Imagine you’re taking a hot bath after a long tiring day only to find scum or slime floating on the water. Trust me; it’ll ruin your mood immediately.
So, how can you avoid it?
Well, you need an absorbent foam to remove them. Read my Scumbug vs. magic eraser review to find out the best one.
Many pools and hot tub owners use Scumbug, and some use Magic Eraser. How do you find which one is the best? I’ll show you the differences between these two products in this article.
Let’s get into it.
A Quick Comparison Table
The following comparison table between Scumbug and magic eraser will help you quickly understand their differences:
Aspects | Scumbug | Magic Eraser |
Product Type | Oil-Absorbing Sponge | Cleaning Foam Product |
Special Feature | Super Absorbent Floating Water Clarifier | Microscrubbers Lift And Remove Dirt |
Benefits | Offer Many Benefits | Offer Many Benefits |
Usages | Single-Use | Multiple Use |
Performance | Better | Better |
Longevity | Long | Short |
Price | Expensive | Cheaper |
Scumbug: A Powerful Plastic Scrubber
Scumbug makes tub cleaning its top priority, with a unique design focused solely on eliminating icky buildup in hard to reach spots. Its elongated handle and triangular scrubbing head let you attack tub grime from all angles, while flexible joints maneuver into corners and around faucets with ease.
Stiff nylon bristles cover both sides of the triangular pad, providing some serious scrubbing action on tile, porcelain and fiberglass. Just apply your favorite tub cleaner or bleach, then go to town on soap scum and mildew.
The bristles dig into crevices to remove the stubborn gunk other tools glance over. A thorough Scumbug session leaves your tub looking shiny and fresh again.
What really sets Scumbug apart is its articulating head. You can angle and lock it to scrub every nook and cranny, from the tub bottom up to the walls and faucets. No more awkward bending or straining required. The handle also extends your reach considerably compared to standard brushes.
Scumbug does have a few limitations. It’s a bit bulky to store, and the bristles could potentially scratch more delicate tub materials like acrylic if you press too hard. It also works best with an added cleaning solution rather than plain water. But its scrubbing power is hard to beat when you’ve got layers of buildup driving you nuts.
Magic Eraser: Melamine Foam Does The Work
Magic Eraser has carved out a reputation as an easy, no-fuss way to clean just about anything. And yes, it works great on tubs too. In fact, Magic Eraser pads were originally designed as industrial cleaning supplies before making their way into homes.
These innocuous little rectangles are made of a porous material called melamine foam. When wet, the foam’s texture lets it scrub away grime.
But it’s melamine’s chemical composition that gives it cleaning power. The foam’s positive and negative charges yank dirt and scum from surfaces at a microscopic level. No need for added cleaners; just water activates the scouring bubbles.
That light scrubbing action makes Magic Eraser ideal for quickly cleaning tub surfaces between deep cleans. Swipe it across bottom tile, walls and fixtures to easily remove soap scum, mildew, hard water stains and residue from bath products. Its compact size lets you target small areas like faucet fixtures and corners.
However, Magic Eraser does have limitations when tackling tougher built-up gunk. Relying solely on water, it lacks the abrasive muscle of Scumbug’s bristles and chemical cleansers. You’ll need to use a bit of elbow grease to remove thicker layers of grime. Magic Eraser pads are also single use – once waterlogged, they lose scrubbing power.
Magic Eraser works best for quick touch ups between major tub scrubs. It conveniently erases surface grime without hardcore chemicals. But for tackling layers of deep-set soap scum and stains, Scumbug has the edge in cleaning power.
In-Depth Differences Between Scumbug And Magic Eraser
You need more details about these two scum, slime, and dirt removers to make the right choice. Here I’ll show you a comprehensive comparison between the two products.
- Product Type
People use both to remove oil, grim, and other floating dirt from pools and hot tubs. But they are two different products. Let’s see who’s what.
Scumbag is an oil-absorbing sponge that is specially designed for hot tubs.
It’s shaped is a bug and floats on the surface of your tub and pool, collecting oil, grime, slime, etc., dirt.
