What is a melamine sponge - instructions for use

A melamine sponge, consisting of colorless crystals that are slightly soluble in contact with water, is a very popular device for household cleaning and removing difficult stains. Its demand is due to its low price combined with the absence of the need for additional use of various household chemicals.

In this article we will tell you in what cases a melamine sponge will help remove old dirt, on which surfaces you can’t use melanin cleaning, and whether there is any harm from the device, which is popular among housewives.

What is melamine sponge

Melamine sponge is essentially a new generation of plastic that allows you to effectively remove traces of fresh or ingrained dirt, even in situations where other means are powerless. Sponges are porous foam, not inferior in strength to glass, but with a soft structure. Melamine fibers have sharp edges and microvilli, which, like an eraser, erase dirt from various surfaces, and the porous structure retains moisture and forms foam.

The synthesis of the material used to produce such sponges can be carried out in several different ways:

1. Chemical reaction between ammonia and cyanuric acid chloride under parallel thermal exposure up to 100°C.
2. Thermal treatment of guanidine and the formation of oligomers from cyanimide.
3. Thermal treatment of urea, due to which there is a lack of oxygen , leading to the decomposition of chemical compounds, is the most common method of industrial extraction of melamine for such sponges.
4. Processing dicyandiamide is another common method of obtaining the required material.

What provides such properties

Why is melamine sponge so special? Reviews, harm and benefit, price - all this is often subjective information. It costs an order of magnitude more than regular sponges. But the result is definitely worth it. Thanks to its special fine-porous structure, the sponge captures all the dirt and holds it perfectly. This is noticeable when there is a sticky greasy stain on the surface, which the foam either simply passes through without catching, or gets stuck in it. As a result, the entire surface is covered with a sticky film, and all that remains is to throw the sponge in the trash.

Melamine interacts with pollution in a different way. After reacting with water, it becomes a kind of cleaning agent and, like a magnet, absorbs all the dirt. It is this property that makes the sponge an indispensable assistant for removing stubborn stains.

Sponge composition

Despite the apparent complexity of obtaining the base material, the structure and composition of the sponges are quite simple and look like this:

1. Melamine is a special type of plastic whose characteristics and structure resemble ordinary rubber. Its fibers successfully combine flexibility and hardness, which gives the device abrasive properties and allows it to be used for high-quality cleaning of various surfaces. This is the only component that the sponge consists of 100%.
2. Melamine foam, which is obtained from the corresponding type of resin. Its release occurs without the use of any liquid detergents, but it is necessary to prepare a rag with which you can wipe off the resulting foam.

Duration of service and impact on health

How long can a melamine sponge last? Is it harmful to health or beneficial? These questions concern women who are worried about their family. It's actually just foam plastic. It is widely used in furniture production. When foaming, a unique structure is formed, which consists of solid resin fibers. As the sponge glides over the surface, these fibers trap dirt. In general, the principle of its operation is rather comparable to that demonstrated by a school eraser. Based on this, we can answer the question about its service life. It wears off quite quickly. Therefore, to clean a large surface you will need several pieces.

Application area

The main characteristics and capabilities of melamine sponges allow them to be used in many areas where high-quality surface cleaning is required, and other means are ineffective.

1. Removing lime residue, rust, as well as mud or soap stains on surfaces in bathrooms and plumbing fixtures.
2. Removing stubborn dirt from pots or pans.
3. Surface of marker boards.
4. Cleaning mirrors , floors, ceilings and walls if there are traces of felt-tip pens, pens or pencils on them.
5. Cleaning any hard surface products , especially those made of plastic.
6. Leather products - most often the device is used when washing shoes or car interiors.
7. Cleaning washable wallpaper.
8. Cleaning household and office equipment , including washing keyboards.
9. Removing black streaks that shoes leave on the surface of linoleum or parquet.

However, it is not recommended to use melamine sponges for washing the following surfaces:

1. Soft plastic.
2. Dishes or other surfaces that come into contact with food if they can be cleaned by other means.
3. Acrylic glass.
4. Teflon coatings.
5. Surfaces that have an enamel layer or are painted with acrylic.

The main characteristics and capabilities of melamine sponges allow them to be used in many areas where high-quality surface cleaning is required

Operating principle

When a sponge is dipped into water, a foam is formed, which has different properties from soap suds: it is soft and flexible, but elastic, has the properties of sandpaper, but does not scratch.

