the contain formaldehyde. Scary how many products we use that we are not aware of what is in them. We have opted to only clean with vinegar and baking soda. With the exceptions of dishes and laundry soap. Scary though I didn't think they would do that, thank you for the warning.

**momof42003** · 11-08-2006, 09:47 PM

I knew there was a reason I didn't use those... Guess I will just continue not to... Thanks for the warning.

**Telephus44** · 11-08-2006, 09:57 PM

I was reading in a fashion/beauty magazine a few months ago that you could use a Magic Eraser to get rid of self-tanner mistakes, and the very next month they said that the company had contacted them and asked them to print a retraction because their products shouldn't be used on skin - now I know why!

**Shell** · 11-08-2006, 10:05 PM

Thank you for the warning. I know a few years ago I spent the day cleaning our office without gloves (stupid) and ever since then I've had ecezema on my fingertips.

**Katybird** · 11-09-2006, 10:33 AM

Thanks for the warning. I will wear gloves from now on with my Magic Erasers.

**lottaLove** · 11-09-2006, 10:50 AM

I was using those just yesterday with my son to clean the tub. He was helping mommy scrub the tubby before his bath!! Thank goodness nothing happened, but I never would have thought! I thought it was just a sponge, wet with water! Thank you so much for posting this link. Reading the story gave me chills.

**frugal.lass** · 11-09-2006, 11:40 AM

Okay, I have to admit I don't use gloves while using Magic Erasers...half the time I don't put on gloves when cleaning until I pull out the undiluted bleach (actually, I've been known toquickly use bleach without using gloves and then "neutralize my hands afterwards). My issue here is the hysteria that the mother is going into over the pH level of the erasers. I would be upset too if my kid was in pain but I don't think she's fully thought this through. She states that she was told it had a pH of 8-10 on the scale.

Some examples of other things that have pH levels around that range (from Govt of Canada website):

7 - distilled water (neutral)
apprx 8.5 - baking soda (which we ingest not to mention most of us use to clean)
9 - sea water (most of us have been to the ocean sans problème)
apprx 10.5 - milk of magnesia (which we ingest and which I've heard many people recommend using on pimples)

I don't think bases found at that level are really anything to be too concerned about. There HAS to be something else to the story...maybe her erasers got another cleanser on them or the abrasion irritated his skin (maybe his is extremely delicate). Maybe he had an allergic reaction, there are tons of other possibilities that she isn't considering...I just don't think the alkaline nature was enough. I wouldn't recommend using them on skin (do as I say, not as I do) but I don't think we need to worry.

**dmvezina** · 11-09-2006, 12:37 PM

Wow, thanks for that!! I've always sworn by those things, but that changed my mind!!!

**JustJoy** · 11-09-2006, 01:11 PM

Yikes! Poor little guy. Very frightening.

**3-boys-4-me** · 11-09-2006, 01:13 PM

Thanks for posting this. I HAD these things laying all over the house. They are now up and out of reach. I feel horrible for that little boy, looks very painful!

**frugal.lass** · 11-09-2006, 03:30 PM

This link refutes what she says about Magic Erasers containing Formaldehyde.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/eraser.asp

This site was last updated in July.

**Telephus44** · 11-09-2006, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by frugal.lass

This link refutes what she says about Magic Erasers containing Formaldehyde.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/eraser.asp

This site was last updated in July.

Thanks - I almost "snoped" this.

And I agree what you said about the alkaline nature - lots of things we use every day are either very acidic or very basic - it's not necessarily the pH of a chemical that determines how toxic or dangerous it is. Coca-Cola has a pH of 2, and I still drink it!