Each of us uses an iron almost every day. During everyday ironing, we do not even think about the dangers that lie in wait for this household appliance. Simple inattention can lead to external or internal pollution, which can confuse an inexperienced hostess. If you do not make a competent cleaning, then the iron will have to be thrown away. It is important to know the most effective ways instrument cleaning.
Causes of blockage
A dirty iron can become a serious obstacle on the way to ironed things. Steam stops coming out, scale appears, stains remain on things after ironing - just an incomplete list of what happens due to the appearance of pollution.
Causes of dirty iron:
- Unfiltered tap water leads to scale build-up inside the iron. This prevents full use of the steaming or moisturizing function of the fabric.
- Yellow streaks appear on your clothes if salt has started to build up on the heating element.
- Too high temperature during ironing leads to the formation of soot on the sole. He, in turn, is transferred to clothes.
- Prolonged contact of a hot iron with synthetic fibers.
- Contact with a hot sole of substances with resin or glue leads to contamination of the sole.
Using a dirty iron for its intended purpose is dangerous for both clothes and electrical appliances. Noticed a problem - turn off the iron and start taking action.
Cleaning rules
First, determine the type of iron contamination. It can be rust, plaque or soot. Carefully check the sole for scratches. Please note that not everything can be seen with the naked eye.
It is also important to take into account the material of the sole of the iron, the cleaning process itself depends on it. All these nuances are important, but there are also general rules iron cleaning:
- It is strictly forbidden to use hard sponges and brushes. Do not try to tear off carbon deposits mechanically. Do not use highly abrasive powders to clean the soleplate of the iron. Failure to follow this rule will result in scratches.
- Small scratches on the soleplate of the iron must be removed with a mixture of paraffin and salt. Mix the ingredients in equal proportions and pour the mixture onto a sheet of paper. Cover the paraffin with a tissue. Heat the iron to high and iron this cloth thoroughly. After that, your iron will become smooth again.
- To clean the sole, you can use only those products that enter into a chemical reaction with pollution. This will ensure the absence of mechanical influences.
- Carry out manipulations with the device only after disconnecting it from the mains.
Facilities
You can choose to cleanse folk remedies or specialty stores. It all depends on your preferences. Popular and effective cleaning products:
- Special pencil. The heated (unplugged) iron should be quickly rubbed with a pencil. This must be done carefully: do not put pressure on the pencil, do not touch the sole with your hands, wear protective gloves on your hands. After the carbon has dissolved, run the iron over the cotton fabric.
When buying a pencil, pay attention to the instructions, it indicates the type of sole for which you can use the chalk.
- Vinegar. Vinegar is easy to remove fresh soot. Prepare a mixture - 250 ml of water and 2 tbsp. l. vinegar. Soak a cotton cloth or cotton pad in the solution and wipe the warm soleplate.
- Ammonia. The substance is used in several variations. You can mix ammonia and vinegar in equal proportions or add a couple of drops of the product to the juice from one lemon. Sometimes ammonia is used in its pure form. In one of the solutions, you need to moisten a cotton cloth and wipe the slightly heated sole. In case of strong soot, place the iron on a soaked cloth and leave overnight.
- Hydrogen peroxide. This tool is very popular. The liquid substance can also be replaced with hydroperite tablets. The solution is applied in the same way as the previous ones. Wipe the sole with moistened gauze and iron the cotton patch of fabric.
- Toothpaste. Try to overcome stains with toothpaste. Apply the product with an old toothbrush to a heated iron. It is better to cover the entire surface, otherwise you can miss a small soot. Next, leave the household appliance for 30 minutes. Dip a washcloth in warm water and remove the toothpaste from the surface of the soleplate of the iron.
- You can always wipe off the burn with ordinary soda. Just pour a small amount of powder into the cheesecloth and rub the hot surface of the iron. If you understand what you need radical methods, try cleaning with Shumanite. They should be used according to the instructions.
How to wipe the iron correctly?
At home, you can easily clean the platform of even a very old iron. For proper cleaning, prepare the surface and additional materials. Find a quiet place at home where you won't be disturbed by children and pets. There should be an outlet nearby, a flat surface and a cotton cloth.