The product literally wipes, scrapes off dirt, limescale, rusty stains, marks from a felt-tip pen, ballpoint pen, pencils, acting like an eraser used to wipe away inscriptions with a simple pencil.

At the same time, it even wears off like an elastic band and does not scratch the surface.

Step-by-step instructions on how to use a sponge

Using a melamine sponge is simple, no special training is required, and absolutely anyone can handle this process.

1. Initially, it is necessary to compare the surface area that is supposed to be washed with the dimensions of the sponges. Sometimes it is more convenient to use a small device in order to be able to penetrate the most inaccessible places; in this case, it can be easily divided into parts using a sharp knife or scissors.
2. The sponge is wetted in clean water, after which it must be squeezed with your hands to get rid of excess liquid. Do not twist or apply too much pressure, as this may disturb and damage the structure.
3. There is no need to apply any detergents or chemicals: the cleaning process will be effective without them, in addition, the main active components and active substances can enter into a chemical reaction with melamine or the foam released, the result in this case can be unpredictable.
4. With careful movements, you can begin to clean the surface, while trying to ensure that the corners of the device are in contact with it. This must be done in the same way as when working with a regular eraser, otherwise, if the entire sponge comes into contact with the surface at once, it will quickly become unusable and begin to crumble.
5. After cleaning, the surface can be wiped with any dry cloth to remove any remaining foam and crumbs.

The sponge is wetted in clean water, after which it must be squeezed with your hands to get rid of excess liquid

How to use correctly

The cleaning result and the service life of the sponge depend on how correctly you use the product.

Find out the basic tips for the modern housewife, and whether there is any harm from cleaning.
The instructions for its use provide the following sequence of actions:

1. Remove from packaging.
2. Using scissors, cut a piece of the sponge large enough to clean the surface. This will make it easier to work with, and the product will not deform.
3. Immerse the piece in water.
4. Remove from the water, place on your palm and press on top with the palm of your other hand.
5. Squeeze out the water thoroughly. Do not twist it like a rag or squeeze it with one hand, this will lead to deformation.
6. Use a corner to rub the surface, as if you were wiping away pencil inscriptions with an eraser.
7. When finished, wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

Advantages of melamine sponge

Such devices have become popular in recent years, which can be explained by the presence of a number of positive aspects when compared with analogues.

The main advantages of melamine sponges:

1. High-quality cleaning of virtually any surface, regardless of the type of contamination. Some difficulties can arise only in the case of too large volumes of ingrained fat.
2. All cleaned surfaces are completely safe ; there are no scratches or other mechanical damage on them.
3. An impressive resource: one device is enough for high-quality cleaning of at least 10 m2.
4. Ability to absorb liquid contaminants.
5. Ability to work regardless of whether the sponge is currently wet or dry.
6. Self-formation of foam.
7. Financial savings due to avoiding the purchase of additional detergents.

All cleaned surfaces are completely safe; there are no scratches or other mechanical damage on them.

Description and characteristics

If you look at this product, it may seem that it is an ordinary foam rubber sponge, the kind that are sold in large quantities in all hardware departments of stores, only white.

However, upon closer inspection, it turns out that it feels hard, like plastic. When you wet it according to the instructions, it will become plastic and elastic.

This product is easy to use, does not require the use of household chemicals and cleans dirt very quickly.

Mustard, tar soap, cow's milk, and soda are also used as detergents for cleaning the house.

Minuses

1. Rapid wear – it will take more than one sponge to remove large amounts of dirt, especially old greasy stains.
2. Loss of shape - with a small piece of sponge that remains after several cleanings, it is difficult to remove dirt as conveniently as at first.
3. Reaction of the material to hot water. The sponge can only be wetted with cold water, since upon contact with hot water, melamine releases toxic formaldehyde.
4. Possibility of causing damage to coatings with an unstable, delicate or fragile structure. In particular, scratches were often observed on light switches or the formation of light spots on wallpaper.
5. Hand injuries when using the device are extremely rare, but it is still recommended to use rubber gloves. This is due to the risk of coloring, and small grinding particles can damage the skin and manicure.
6. Using a melamine sponge for everyday washing of dishes or washing food can lead to adverse health effects.

