Frugal Friday: New uses for old things

Ok, so a Magic Eraser isn't really old. But I normally only use it for cleaning around the house--stained countertops, dirty walls, soap scum, etc. but I found a new use for that little scrubber yesterday, and I'm very happy about it.

I was bumming around the bookstore the other day when I spied a hardcover book that would make a great gift (it's a secret, just in case that person discovers this blog). There were three copies on the shelf, but two were pretty beat-up. The third wasn't damaged in any way, but the cover was very dingy and dirty. I decided to go ahead and buy it and try to get it clean at home. I figured that, at the worst, this was for a person who wouldn't mind the dinginess so much and would forgive me that gift faux pas since it was such a good book. :)

I was going to try some soap and a bit of water on the cover, but then I thought: Magic Eraser! It took all the dirt off without stripping any of the lettering, and the book looks perfect. So if you have a Magic Eraser lying around and you need to clean up some books, give it a try!