Cleaning the bottom of the iron is much easier if you start the procedure right away. A burnt device should be treated with the chosen agent, observing safety rules. Be sure to protect yourself and family members from possible burns.
You can get rid of burnt fabric and black plaque from plastic using ordinary foil. This method is not known to everyone, but it is very effective. The foil sheet should be laid out on an ironing board and ironed with a hot iron. After the procedure, it is necessary to wipe the surface with a cotton napkin.
With the help of foil, you can clean the mark from synthetic clothes and even from wool.
A perforated iron requires extra attention when cleaning. If you use paraffin or a special cleaning pencil, then the holes should be cleaned with cotton swabs. Also, don't forget to run steam through them to remove those products that have got deep inside. If this is not done, then greasy traces will remain on all clothes.
You can get rid of old burning and blackness with the help of a special iron bath. For this, an old baking sheet is often used. Pour 2 cm of hot water into it and add a suitable cleaning agent there. Also, the classic will help get rid of the burn. laundry soap. Just rub the iron, wait for it to dry and remove with a damp cloth.
You need to clean the iron not only from the outside, but also from the inside. To do this, use only distilled water ordinary tap water will only aggravate the situation.
Check your steam iron for scale after each use.
Features of cleaning coatings
If you want to clean the soleplate of the iron with high quality, consider its material. With the wrong approach, there is a risk of completely ruining the appliance. Modern irons come with soles made of Teflon, stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics and cermets:
- device with non-stick Teflon coating will upset you with soot only through your fault. The only reason is the wrong choice of temperature when ironing. Such dirt can be easily removed with classic cleaning products. You can use a pencil, acetic or citric acid, peroxide, or acetone liquids. Teflon does not tolerate powders and soda, salt. Because of them, scratches invisible to the eye may appear on the coating. Damaged coating slips worse.
- The next most popular is ceramics. Such soles are reliable and durable. The ceramic sole perfectly keeps temperature. Cleaning a ceramic-coated appliance at home is not easy. Ceramics is particularly sensitive to mechanical stress and requires special care. Many ceramic coated models are equipped with a self-cleaning function, but limescale can interfere with its operation. When cleaning the soles, only liquid products can be used. In the fight against soot, lime and scale, lemon juice, ammonia and ordinary peroxide will become your allies.
- Devices with a sole stainless steel and aluminum are less popular. As a rule, these are old irons that have been serving for a very long time. These materials are prone to the appearance of soot. Cleaning such irons is not very different from cleaning the previous options. It is important to know that aluminum cannot be cleaned with acids. Otherwise, corrosion may occur on the surface and dark spots, it may be deformed. Such a sole will completely ruin your clothes when ironing.
- Main advantage metal sole– the possibility of using abrasive substances. Aluminum and stainless steel are absolutely not afraid of mechanical damage. It is very easy to clean off fresh pollution even with an ordinary kitchen knife.
How to wash inside?
An iron with a steamer requires close attention, look into the water tank often. All sorts of pollution can appear there, up to green plaque, mold and traces of rust. To prevent severe contamination, use filtered drinking or distilled water for your iron.
If scale has formed inside the water tank, you will immediately notice it. When ironing with moisture or steam, your clothes will begin to become covered with yellowish spots.
Such pollution is extremely difficult to wash off, some things deteriorate irrevocably.
Many modern irons can clean themselves. You can use this property like this:
- Pour the purified liquid into the water tank.
- Turn on the iron at maximum power, wait until the soleplate is completely warmed up.
- After about 5 minutes, completely turn off the appliance and press the special button that activates the cleaning.
- You will see the steamer turn on. Steam will come out of the holes along with dissolved contaminants. It is better to carry out this manipulation over the basin.
- For better cleaning, gently shake the appliance and wipe with a cotton cloth.
Sometimes there are such serious pollution that self-cleaning is powerless. In this case, you will have to move on to more aggressive methods. An iron with a steamer can be washed using the following folk remedies:
- Lemon acid. You will need 25 g of the substance and a glass of water. Dissolve the powder and pour into the device. Heat the iron to maximum power and turn off the power supply. Hold the appliance over a convenient water tank, turn on the steam function. Thus, scale flakes will come out of the reservoir and soleplate holes. After cleaning, be sure to rinse the iron with plain water and wipe the soleplate with a cloth.
