How to Make Dried Pencil Erasers Work Again (Quick Tip)

Perfectly good pencils with hard pencil erasers don't need to be tossed away anymore once you know this handy tip! 

Why do pencil erasers dry out?

Pencil erasers are made of rubber, which can harden and no longer be effective if exposed to air and light for long periods of time. Also, the friction from using the eraser generates heat, which causes the eraser to harden and smear the pencil marks. 

How do I keep my pencil erasers from getting hard?

In order to keep the pencil and quilting erasers from getting hard and drying out, store the eraser in a dark and airtight container.  The advantages of this is that the eraser can always be found when it's needed, and it can be used for a longer period of time since it stays in good condition.

Learn more about fixing a dried-out pencil eraser by watching our video or continuing to read this post.

WHAT YOU NEED to revive a dried out pencil eraser

• Dried out and hard eraser
• Emory board
• Paper or cardboard to collect shavings

INSTRUCTIONS to fix a dried pencil eraser

STEP 1: Locate the dried pencil erasers

More than likely, several pencil erasers in the home need to be fixed after drying out. Gather up the pencils with dried erasers and any quilting erasers in order to work efficiently.

step 2: cover the work area

Fixing the dried pencil erasers will make a bit of a mess, so be sure to lay a piece of paper or cardboard down to catch the shavings and save on clean up.

step 3: Rub the eraser with the Emory board

That trusty nail filing tool, an emory board, is going to save the day!  Simply file down the hard pencil erasers, removing any dried out areas on the surface of the eraser. 

File all areas of the dried pencil erasers.  When the eraser looks pink or clean if it is not a pink eraser, the job is done.

step 4: store the pencil erasers and quilt erasers

In order to prevent the pencil erasers from drying out again, they will need to be stored in a dark, air-tight location. Some ideas are old coffee cans, small plastic cases, or even a pencil box.  Just be sure that it is air-tight and keep away from the sun to prevent the rubber from hardening.

That's it!  Now all of those pencils and quilting erasers that looked unusable can be revived and brought back to life to be used once again.  So thrifty to keep from buying new pencils all of the time!

more tips and tricks

• Craft Organization Tips
• Craft Storage Idea
• How to Drill a Drainage Hole in a Ceramic Flower Pot