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Hard water shower stains are a huge pain that no one enjoys dealing with. It’s an uphill battle that you can’t seem to win. You clean one day, shower the next, and before you know it, you’re already looking at new white mineral stains all over the shower. While there is no magical solution to prevent these stains from appearing completely, there is one magic item to help you remove them. Like its name indicates, the Magic Eraser might be just what you’ve been looking for all along.

Melamine sponges like the Magic Eraser are really good at doing the impossible. It’s a unique type of sponge that can remove grime, stains, and caked-on dirt from nearly any surface. There are many things you probably didn’t know you could do with a Magic Eraser, including removing limescale from glass shower doors. A pack of 10 Mr. Clean Magic Erasers costs only about $12, making them an affordable cleaning item to use throughout the house. In addition, melamine sponges work with regular tap water, which makes them even more affordable. With these, no need to spend money on fancy products or even make a DIY vinegar cleaning solution from scratch. Just a trusty Magic Eraser, some water, and a little bit of elbow grease can remove hard water stains from your glass shower doors in no time, giving them a brand-new shine.

This hack is as simple as it gets. First, grab a Magic Eraser and run it under some water. The sponge should soften as it fills up with water, going from a hard and almost plasticy texture to something more like a soft foam. Simply wring out any excess water, and start wiping away the hard water mineral buildup with the Magic Eraser, as you would with any other sponge. As you rub the sponge onto the shower glass, you’ll notice the hard water stains lifting.

Once you’re done and happy with the result, use some water from the showerhead to rinse the glass. Because hard water stains come from water, it’s best to use a squeegee and microfiber cloth afterwards to prevent the water from sitting on the shower door and creating new stains right away.

There are some steps you can take to prevent hard water stains in the shower altogether. That way, you won’t need to take your Magic Eraser out to clean as often. For example, apply some white vinegar with a sponge to the glass once a week to dissolve limescale and prevent it from building up on the glass. To make your life easier, you can even fill a Scotch-Brite Soap Control Dishwand with some vinegar and leave it in the shower for easy access. 

The reason why Magic Erasers work so well is not actually supernatural or mystical. It works on limescale buildup because of melamine, the material it’s made of. Melamine is a type of artificial foam that’s essentially made of hard and porous plastic. While it doesn’t look scratchy, it’s a bit like very fine sandpaper. Melamine fibers are tiny, but can remove dirt by scratching it away, which makes them incredibly effective at removing stains that softer sponges can’t handle. 

Magic Erasers work particularly well with hard water stains, which are concentrations of minerals like calcium. These minerals stay behind when water evaporates and sit on top of surfaces, giving them that white stained look. Because mineral buildup doesn’t penetrate the surface, it can be removed effectively with melamine’s abrasive effect. 

You might be thinking that sandpaper on glass sounds like a horrible idea. Since melamine works by scratching dirt away, it’s natural to wonder whether it will also scratch and damage glass in the process. But don’t worry, Magic Erasers are soft enough to be used on glass without any issues. You can safely use melamine throughout the home, whether it’s in a shower or to clean a window. It can even be used on a glass induction cooktop to remove burnt foods.