- Sparkling water. The principle of cleaning is similar to the previous option. Instead of a mixture with citric acid, sparkling water must be poured into the tank. In such water there are substances that can dissolve scale.
- Vinegar solution. Mix water and vinegar in equal proportions and pour the resulting liquid into 2/3 of the tank. Set the iron upright and heat to maximum temperature. Leave the device alone for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the device will randomly turn off and turn on again, do not interfere with this.
Now hold the appliance horizontally over a basin or sink, turn on the steam function. Keep the appliance at a distance so as not to inhale the fumes of vinegar and dissolved dirt. To eliminate vinegar, pour plain distilled water into the tank and repeat the procedure.
There are special industrial substances on the market for cleaning the iron tank from various kinds of contaminants. Enough effective remedy – "Antinakipin". You will need ½ tbsp. l. funds for a glass of water. The solution is poured into the tank and the iron is heated to the maximum. Then the iron must cool down, and the tank must be emptied of the mixture and rinsed with clean water.
Rust stains and scale can be removed with Cillit. Set the iron upside down and heat up. Using a syringe or pipette, drop the product into the steam holes and let it brew. After 7-10 minutes, dirt will begin to ooze from the holes, remove it with a damp cotton cloth. Rinse the iron itself from the inside with purified water.
All industrial products contain acids. You need to work with them strictly according to the instructions. The very principle of use is no different from the use of folk remedies.
You should also prepare a solution and pour it into the reservoir of a heated household appliance. The dirt itself comes out thanks to the steam.
Pollution Prevention
It is important to know effective methods combat iron pollution, it is equally important to know about the prevention of their occurrence. Experts give the following recommendations:
- Be sure to read the instructions for your iron. Manufacturers describe in detail the rules of operation, do not neglect them.
- Use only purified water for ironing. Ordinary tap water is too polluted with salts and other heavy elements. All of them lead to serious contamination of the tank and steam openings.
- The soleplate of the iron should be wiped with a damp cotton cloth after each use.
- Do not leave the iron with water in the tank. It is such a rash act that can lead to the formation of plaque inside the tank.
- Your inattention when setting the temperature regime can lead to the appearance of soot. To avoid such a nuisance, do not remove labels from clothing and follow the recommendations indicated by the manufacturer. Be especially careful with synthetic fabrics and wool, they can seriously burn on the soleplate of the appliance.
- Delicate fabrics should be ironed through damp gauze. When ironing wool, use a cotton cloth. It is recommended to steam silk clothes without touching the fabric with the sole itself.
- Modern irons cannot be cleaned with metal washcloths, coarse brushes and abrasive powders. Such an incorrect approach to the cleaning procedure will lead to the formation of scratches. Mechanical damage worsen the sliding of the iron, complicate the process of ironing things. Moreover, such an iron can completely ruin your clothes.
It is an indispensable assistant for anyone who wants to look neat and pleasant to others. The neatness of your image directly depends on the quality of your iron, on how often you clean it of dirt. We will tell you how to clean the iron at home.
After reading this article, you will understand that cleaning the iron is not difficult, requiring minimal effort on your part.
From this article you will learn:
- how to clean the soleplate of an iron at home;
- how to clean a ceramic coated iron;
- how to clean a teflon iron;
- how to clean the iron from burnt fabric;
- how to clean the iron from scale at home;
- how to clean a steam iron from scale.
Everyone will agree that clothes spoiled by a dirty iron are an unpleasant surprise at a time when you need to iron something quickly and quickly run about. And in general, clothes spoiled by an iron are always a nuisance.
How many times have you been frustrated when a recently purchased iron suddenly began to "chew" the fabric of your favorite thing? After all, some shirts and blouses are made of very whimsical fabrics, and such troubles with the iron can lead to throwing your favorite thing in the trash.
Do you want to forget once and for all about the problems with ironing, the long search for products to clean the surface of the iron? Then read the article carefully.
Iron coatings, that is, their soles, are made of iron, Teflon or ceramics. These materials are very durable and easy to use.
How to clean the iron from burn at home?
Let's consider the first way. In order to clean the soleplate of an iron from carbon deposits with peroxide, you will need ordinary hydrogen peroxide, which can be bought at any pharmacy, and a cotton pad.
