Dollar Tree's Quick Eraser is No Match to Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser

There is one thing I definitely can't live without when it comes to my cleaning caddy. That is Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. I love that product. It is good for cleaning just about anything and it will remove crayons, ink, paint, rust, soap scum and more from all kinds of surfaces in the home.

The erasers aren't too expensive either, given all that will do. I consider them a bargain at $1 or less apiece. That is why I make sure they are on hand at all times.

However, on a recent trip to Dollar Tree, I noticed they had come up with their own brand of erasers called Scrub It Quick Eraser. Just like Magic Eraser, they come with two in a box. Of course, I had to buy them and try them out. After all, even although Magic Erasers are a bargain at about $1 each, it could be even better at just $.50.

The real question though is, "does the Scrub It Quick Eraser measure up to Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser?" The answer is both yes and no. Let me explain.

Just like Magic Eraser, the Quick Eraser promised to remove typical household stains like crayon, ink and markers. In that respect it performed pretty well, eliminating most crayon and ink stains with ease. However, it had a bit of a problem with certain types of non-permanent ink, including heavy-duty markers. Therefore I can only award it 4 out of 5 stars in this area.

Also like Magic Eraser, Quick Eraser says it can handle dirt, soap scum, and scuff marks. The results here were also a bit mixed. There is no denying that Quick Eraser can handle dirt. In that respect, it goes toe to toe with the competition. However, when it comes to deeply embedded soap scum or scuff marks, Quick Eraser falls a bit short. I can only give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Removing things like mold and mildew are even difficult for the Magic Eraser. It usually includes the addition of harsh chemicals like bleach into the mix. Unfortunately, even adding bleach to the Scrub It Quick Eraser made little difference. It just didn't have the cleaning power needed to remove mold and mildew completely. Therefore, it gets another 3 out of 5 stars.

The size and thickness of Quick Eraser brings up another problem. While it is actually a little bit bigger than Magic Eraser at 3" by 5" and while it appears to have the same depth at just under 1", appearances can be deceiving. Only half of the depth of Quick Eraser is made up of erasing material. The remaining part of it is a simple sponge.

That means that Quick Eraser has about 50% less erasing capacity than Magic Eraser. That makes a big performance difference, which is why I can only give it 2 out 5 stars.

Even the quality of the sponge material that makes up the other half of the product is inferior. It holds in too much moisture, not allowing the sponge to remove a sufficient amount of moisture from the cleaned surface. That means it only gets another 2 out of 5 stars.

That works out to 16 out of a possible 20 stars, which averages out to a 3.1 star average. That begs the question: Do you go for the cheap product that doesn't work as well or spring for the more expensive one that really does the job? For me, it will be the latter. I'd rather spend the extra cash and have a product I can rely on.

Quick Eraser is made in Newark, NJ by Supply Plus, Inc. It is available at Dollar Tree Stores nationwide.

Please be aware that Quick Eraser could fade highly glossed plastic surfaces or surfaces that are painted. For that reason, it is recommended that every surface be tested before apply Quick Eraser to it across the board.

RATING SCALE:

5 stars = outstanding
4 stars = good
3 stars = average
2 stars = below average
1 star = poor