How to clean an iron

Cleaning a burnt or dirty iron is highly necessary for ensuring that the iron does not go on to stain other clothes that you intend to press with that particular iron. Since irons are usually made use of for quite a long while before they are cleaned,  dirt and burn marks accumulate under the iron over a long period of time until they are so much that they begin to stain clothes especially whites and other clothes that are brightly colored.

These stains usually disfigure the clothes and some even when they are washed, some end up not coming off at all. One of the major steps in preventing this from happening is ensuring that you follow instructions that come with every fabric. Following these guidelines helps to prevent the accumulation of dirt and burn marks under the iron. Fabrics usually contain guidelines for the amount of heat that should be applied in pressing them on a tag usually attached to the fabric. Ironing fabrics like Nylon and Silk which require very low temperatures to smoothen out should always be done first before fabrics like Cotton that generally requires a relatively higher temperature to smoothen out.

In the event that you have actually pressed a cotton fabric with high temperature and next, you want to press a silk or nylon fabric, you need to ensure that the pressing iron cools down sufficiently to prevent these materials from getting burnt and leaving marks on the Iron surface. If you are thinking of how to clean an iron after use, purchasing a hot iron cleaner to clean the iron after every use is highly advised. Ensuring that your iron is clean saves you a lot of stress and embarrassment you could go through when you have an Iron stain. Most iron stains usually occur in areas that are very obvious thus carrying this type of stain around for an entire workday if you are a worker makes you look unkempt and unhygienic.

Considering how to clean an iron, there are certain materials that can be used in this cleaning and most of them are materials that can be found lying around in the household. Taking a look at some of these materials, we shall also consider the various processes required in cleaning out the stains effectively.

How to clean an iron with salt

Salt remains one substance that can be used for a very wide range of purposes. Aside from its use in cooking food, cleaning cuts and even melting ice, salt can also be used to clean the surface of pressing irons and remove every stain. In determining how to clean an iron with salt, there are certain steps that have to be taken to ensure that the salt works maximally and efficiently.

• The first step is to spread a dry and clean cotton cloth on your ironing board.
• Secondly, sprinkle salt on the cloth generously
• Then increase the temperature of your Iron until it is set at a high one.
• Place the iron on the cotton fabric you lay on the board and begin to press as you would normally a normal cloth.
• Continue to iron over the cloth until you see the burn stains starting to come off. After a while, checking your iron, you would see that the iron is entirely clean again.

How to clean a sticky iron

Whenever there is a sticky residue under your pressing iron, aside from the fact that it would definitely stain your clothes, the residue can also lead to your clothes getting burnt easily. There are various methods you can use when you are thinking of how to clean a sticky iron.  Usually, you should start from the most basic method and then move on to the advanced in the event that the earlier methods are not as effective as expected.

The first method is to simply use a piece of cloth and soapy water to clean the iron surface. In making this method more effective, you could, first of all, rub your iron with a damp rag to make the residues that have stuck hard loosen a bit. If the stickiness on your iron is not so much, then this method is perfect for you.

• Heat your Iron a bit ensuring that the regulator is turned on to a very low temperature.
• Wet a piece of cloth (preferably cotton) while ensuring it is only damp and not dripping wet.
• Unplug the Iron that has been warming and rub the damp cloth over the iron while ensuring that only the cloth makes contact with the iron and your hand is at a safe distance to prevent burns.

In the event that rubbing with just water does not work, the addition of soap to the water could be more effective.

• Unplug your iron until it is cool and has returned to room temperature.
• Pour some liquid soap into a bowl and add warm water.
• Mix the solution and dip a sponge or suitable material into the mixture.
• Ensure the sponge or material is damp and not wet. After this, you can go ahead with scrubbing the surface of the Iron with it.

The second method involves the use of Baby Powder. This method is a lot easier and does not require the use of water at all.

• Firstly, ensure that your iron is cool and not connected to any power source.
• Next, rub some baby powder on the surface of the pressing iron until the entire surface is coated with the baby powder
• Then connect your iron to a power source so it would heat up while you wipe the powder off by ironing a rag.
• Take the fabric you and to press and begin to iron after ensuring that no stickiness is left behind on the pressing iron.

The third method involves using a paper.

• Turn on your iron that is connected to a power source and leave it until it is on the highest temperature while ensuring that the steam is off.
• Spread some pieces of paper like newspapers or paper towels and slide the iron over the paper until it is completely free of the sticky residue.
• If the iron is still sticky after this, pour some salt on the surface of the paper and run the iron over the papers again. This option is highly advised when you are in a hurry and need to iron urgently because it does not completely remove all the stains but would clear the stickiness.