Soak a cotton pad in hydrogen peroxide until the cotton is completely wet. Wipe the soleplate. With each movement, the soot will disappear.
This method is easy to use and does not require large expenditures.
You will find the answer to this question by reading the following method for cleaning the iron.
Cleaning the iron with citric acid is also not particularly difficult. In order to clean the iron from scale with citric acid, it is necessary in a glass with boiled water dilute a packet of citric acid weighing 10 g.
Next, you need to pour the resulting solution into the iron tank. Activate the steam boost mode by setting the iron to full power.
Such cleaning should continue until all the water in the tank runs out. Citric acid will steam off the scale, after which all the dirt will disappear.
How to clean the steam iron from scale?
Steam irons made in our time have the property of self-cleaning.
In order to clean the steam iron from scale, it is necessary to turn it on at full power, having previously drawn it into the water tank maximum amount liquids.
The iron will then heat up until it reaches the maximum heat setting, after which it will turn off. It is necessary to wait for the second turn off of the iron, after which you should unplug the appliance from the socket, and then press the button located on the body of the iron.
This button is provided to clean the device.
Prepare a container in advance so that the steam and dirt that will come out of the iron after pressing the clean button do not stain you.
In the process of such cleaning, the device must be shaken intensively so that the scale leaves the iron faster. Upon completion of this procedure, it is necessary to rinse the sole of the iron, rinse the container.
The method of cleaning the iron with salt will help you understand how to clean the soleplate of the iron from carbon deposits quickly and without unnecessary worries.
In order to clean the iron with salt, you need finely ground salt, clean paper (do not use a newspaper, as printing ink may remain on the soleplate during the cleaning process).
Sprinkle salt on clean paper, heat the iron. Run the iron over the salt floor as if you were ironing. Hot salt will clean the soleplate of your iron quickly and efficiently.
Soap cleaning
If the stain on the soleplate is still quite fresh, then the fourth method of removing dirt from the iron is suitable for cleaning.
You will need soap (a household soap is more suitable) and water. Heat the iron, then gently rub the soleplate with soap. It is necessary to wait for the iron to cool down, after which the contamination can be easily washed off using a wet cloth.
The cleaned surface of the iron will pleasantly please you.
Cleaning the soleplate with a chemical pencil is the easiest way to remove a burnt stain from the surface of the soleplate.
Simply heat the iron, then press the cleaning stick directly to the soleplate of the iron and anoint the dirty spots on the soleplate. After you notice that the product has corroded the dirt, you need to wipe the iron on a lint-free cloth.
This cleaning method is suitable when there is time to go to the hardware store for this pencil.
How to clean the iron from soot?
If you don’t have such a cleaning agent as a chemical pencil at hand, then you can also clean the iron from soot with toothpaste, which, of course, everyone can find.
It is necessary to apply toothpaste on the soleplate of the iron, after heating the appliance. A few minutes after applying the toothpaste, remove the remaining toothpaste by ironing the unnecessary fabric.
Vinegar cleansing
We clean the iron without heating. Cold cleaning of the iron can be done with vinegar. To do this, moisten a cotton swab with vinegar and wipe the dirt.
The carbon deposits from the sole of the iron can be easily removed in a matter of minutes. The iron must remain switched off!
With a matchbox
With the side of the matchbox, where the sulfur strip is located, wipe the dirt on the iron. In this case, the iron must be heated.
The last way, but not at all in terms of efficiency. Reliable way removing burnt tissue from the surface of the soleplate of the iron with a paraffin candle will help you solve your problem.
Wrap the paraffin candle in a cloth (cotton fit better in total), spread the hot iron with the resulting “sausage” in those places where it is necessary to remove contamination.
Melting paraffin will do the job perfectly.
How to clean a ceramic iron?
Everyone knows that ceramic is an expensive material that requires attention, but cleaning a ceramic-coated iron is not as difficult as it seems. There are several ways to clean the ceramic soleplate of an iron at no extra cost.
One of these methods is cleaning with soda. It is necessary to mix soda with water in a ratio of 1:20. Next, wipe the surface of the iron with a soft cloth. A ceramic iron can also be cleaned with citric acid, toilet soap and hydrogen peroxide.
