Can I Use Magic Eraser On My Car?

Would you like to know if you can use Magic Eraser on your car? Well, we have researched this topic and have answers for you. It is essential to understand what parts of your car you can and cannot clean with a Magic Eraser to avoid damaging your vehicle.

There are some areas of a car that you can clean with a Magic Eraser and places that you can't. Here is a list of the areas that are, and are not safe to clean, with a Magic Eraser.

Areas that a Magic Eraser can clean:

  • Cup Holders
  • Dashboard
  • Hard Upholstery
  • Windshield

Areas a Magic Eraser can't clean:

  • Leather Seats
  • Exterior Paint
  • Soft Upholstery
  • Steering Wheel

In this article, we will learn about cleaning your car with a Magic Eraser. Also, we'll learn answers to related questions, such as how do you clean leather seats and how do you clean your car's exterior paint? Keep reading to learn more.

A off focus photo of a black SUV, Can I Use Magic Eraser On My Car?

Can I Use Magic Eraser On My Car?

Cars are constructed using many different materials. While some you can clean using a Magic Eraser, others you cannot. Let's look at some of the materials in a car that you safely clean with a Magic Eraser, and what you can't.

Holding a white bar of magic eraser on a pink background

Cup Holders

Cup holders are one area in a car that you can clean up very well if you use a Magic Eraser. Take your Magic Eraser and wet it thoroughly.

Next, gently wipe the inside of your cup holders. You may need to rinse off your Magic Eraser part way through cleaning if your cup holders are very dirty.

Be sure not to scrub your cup holders too hard. Magic Erasers act like a very fine sandpaper. So, over-scrubbing can leave scuff marks on your cup holders.

Dashboard

To clean your dashboard with Magic Eraser, wet your Magic Eraser and begin scrubbing in small circular motions. It would be best to clean from back to front to keep any grime from ending up brushed to parts of the dash you've already cleaned.

Keep the abrasive nature of Magic Eraser in mind while cleaning your dashboard. If you scrub any area too much, you might strip the top layers of your dashboard, leaving dull spots.

Hard Upholstery

On the insides of your vehicle's doors and lower parts of your seats, you likely will find hard plastic upholstery. You can effectively clean this hard upholstery with a handy Magic Eraser.

First, wet your Magic Eraser. Next, wipe the areas of hard upholstery in small circular motions from top to bottom. Just as before, be sure to wipe each area gently and only enough to remove dirt and grime.

Scrubbing the hard plastic upholstery too much can scrape away the top layers of plastic and leave a dull finish where there should be a shiny finish.

Windshield

A Magic Eraser effectively cleans windshields without damaging them. The reason a Magic Eraser can't damage your windshield is that glass is harder than a Magic Eraser. So, it can 't wear it down.

To clean the windshield, wet your Magic Eraser and begin scrubbing from top to bottom. If there are many bugs and grime stuck to your windshield, then you should periodically rinse off your Magic Eraser with water.

Keep scrubbing until all the bugs and debris are removed from the windshield. Since the Magic Eraser can't damage the windshield no matter how much you scrub, you don't have to be gentle in removing the grime.

Leather Seats

Leather Seats are the first area of a car that should never get cleaned with a Magic Eraser. Leather seats are in danger of being worn down because of Magic Eraser's abrasive nature.

Exterior Paint

Your car's exterior paint is another area that a Magic Eraser should never touch. A Magic Eraser will wear away the top layer of paint and leave dull marks.

Soft Upholstery

The soft upholstery in your car is another area that you shouldn't clean with a Magic Eraser. An abrasive Magic Eraser can easily damage the delicate fabrics in your car.

Steering Wheel

Also, the steering wheel should not get cleaned with a Magic Eraser. The Magic Eraser can wear away the top layers of your steering wheel and leave it with a dull finish.

There are some people that actually like to clean their steering wheels with a Magic Eraser. When you use a steering wheel for many years, your hands can polish smooth areas. This leave behind a shine that can make your steering wheel look used.

By wiping these smooth areas with a Magic Eraser, you can help to return them to their original matte look. You should only use this method if your steering wheel is supposed to have a matte finish.