The fourth method is very detailed and can mainly be applied in family homes and when the stains you plan on cleaning are really stubborn. This method involves the use of vinegar and salt together.

• Pour some vinegar into a pan and add some quantity of salt while ensuring that the vinegar and salt are in equal proportions. Monitor the solution until it begins to boil and the bubbles are slowly starting to rise.
• Picking up your iron that has been left to cool, dip a rag or piece of cloth into the pan with glove-clad hands to prevent burns and rub it over the surface in a scrubbing motion until the entire surface is completely clean.
• As soon as you have the surface with the vinegar-salt solution, wet another piece of cloth with fresh water and wipe the surface of the iron to rinse off the solution. Leave the now clean iron to dry or alternatively, you could get another dry piece of cloth to wipe the water off.

Cleaning an iron with toothpaste

Aside from the important function toothpaste serves in the cleaning of the mouth, toothpaste is also really useful in cleaning other things such as the iron. The process involved in learning how to clean an iron with toothpaste is very easy and the actual cleaning is even a lot easier.

• Firstly, you have to ensure that your iron is unplugged from the power source and that it has cooled down. Also, ensure that the water tank is empty and the metal surface is cold.
• Rub some white toothpaste irrespective of the brand on the dirty areas of the surface.
• Take a clean cloth and gently wipe the toothpaste away from the surface of the iron.
• Fill the tank that was erstwhile empty with water and connect the iron to a power source.
• Place the iron on the surface of old cloth or an adsorbent towel and set the iron to steam.
• Checking back after 5 minutes, the surface of the iron would be completely clean.

How to clean an iron plate non-stick

How to clean an iron plate non-stick is a very easy process and does not involve any complicated steps.

• Firstly, you must disconnect the iron from any power source and leave it to cool. Cleaning the iron while it is still hot and connected to a power source could lead to burns and electrocution.
• Next, damping a cloth lightly, add some salt to the damp cloth and wipe the bottom of the iron. You could also use a nylon pad with water and soap. Avoid using any rough material that would scratch the surface of the iron alongside abrasive cleaners.
• If there are stubborn stains that are refusing to come off, you could also apply some toothpaste on the plate with a soft cloth. White Vinegar which can be used for cleaning sinks and faucets comes into use if there is a buildup of starchy stains on the surface.

If there are burn marks on the iron plate non-stick surface, cover the other parts of the iron with paper while leaving the surface exposed. The iron can then be sprayed with oven cleaner. This is sprayed directly on the bottom surface of the non-stick iron and left to stand for about 3 minutes. After this, the paper can be removed and the bottom surface of the iron can be washed with cold water.

How to descale an iron

Descaling your iron is totally essential to prevent blockages of the vents from which water comes out of your steam iron. In considering how to descale an iron, there are 7 basic steps that have to be taken and these points will be listed in bullets for easier understanding. Scales arise as a result of residues from hard water which are buildups of calcium and other minerals. The items that would be needed for descaling are items that can easily be gotten from the kitchen.

• To clean the scales, you need a potent mixture that would wipe them off. The creation of this solution simply involves mixing a half cup of water and half a cup of vinegar together in a bowl. This solution not only works on removing the scales, but it also eliminates the odor. Fill up the iron tank with this mixture and set the temperature to the highest.
• When the iron has heated up, the solution needs to be run through the system. Spreading a towel on the ironing board, place the iron on it and press the steam button. Press the button intermittently so that you end up having the steam burst out.
• Remove the solution completely from the tank and fill it up with fresh water. Repeat the same process you did with the solution with the water this time to ensure that every trace of vinegar is removed. Afterward, pour out the water.
• Mix another solution of White Vinegar and Salt; this serves to remove any scales from the bottom surface.
• Apply the solution generously over the surface and wipe with a soft cloth until you can see the scales coming off.
• Ensure you clean out the ducts since they can easily get clogged with scales again.
• Do a general rinsing and wipe down and you are good to go.

How to clean a steam iron steam holes

Cleaning out a steam iron steam holes gets rid of all the residues that have caked up over time blocking it.

• Mix two tablespoons of baking soda and water together to form a paste
• Spread this paste over the areas that have these caked up substances
• Wipe off the paste with a damp cloth
• Next, dip a swab of cotton in some clean water and insert this into the steam holes. Rotate the swab until all of the residues come off
• Refill the iron reservoir
• Turn on the steam to the highest and steam-iron a cloth to remove all deposits in the holes with the water
• Pour the water out and place the iron in a place where the remaining residues can easily drip out.

These simple steps are all the requirements that coming with learning how to clean a steam iron steam holes.

Taking cognizance of all these steps and processes ensures that you have a clean and working iron at the end of the day.