How to clean a Teflon coated iron? The answer is simple. You can clean a Teflon iron using the same methods that are used to clean other types of irons.
In order to remove a burnt piece of synthetic fabric to the surface of the iron, you just need to heat the iron, then scrape the melted fabric from the iron with something not sharp, a scraper will do.
Would you like to know how to descale your Philips iron? The fact is that a special container is built into the irons of this company, which collects scale. To descale your Philips iron, remove the container by pressing the release button located on the back of the iron.
After taking out the container, rinse it and dry it, wipe the scale particles with a damp cloth, after which the container will be ready for use again.
A modern Tefal iron is an iron with. In order to clean the Tefal iron, it is necessary to pour into the water tank mineral water, as it perfectly removes scale, then the iron turns on at full power.
After the water has completely evaporated, the procedure must be repeated, only with ordinary water. You can also clean with citric acid, but I usually clean with mineral water.
So, you are familiar with the main effective ways cleaning the soleplate of the iron from adhering fabric, burning. We learned how to clean the ceramic sole of the iron, how to clean the iron from burnt soles, how to clean this household appliance from the inside.
Regular cleaning of the iron will protect your electrical appliance from burning. Now you are not afraid of holes on your favorite clothes, resulting from ironing with a dirty iron, as now your iron will always shine with cleanliness.
Mother of two children. I have been running a household for more than 7 years - this is my main job. I like to experiment, I constantly try various means, methods, techniques that can make our life easier, more modern, richer. I love my family.
How to clean an iron at home
Cleaning the iron from carbon deposits at home is a simple matter. The main thing is to choose a tool that is suitable for the material from which the sole of the iron is made. There are some nuances in this case:
- For ceramic coated instruments. In order not to damage the surface, you can use a special cleaning pencil or crayon.
- For metal surfaces. It is best to resort to the help of baking soda or toothpaste.
- For Teflon. Irons with Teflon or ceramic soles can be cleaned with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or soap.
Now let's take a closer look at these cleaning methods.
6 folk recipes
To clean the iron from soot, it is not at all necessary to resort to expensive substances, it is quite possible to get by with budget components:
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Method 1. Vinegar
Wondering how to clean the soleplate of a Teflon-coated iron? Use ordinary table vinegar:
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Method 2. Lemon juice and ammonia
By simply adding a few drops of ammonia to lemon juice, you will receive an effective tool that will not only rid the sole of carbon deposits, but also remove the remnants of fabric adhering to the surface. In addition, alcohol will also disinfect the surface and prevent the formation of fungus on it. |
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Method 3. Soap
This option is perfect if you are looking for how to clean a Teflon-coated iron from fresh carbon deposits. Just rub the sole with a bar of soap, and then remove the residue with a damp cloth. |
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Method 4. Nail polish remover
It is very easy to use. Soak a cotton pad in the liquid and wipe the contaminated areas with it. Then you just have to treat the surface with a clean, damp cloth. |
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Method 5. Hydrogen peroxide
To clean the surface of the iron, you will need not the liquid itself, but hydroperite tablets, which include hydrogen peroxide. Rub them on the working plane (no need to crush the tablet), and then walk on it with a damp sponge. |
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Method 6. Toothpaste
Cleaning the soleplate of the iron with toothpaste proceeds as follows:
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iron pencil
You can also clean the iron with a special pencil (price - from about 75 rubles), which is sold in stores with household chemicals. It is very easy to use it.
- Switch on the device and wait for it to heat up.
- Start running the pencil along the sole so that it starts to melt. Do not press the pencil strongly, otherwise it will break, and small pieces will fall into the holes on the surface of the device.
- Remove the remaining dirt with an unnecessary cotton cloth.
A similar option is good in the question of how to clean a Teflon iron or how to restore the metal or ceramic surface of the device.
How to prevent soot
So that the problem of soot formation no longer bothers, I recommend that you follow simple but important tips.
The iron is an indispensable assistant for the hostess. Everyone knows not to be left unattended and different fabrics must be ironed at a certain temperature. But in a hurry it is forgotten, carbon deposits form on the surface of the sole. Ironing becomes impossible. How to clean the iron from carbon deposits and not damage the equipment?