Conclusion

While the Magic Eraser can effectively be used for some areas of your vehicle, others shouldn't get cleaned with one. Let's learn how to effectively clean the areas in your car that can't be cleaned with a Magic Eraser.

How Do You Clean Leather Seats?

Brown leather seats with visible stitching

You will want to use a leather cleaner diluted in water to clean leather seats. First, mix your chosen leather cleaner with water. If you aren't sure which leather cleaner to use, here are two of the most popular products on Amazon.

Meguiar's Leather Cleaner

You can find this product here on Amazon.

Leather Cleaner by Leather Honey

You can find this product here on Amazon.

Now, wet a washcloth with your leather cleaner solution and ring it out, so it's only slightly damp. Too much cleaning solution on your washcloth can make a mess and reduce the effectiveness of your cleaner.

Take your damp washcloth and begin wiping down your leather seats from top to bottom. Wipe in a small circular motion to help your leather shine.

Periodically dip your washcloth in your cleaning solution and ring it out. Keep repeating this process until you have cleaned all of your leather seats.

If your car has leather Upholstery, you can clean it with the same method used for leather seats.

How Do You Clean Your Car's Exterior Paint?

DIY car wash using home equipments

When cleaning your car's exterior paint, you will want to use lots of water. Fill a bucket with water and scrub your car from top to bottom with a microfiber cloth. It's vital to use a microfiber cloth to avoid scratching your paint.

If you are finding some of the grime is tough to remove with water and elbow grease alone, you can try adding a car cleaner to your water. Here are two of the most popular car cleaners that won't damage your car's paint.

Meguiar's Car Wash

You can find this product here on Amazon.

Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash

You can find this product here on Amazon.

After you have scrubbed the dirt off your car, you will want to rinse and dry it for best results. Take a hose and rinse down any cleaner that might be lingering on your vehicle. This step is still helpful even if you didn't use a cleaner.

Once your car is rinsed thoroughly, take a dry towel and begin drying from top to bottom. Drying your vehicle with a towel keeps water marks from forming. Once your car is thoroughly dry it will shine like never before.

How Do You Clean Soft Upholstery?

Roof handle inside a car

To clean the soft upholstery in your car, take a bucket of warm water and mix in about one teaspoon of dish soap. If you don't have a teaspoon, a few drops are fine.

Next, dip a soft bristle brush in the solution and begin scrubbing the dirty areas of your soft upholstery.

It is vital to keep scrubbing to a minimum as soft upholstery gets damaged easily. Also, keep excess water from getting into the upholstery because this can damage it.

Once you have scrubbed away any scuffs or dirt, dry it thoroughly with a towel.

When drying with a towel, dab up the water, but don't scrub. Scrubbing can create rips and damage soft upholstery. Be sure to get up as much water as possible. Leaving upholstery wet is the number one way to cause damage.

If you aren't confident in your ability to clean your car's soft upholstery, hire professionals. Many professionals specialize in cleaning your car's soft upholstery, and they guarantee no damage.

How Do You Clean Your Steering Wheel?

Car detailer cleaning the steering wheel using a red cloth

To clean your steering wheel wet a microfiber cloth with a cleaning solution and gently scrub in a back and forth motion rotating around the wheel. You will want to use a microfiber cloth to avoid scratching the soft materials on your steering wheel.

If your steering wheel has a cover, take it off to clean under it. Also, if your steering wheel cover is machine washable, wash it. If it isn't machine washable, take your cleaning solution and wipe down the cover with the same microfiber cloth.

Final Thoughts

A off focus photo of a black SUV

In this article, we learn that while there are some areas of your car that you can clean with a Magic Eraser, and areas that would end up significantly damaged by it. We also learned how to clean areas in your car that can't clean with the aid of a Magic Eraser.

Remember that soft upholstery gets damaged easily, so hire professionals if you don't feel comfortable cleaning it.

We hope you enjoyed this article. If you want to learn more, check out some of these other posts.

What SUVs Have Leather Seats?

How to Clean the Inside of Your Car's Windshield

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