How to use a melamine sponge correctly and what can be washed
To facilitate cleaning of the house, dishes, cleaning of contaminated surfaces, various devices are used. A single rag can not be used to clean the surfaces of furniture, dishes, if stubborn substances have accumulated on them. It's easier to buy a melamine cleaning item that will help deal with heavy dirt and greasy stains. But you have to know how to use a melamine sponge at home.
The description
Unlike foam sponge, melamine sponge is harder to touch. In shape, it is a rectangular piece of dense material. The color of the product is white or greyish. The sponge is distinguished by its porous structure.
Compound
The cleaning article is made of a durable synthetic material. The substance is a mass of colorless crystals, insoluble in water. To obtain the material, the synthesis of cyanuric chloride with ammonia at a temperature of 100 degrees was used.
The chemically obtained substance is widely used in industry for the preparation of resins and paints. Melamine is a source of nitrogen for livestock. Melamine-formaldehyde resins bind compositions of wood, cellulose, fiberglass.Due to its unusual design, the material is used in the manufacture of tableware and furniture.
Principle of operation
In contact with hard surfaces, the melamine sponge acts like an eraser. Despite the certain hardness of the product, it gently cleans dirt from delicate dishes, countertops, sinks. You can wipe off stains with a dry sponge or a sponge moistened with water or a special detergent. The advantage of melamine is that the substance is able to quickly break the bonds between the surface and dirt, grease using the action of friction.
Application
The application area of melamine gum is wide. The product is purchased to clean surfaces that could not be cleaned with other means and devices.
Before use
Begin cleaning with a melamine sponge, protecting your hands with rubber gloves. Before use, the completely porous material is immersed in warm water for 1-2 minutes. Then lightly squeeze the product by placing it between your palms and pressing down hard.
Do not bend the melamine as it will break.
How to clean properly
After wetting, the melamine produces a foam. If you need to increase its amount, pour detergent on the sponge. But the product should not contain chlorine, since a toxic substance will begin to be released in combination with a synthetic polymer.
They clean dirt, greasy stains with a corner of the product, and not with the entire surface. It is advisable to use only one side of the object when cleaning. This will allow you to use the product longer.
When cleaning, you will need to rinse the device several times with lukewarm water.After the furniture, walls, floor, shoes are put away, they are wiped with a towel or paper towel.
Properties
Since sponges are produced by chemical compounds, you need to know how the use of melamine gum affects human health. Only by observing the rules for using the product can you reduce the risk of poisoning, however insignificant.
Restrictions
Companies that make melamine sponges warn against using them for:
- wash the inner surfaces of the dishes;
- clean pots and pans;
- wash vegetables and fruits.
It is advisable to immerse the object in warm, but not hot, water. High temperatures release toxins from the chemical. After using the product, pieces of it may remain on surfaces, therefore, be sure to remove melamine residue with clean water.
May or may not do the dishes
For melamine, there is no limit to stain control. With a porous product, all stains, both old grease and felt, handles of upholstered furniture, wallpaper, are successfully removed. But for dishes, a sponge is suitable in those cases when you need to clean it from the outside of unwashed fat layers. But it is better not to go inside with a sponge. The remaining invisible pieces of melamine can enter the human body, causing cancer to develop.
If the dishes have been washed once with a melamine eraser and then thoroughly rinsed, this is not a problem. But regular use for cleaning and washing dishes will cause irreversible processes in the human body. The synthetic polymer particles settle in the kidneys, causing stones to form.
can i wash my hands
Do not rinse dirt off your hands with a sponge. Yes, it degreases the skin, but in allergy sufferers it can cause irritation, itching and rashes. For housewives who have an expensive and beautiful manicure, the melamine compound will lead to dulling and the polish on the nails will fade. From the hands, particles of a chemical can get inside, causing the development of urolithiasis, the growth of cancer cells.
Lifetime
The service life of the melamine sponge depends on how you use it. You can cut the product into several pieces for easy cleaning. Indeed, during application, the hostess rubs pollution only with the corner of the eraser. As soon as the melamine begins to crumble, the item is thrown away for disposal.
To extend the life of the product, after each cleaning it is washed off, excess moisture is removed.
Benefit and Harm
Melamine sponges make cleaning easier and are beneficial when used correctly:
- Vertical surfaces are better cleaned because water does not run off the porous object.
- Rust streaks, black stains on linoleum, wooden floors, limescale on sinks and toilet bowls are easy to clean.
- Washing with porous melamine increases the life of furniture, tiles, sinks. But the aggressiveness of certain detergents leads to deterioration of the products, reducing the duration of their functionality.
- It's easy to determine the shelf life of an item the moment it begins to crumble.
But improper use of melamine products is fraught with negative health issues. It is recognized that the danger does not come from melamine sponges, but from tableware made of a synthetic compound.
Precautionary measures
To avoid undesirable consequences of using a melamine product, you should:
- do not immerse it in hot water;
- clean dirt with gloves;
- rinse dishes, counters after cleaning under running water;
- do not wash vegetables and fruits;
- Keep the cleaning object out of the reach of children.
If the use of a sponge is important for housewives, then the rules of cleaning with it simply should not be ignored.