Cleaning the iron at home from scale and soot is easy, cleaning products are available to everyone. Do not use abrasive products as they will damage the equipment.
It is necessary to clean the device disconnected from the mains!
Vinegar
You will need table vinegar to clean the heating element. Natural - apple, wine - will not work, there are natural sugars that pollute the sole of the device.
Vinegar is used when yellow or brown spots. Acid dissolves salt deposits, scale, formed during the steaming of fabrics.
Required:
- vinegar 9%;
- cotton swab;
- cotton pad.
Cleaning Method:
- heat up the device
- unplug it;
- soak a cotton pad and stick with vinegar, squeeze out the excess;
- wipe the sole with a cotton pad, go through small parts with a stick;
- include in the network;
- iron the cotton fabric.
If the surface is heavily soiled, soak the cotton fabric with a solution of vinegar and iron until the pollution disappears.
The material must be natural. Otherwise, you will get fresh traces of burning on the sole.
As an alternative to vinegar, use citric acid. Chemically pure substance, not citrus juice. Lemon contains sugar. Its use will increase surface contamination.
Dissolve the acid in water to a rich sour taste and treat the contaminated surface.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide, when decomposed, releases atomic oxygen, a strong odor is possible. Helps to clean and disinfect ceramic or Teflon coating.
Soak a cotton swab or heavy cloth with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Thoroughly wipe the contaminated cold surface. Rinsing or rinsing is not necessary.
Ammonia
Ammonia is not used in its entirety. To clean the sole of the appliance, ammonia is mixed in equal proportions with vinegar.
Treat the cold surface of the device with the resulting liquid. Leave for 2-3 minutes. Wipe the sole with a waffle napkin, sponge.
To Work with ammonia should be in a ventilated area. Do not inhale vapors and do not allow the solution to come into contact with eyes and mucous membranes!
Other Methods
Table salt will help clean the surface of the iron at home from burns. The method is not suitable for Teflon surfaces!
Sprinkle fine salt on a sheet of paper. Warm up the device and iron the sheet. Baking soda powder works the same way.
A budget tool for cleaning the iron from burns is laundry soap. To wipe the stain, you should heat the device, wipe it with dry soap. Leave until cool. Then wipe the sole with a dry cloth. Remove soap residue with a damp sponge.
Toothpaste is an all-purpose mild cleaner. Apply the paste to the sole. Heat up the device. Remove toothpaste with a damp cloth. Set to steam mode. Remove cleaning agent residue from the surface.
Overview of Special Tools
Special chemicals for cleaning from burning do not require specialized skills.
Just read the manufacturer's instructions.
- Bubble Ice Pencil - contains ammonium nitrate, adipic acid, citric acid. Warm up the device to a temperature of 130 degrees or set the “wool” mode. Switch off the device. Apply a fire cleaner. Wait for melting and carefully wipe the sole with a dry cotton cloth.
- Pencil Tefal XD900100 - suitable for all types of surfaces. The composition and method of use is not indicated on the package.
- WPRO IRON KIT iron care kit - consisting of a descaling liquid and a pencil for processing the heating element. Manufacturer Italy. Approved for cleaning aluminum soles.
What products can harm the iron coating
Now manufacturers produce equipment with various types of coatings - stainless steel, ceramics, non-stick based on Teflon.
Any surface will be damaged by the following actions:
- abrasives - which are part of the means for cleaning tiles or enameled surfaces. After use, cracks remain, and the device stops sliding on the fabric;
- iron brushes - a variant of the abrasive;
- aggressive acids and alkalis - ceramics and teflon inert materials, metal surfaces under them. Enough cracks and aggressive substances will penetrate into the internal structures of the device, causing corrosion. After a while, the device will have to be thrown away;
- rinsing under running water - gets on the internal components of the device. Short circuit secured;
- paraffin - there is a possibility that a product of oil refining in liquid form will get inside the device or remain in the steam outlets.
It is easy to allow burning: get distracted or set the wrong temperature on the regulator, and it is difficult to wash the sole!
Even a good iron will sooner or later develop brown or black spots on the soleplate. At first they do not interfere with ironing. In any case, we do not notice that they interfere. But over time, ironing becomes more and more difficult - the sole does not slip due to soot. It would seem that there is such a thing? We take and clean the cinder. But not everything is so simple. If the ceramic or Teflon surface is scratched, the iron can be thrown away. So before you clean the iron, choose the appropriate method or tool.