On the other hand, Magic Eraser is made with Durafoam. It is mainly a cleaning product for scrubbing soap, scum, grease, and dirt off a hot tub interior or exterior.
But it’s not designed for floating in the water. Nonetheless, many people do it and get excellent results.
- Features
Scumbug is designed to eat up scum, slime, and grime from hot tubs and pools. This product can prevent cloudy water, scum lines, and clogged filters.
It is an excellent floating absorbent pool water clarifier. The manufacturer has designed this product with the technology related to ocean spill clean-up.
On the contrary, Magic Eraser looks like a sponge; it actually is a sponge. But it cleans excellently. With micro scrubbers, you can easily clean and remove dirt and stains from various surfaces.
Although it is not designed to absorb oil and scum from water, it does a good job anyway. You can prevent cloudy water with Magic Eraser.
- Benefits
Both Scumbug and Magic Eraser offer many benefits that you must consider before choosing.
Scumbug will improve filtration in your hot tub, pool, or spa. You can also prevent scum from forming with this absorbent. Besides, Scumbug is compatible with any pool sanitizer. In addition, you can reuse this super absorbent floating water clarifier.
Magic Eraser, by contrast, can clean any grime, scum, or other dirt with just room temperature water. Plus, you can remove any toughest messes with this Durafoam product.
The fact that it absorbs floating dirt from pools and hot tubs is a bonus and a great benefit. No added harsh chemical makes it even better.
- Usage
The main usage of the Scumbug is to collect floating dirt from hot tubs and pools.
It sucks up oils, scum, slime, grime from the pool, and spa water.
Magic Eraser’s primary purpose is to remove stains from hot tubs and other surfaces.
Apart from that, it also works as a wall cleaner, bathtub cleaner, oven door cleaner, light switch cleaner, doors cleaner, and more.
It has a good reputation for removing scuff marks from all around the house.
- Performance
Scumbug can absorb up to 4 times more dirt than its weight in body oil and lotions. In contrast, Magic Eraser is 2 times stronger than any other cleaner and absorber of its class in cleaning performance.
The difference here is not clear because they are two different products. But we can say, both products perform excellently.
- Longevity
If you properly rinse Scumbug every few weeks, there is a chance it will last up to one year. On the other hand, with proper care, a Magic Eraser will last a couple of months when using them for cleaning hot tubs and pools.
Which Product Is Best For You?
Considering all facts, I suggest you buy Magic Eraser. It is better than Scumbug in many ways. For example, Magic Eraser is a multi-purpose product.
You can use it to clean your hot tub surfaces and absorb floating oil, scum, etc. from water.
It might not last as long as Scumbag, but it serves multiple purposes. Plus the price is one-third. So, in my consideration, Magic Eraser is a better option than Scumbug.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
Magic Eraser is an untouchable cleaner for heavy scum, grimes, and dirt. Very few products can work as excellently as it.
Melamine foam and Magic Eraser are the same things. In fact, Magic erasers are made of Durafoam, which is a melamine foam.
Scumbug is an oil-absorbing foam that floats on the water to absorb and remove scum, grime, slime, etc., from hot tubs and pools. It can absorb 40 times its body mass.
Magic Eraser is an excellent stain remover. But you should avoid it on some surfaces, including wood, shiny painted surface, natural stone, non-stick pots, stainless steel, etc.
Yes, Magic Eraser pads are safe for cleaning most standard tub materials like fiberglass, acrylic, porcelain, and tile. The melamine foam formula provides gentle scrubbing action to remove grime.
Magic Eraser is considered safe for use on fiberglass tubs when following the manufacturer’s instructions. The melamine foam should not scratch or damage a fiberglass tub surface with normal use. Be sure to wet the pad thoroughly and wring out excess water before scrubbing to avoid friction.
Final Thoughts
Floating oil, scum, slime, etc., are common issues for hot tubs and pools. But they will pile up if you do not clean them regularly.
My Scumbug vs. magic eraser review has pointed out the best one among the two.
Add this to your shopping list, and nothing can stop you from a clean and satisfying hot bath.