Why should melamine not be used?

Do not wash dishes: plates, pots, and other kitchen utensils that come into contact with food. Microparticles will remain on the surface and enter the stomach along with food.

Melamine is also not used to remove scale. If a thick layer of plaque has formed on the inner surface of an electric or regular kettle, it is best to use other proven means: vinegar, citric acid.

If kitchen utensils were previously cleaned with a melamine sponge, they should be rinsed with hot running water.

Attention! Under no circumstances should detergents containing chlorine be applied to the sponge.

Is it possible to wash your hands with a sponge?

When cleaning the house, it is very important to protect your hands with gloves. Melamine material has a bad effect on the epidermis, and allergies may occur. It can also ruin the coating on the nails if the manicure is done using gel polish.

Therefore, using a sponge as a hand wash or body wash is prohibited. The best way to remove dirt from skin is hot water and soap. After cleaning, it is recommended to apply a moisturizing or softening cream to your hands.

Is there a health hazard?

Although the sponge does an excellent job, there are several reasons to avoid daily cleaning with a melamine sponge.

A number of studies confirm that melamine is a toxic substance. Do not use a melamine sponge for washing dishes, vegetables, fruits and children's things!

1. Melamine can cause poisoning, diarrhea and vomiting with prolonged contact with food and their further consumption.
2. Melamine settles in the kidneys and, when accumulated, can lead to the development of urolithiasis, cancer and even death. True, an adult will have to consume a very large amount of melamine before poisoning occurs.

Several cases of serious poisoning and death from melamine have been reported around the world.

• The first is associated with Chinese infant formulas to which melamine has been added. The growing scandal over the death of 4 children drew the attention of the European population to the use of melamine.
• The second case involved the death of cats and dogs in the United States from kidney failure. As it turned out, traces of melamine were found in the animal feed of the famous company Menu Foods Inc in grain gluten of Chinese origin.

Please note that in both the first and second cases, children and animals with low body weight were harmed, and melamine was deliberately added to food products.

Important! Don’t forget to wipe melamine-treated surfaces with cold water and remove any sponge crumbs formed during the cleaning process.

But don't demonize melamine too much. If you use the sponge wisely and in compliance with safety precautions, it will not cause harm.

Let's start cleaning

Every housewife can guess without prompting how a melamine sponge is used. Reviews (use, the harm of which has not been proven, is becoming increasingly popular today) emphasize that it is very easy. Just wet it in water and squeeze it lightly. But you can’t twist it, as you might break the product. You should wipe the surface with one corner first, this way it will last longer. When melamine becomes dirty, it becomes brittle. Therefore, if you rub with a corner, it will last longer. And using the entire surface, before you know it, the sponge will crumble.

By the way, experienced housewives recommend wearing gloves before work. No, the sponge is safe for your skin, but excessive friction can adversely affect the condition of your manicure.

Where can I buy and price

Melamine sponges can be found in almost any store that sells household chemicals or has a corresponding department.

It is also possible to order them by placing an order through the online store, but the cost in this case increases, since in most cases it is necessary to additionally pay for the delivery service.

The cost is usually higher than regular foam fixtures, but is still in the affordable range. Usually the price of 1 sponge varies from 50 to 100 rubles.

Main difference

First of all, this is the price. In the store you can easily notice that the melamine sponge is more expensive. Reviews (the harm and benefits are discussed in some detail) say that, despite its highest effectiveness in combating complex stains, it almost instantly becomes unusable. That is, it is best to have several copies in the kitchen: one regular foam rubber one, for simple stains, and a batch of melamine ones.

Purchase of goods. Parcel and delivery

As I wrote above, the parcel with the goods arrived quickly, in just 2.5 weeks. The seller did not assign a tracking number to the order (i.e. I could not track the path of the parcel). In general, this is the norm for Chinese sellers - not to give track numbers to cheap goods - for 10 sponges I paid only 66 rubles + delivery was free (now this product is cheaper) .

What surprised me most was the fact that the parcel came to me from China by Lithuanian Post! Yes, yes, this is not a typo, the parcel was sent through Lithuania! And despite such a long journey, the delivery time was relatively short.

The product was purchased here : https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/Eco-Friendly…

In general, if you follow basic precautions, you can safely use melamine cleaning sponges at home. This is a very good assistant for every housewife.