We clean the iron from burn on the sole
If the heating mode of the iron is incorrectly selected, a yellowish coating forms on the soleplate. It makes the sole rougher, because of which it slides worse over the fabric and it becomes more difficult to iron. If this soot is not removed in time, it will turn brown, then black. The darker the color, the more difficult it is to get rid of plaque. If your iron is expensive, it is better to remove plaque after ironing. Ideally, immediately after he appeared. Even if you do a gentle cleaning once a week, this will be enough.
home cleaning technique
First, how to clean the soleplate of the iron. We take a clean, dry rag made from natural fabrics. It is very good if it has a rough weave, but not necessarily. The rag needs to be folded several times, put on an ironing board. We apply a liquid or paste composition on it, distributing it over most of the surface. Warmed up to medium temperature or a cold iron, we begin to “iron” a rag with a cleaning agent. It takes several minutes to do this. During cleaning, it is advisable to remove the plug from the socket. Usually alkaline or acidic components are used, so it’s better not to take risks, otherwise you will also have to.
In some cases, if the cloth is soaked with caustic ingredients, you can simply leave the iron on the cloth for a while. When the soot softens, it will be possible to iron a dry or damp rag, but already clean. If not all soot has been removed, repeat the treatment. If it doesn’t help at all, try another method or composition.
When using certain cleaning products (baking soda, salt, toothpaste), the steam release pores on the soleplate of the iron may become clogged. A cloth soaked in vinegar can help. We also iron it with a heated iron. Another way is to pour water with vinegar and "release" all the liquid in the form of steam. Keep the sole pointing down. By the way, this will also clean the scale that forms in steam irons.
Compositions for cleaning
To say unequivocally - it works, but it does not - it will not work. First, the type of burn is different. Secondly, ironing soles are also different. Not only the form is different, but also the materials. What works on ceramic may not work on metal. And vice versa. Often you have to try several options. Interestingly, the one that worked this time may not necessarily help the next. So you have to experiment all the time.
You can do it differently: apply the paste on the fabric and “target” rub the stains
Ingredients for application to a clean cloth:
- soda and detergent mix, add water to the state of a thick slurry.
- Whitening toothpaste.
- In 9% or 6% vinegar, add a couple of tablespoons of ammonia, moisten the cloth.
- You can try just vinegar. They can wet a rag and rub the sole with it. But it is safer to “iron” a rag soaked in vinegar, and especially stubborn stains can be rubbed off.
There are also more aggressive methods. For example, for 200 ml of water, take 20-25 grams of citric acid. Pour the solution into a frying pan or baking sheet with high sides. Put an iron in it. The liquid must cover the sole, but must not be above the joint with the body. Withstand 20-25 minutes. Even the hardest soot is rubbed off. If you put the iron in a frying pan or baking sheet on a slow fire and boil, also clean the limescale well, which clogs the steam nozzles. The liquid should not boil, but only be hot.
A tougher option is an acid or alkali bath cleaner. Again, different compositions work for different cases. A piece of dense polyethylene is placed on a soft rag, crushed a little in the middle so that the edges are higher than the middle. The agent is poured and an iron is placed in the puddle formed. The burnt spot on the sole should be immersed in acid. We wait 10-15 minutes, wash with a wet cloth. Even stubborn dirt is removed so well. If the sole of the iron is made of stainless steel, you can safely use this method. All others are at your own risk.
Dry cleaning
There is another way mechanical cleaning iron from soot, but it can be used with cheap or old copies. With those where the surface is ceramic, has a Teflon coating, these methods will not work. Rather, they will remove the cinder, but the sole will get a lot of scratches, so it will be almost impossible to use. So before cleaning the iron from carbon deposits mechanically, we look at the sole. If there are already scratches and this does not bother you, feel free to proceed. If the surface is smooth, it's best to play it safe and try liquid products.
