Easy way to clean a slate!

[BEM]

I made a slate that fits over my forearm from a cut PVC pipe and use a 2H pencil.

While in Boniare on a SI I thought "How do I clean off the slate here?" and then:

I wet my finger with some spit, poked it in the coral sand and then rubbed the slate. It works perfectly and the slate is shiny white - ready for the next dive. I can leave some sand on it and it gets washed off as soom as I get back in the water.

[oly5050user]

stuff you use around the house to clean your sink "soft scrub" works fine ..does not scratch plastic slate as sand will eventually do.

[battles2a5]

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser :) Also works at at buffing out the release compound from new masks. I keep one in my dive bag at all times.

[ucfdiver]

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser :) Also works at at buffing out the release compound from new masks. I keep one in my dive bag at all times.
This is what I use as well

[reefraff]

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser :) Also works at at buffing out the release compound from new masks. I keep one in my dive bag at all times.

It's da bomb - very effective, very fast and no mess.

[TomP]

toothpaste works great too.

[Waterskier1]

toothpaste works great too.

This is what I use topside also. Has anyone got any ideas how to clean (erase) a portion underwater? I might write something down wrong, realize it immediately, but all I can do is scratch it out. Even pencil erasers don't work underwater. I haven't tried sand, but that assumes your at the bottom when you make the error.

[reefraff]

This is what I use topside also. Has anyone got any ideas how to clean (erase) a portion underwater? I might write something down wrong, realize it immediately, but all I can do is scratch it out. Even pencil erasers don't work underwater. I haven't tried sand, but that assumes your at the bottom when you make the error.
Magic Erasers work underwater, too.

[GUnderTheC]

Magic Eraser (even the dollar store version) is amazing on a slate. It's the best thing I've used - no more scouring. Bring extra when you travel to leave behind for the Instructors. :)

[mddolson]

Just a heads up: on the Magic Eraser.
Read the contents: when they first came out they contained formaldehyde!
Not something you want to use without rubber gloves!!
Mike D

[reefraff]

Just a heads up: on the Magic Eraser.
Read the contents: when they first came out they contained formaldehyde!
Not something you want to use without rubber gloves!!
Mike D

Magic Eraser is actually something called Basotect that is manufactured by BASF. It's been around for decades and is used in a wide range of applications, including thermal and sound insulation. It's safe, stable and there are no known hazards associated with it's use. Repeat: after decades of use in a variety of conditions, there are no known hazards. You can read the Material Safety Data Sheet (http://domain1426730.sites.fasthosts.com/data_sheets/MagicEraserMSDS.pdf) for yourself.

Basotect is a condensate formed formaldehyde melamine co-polymer, so it always has been and still is made with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is H2CO (hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, for those without high-school chemistry) so you know it must be scary stuff! It's important to understand that Basotect contains no unreacted formaldehyde - that is to say that there is no formaldehyde in Basotect, it has all been consumed during the manufacturing process. You're in more danger from aluminum foil than you are Magic Erasers.

I'd tell you to put a Magic Eraser in your pipe and smoke it, except that the stuff is highly flame resistant. :D

[TomP]

...
Formaldehyde is H2CO (hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, for those without high-school chemistry) so you know it must be scary stuff!
...


Should we stop worrying about Carbon Monoxide on the same basis?;) Sorry, couldn't resist. Great post.

[trucker girl]

Well... aluminum foil can be a bit intimidating.

I'll have to give the magic eraser a try. Up to now, I've found sand to be far more effective than Soft Scrub. Maybe I'm not scrubbing right- it just seems to take forever and never quite goes away whereas sand seems to work quickly with the same "never quite goes away" result.

Too bad there's not sand in our quarries! I'd really hear it if I silted up the area looking for pebbles to clean my slate!

[muddiver]

A white 3M scouring pad will also work and it will last longer. Probably not as effective on the surface as the magic eraser though.