Cleaning technique - crawl with an iron on a pile of soda or salt
The essence of the method is to pour a dry fine abrasive and run an iron over it until the burnt fragments remain on the abrasive. We act like this. On a hard surface we spread a sheet of paper (you can use a newspaper, a magazine spread), pour soda or fine table salt. We heat up the iron a little (do not heat it up), pressing it to a dry substance, we try to peel off the burnt residues. The cleaning time depends on how much the soot has "boiled". Sometimes the process is fast, sometimes slow, but it always clears. Not to a mirror shine, but removes blackness.
The disadvantage of this method is that if there is carbon deposits inside the notches of the soleplate of the iron, it is very difficult to remove it. You will have to take a cotton swab, dip it in water, soda / salt and clean each hole in this way. The boiling method works faster.
You can remove burnt from the sole of a gray matchbox
There is another way of mechanical cleaning - with the help of sulfur on an ordinary matchbox. A strip of sulfur is a fine and soft abrasive. It should not scratch even the ceramic surface. Cleaning carbon deposits from the iron is simple: scrape carbon deposits with the corner of the box.
Using an iron cleaning pen
On sale there are special pencils for cleaning the soleplate of the iron. They may have a different composition, but the cleaning process itself is the same. First you need to protect the plastic part of the case, which is located below the sole. Masking tape is ideal. It adheres easily, adheres well and leaves no residue after peeling off. We seal the plastic carefully.
You will also need a clean rag or paper towels to clean the surface of residues and drips. We put on thick working cotton gloves on our hands - steam will form actively and the gloves will protect against burns. It is better to cover the table with paper or old rags - dirty liquid will flow. Next, clean the soleplate of the iron as follows:
- Preheat the iron to medium temperature or higher. The higher the temperature, the faster the cleaning will be. But the evaporation is very active, so ventilation should work well or you can clean it by an open window.
- Tilt the iron so that the soleplate is pointing slightly down. We choose the angle arbitrarily, but the composition from the melting pencil should not flow inward through the steam holes.
- With a pencil, we actively drive along the sole of the iron. It melts, immediately evaporates, some drips down.
- Periodically clean the surface with a rag or paper towels. When all the stains are gone, wipe the sole clean, remove the adhesive tape.
This method is one of the most efficient. The price of the issue is a couple of tens of rubles, and you can use it for Teflon irons, and for steam, and for ceramic ones. Fast, convenient, inexpensive.
Removing scale inside
Almost all irons now come with steam - they are more convenient and efficient. During operation, scale is formed inside - these are those insoluble substances that water contains. They are, if undistilled water is poured into the iron. If the iron has a self-cleaning function, periodically turn it on. If not, you will have to proceed differently.
This is what was inside the steam iron
Cleaning from the inside
To remove scale in the iron, acidified water must be poured inside. Scale is salt, the acidic environment corrodes them, they loosen and come out with steam. It is better to take the most purified water. Better - distilled. If it is not available - settled boiled or after a good cleaning. Add citric acid to water. For 200 ml - about 25 grams, per liter - 5-6 tablespoons. You can also pour alcohol vinegar (one glass per liter of 9%), but it has a more unpleasant odor.
In order to clean the iron inside, you need to pour water with citric acid and turn it on until it heats up. And this is what comes out
Pour acidified water into the iron tank. By quantity - to the maximum. Turn on the iron to the highest temperature. Heat until the light goes out twice or thrice. We turn off the iron, go to the sink. Well we coward him, let off steam. If it has cooled down, and there is still water inside, heat it up again, turn it off and continue cleaning.
The final stage is to pour clean water and “evaporate” all of it. You can do this over an old rag for impressions. Usually, after observing what has accumulated inside, they rarely forget to clean the iron.
Boiling
The same composition (water with vinegar or citric acid) is poured into a baking sheet with high sides. We put two sticks at the bottom (you can use it for sushi, you can just use chips). The purpose of the chopsticks is to provide a gap between the baking sheet and the soleplate of the iron.
We put a cold iron in a container on pieces of wood. The liquid level should be such that it covers the sole, but does not reach the plastic parts. We put all this on the burner, bring to a boil, leave to cool. Heat up again, cool down. So 2-4 times. Next, you need to drain the water that got inside the iron through the steam holes. You can drain it through the filler hole. The water will not be clean, usually yellow with scale residues.
Pour clean water into the iron, rinse and pour out. Then you need to leave it alone until it dries. After a couple of hours, you can turn it on and try ironing.