How to clean an iron at home

We clean the iron from carbon deposits

The working surface of the iron is made of several types of materials. Based on this, the method of cleaning from carbon deposits is selected. Soles are:

• metal-ceramic (ceramic);
• teflon (aluminium with teflon coating);
• stainless steel;
• aluminium;
• titanium.

Sole material

A simple and inexpensive solution is suitable for cleaning any iron – a special pencil. But if you did not buy it in advance in a household store, you will have to use the advice of experienced housewives and improvised means. So, we figure out how to clean the iron at home:

• Household soap. We heat the appliance, apply a soap solution to the sole and wipe it with a kitchen sponge or cloth napkin.
• Salt. Pour table salt on a piece of unnecessary fabric and iron it until the stains come off. The steam function must be disabled in this case.

• With a candle. We take a paraffin candle, wrap it with a cotton cloth and rub a hot iron with circular movements. During the procedure, you need to put some container under the device, put paper or a rag so that the melted paraffin does not stain the table or ironing board. Paraffin sometimes gets into steam holes or a relief pattern, so you should carefully examine these places. You may need additional cleaning of the iron, now from paraffin.
• Hydrogen peroxide. With a sponge soaked in peroxide, we wash off the carbon until it completely disappears. The surface should be cold.
• Vinegar solution with ammonia. In case of severe damage to the sole, vinegar is mixed with ammonia in a ratio of 1: 1 and wiped. If the burn is not strong, one vinegar is enough. You can cover the treated area with a cloth soaked in vinegar for a couple of hours. The burnt substance will become soft and easily removed.
• Soda. This is another easy way to clean the iron. Dissolve a tablespoon of soda in water, soak the sponge and gently clean the sole. It is important that the iron is turned off, and the treated surface is cold or slightly warm.
• Nail polish remover. If a fabric made of artificial material or polyethylene sticks to the surface during ironing, we do not torment ourselves with the question of how to clean the sole of the iron, but simply remove the stuck piece with a swab soaked in nail polish remover. We work carefully, without touching the plastic case, as the nail polish remover is able to eat the plastic.
• Lemon or citric acid. We wipe the hot base with a piece of lemon or a napkin soaked in juice / citric acid solution. You can simply iron this napkin with the steam function turned off.

Cleaning the sole of the iron with salt

Cleaning the iron with soda, vinegar, citric acid solution

Despite the fact that irons with aluminium and steel soles are increasingly losing popularity due to their lower practicality, the question of how to clean the sole of an iron from these materials worries many more housewives. It is possible to get rid of such surfaces from stains, both by the methods listed above and by mechanical means. To remove carbon deposits, it is enough to warm up the sole and scratch with a knife or fine sandpaper. In no case should citric acid be used for cleaning, since the reaction of the interaction makes the aluminium surface unsuitable for ironing.

How to prevent the appearance of carbon deposits on the iron?

We all know that it is easier to prevent trouble than to puzzle over how to clean the iron from carbon deposits, and try a lot of remedies. In order for the problem of carbon deposits not to arise at all, it is enough to adhere to simple rules:

• Strictly observe the temperature regime for each type of material. Information about the composition of the fabric and the permissible ironing temperature are indicated on the labels to the clothes.
• Woolen and other "capricious" fabrics are better ironed through a moistened cloth napkin or a piece of gauze.
• During breaks, do not leave the device with the sole down on the fabric or board, but put it on a special stand or vertically.
• After finishing the work, you need to take care of the electrical appliance — wipe the sole with a piece of soft material, and then the problem of how to clean the iron from carbon deposits will not arise.

Correct position of the iron before and after ironing

Information about fabric and ironing mode

How to clean the inside of the iron from scale?

Burnt fabric spoils the mood of the hostess, but the scale formed inside the iron with the function of steam supply also gives a lot of trouble. It manifests itself in the form of splashing dirty water on underwear, flakes falling out. It is inconvenient to use such a device, since there is always a danger of spoiling the outfit or leaving dark stains on the tablecloth, bed linen. Such stains are not always successfully washed off, which is an additional reason to look for a solution on how to clean the iron from scale.

And they are! To begin with, there are models with a descaling function. This feature significantly prolongs the life of the technique and eliminates the troubles associated with the formation of lime plaque.

In some irons, self-cleaning is performed automatically, while others require a special procedure. Moreover, not only when crumbs are already pouring out of the iron, but from the very beginning of operation, at least once a month. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Get as much water as possible. Prepare a container for draining water, and also use a toilet or sink.
• Turn the regulator to full power and turn on the device.
• When the iron is hot, turn it off, turn it on and heat it up again.
• Hold the device horizontally over the prepared container and press the self-cleaning button, shake it slightly so that the plaque particles fly out better and steam comes out.
• Repeat the procedure 3-4 times, turn off the device.
• Clean the sole and steam holes with a rag.
• Flush the water compartment.

If household appliances are far from new, and self-cleaning has not yielded results or there is no such function, then in the question of how to clean the iron inside, ordinary household products will help out:

• Citric acid. Dissolve a tablespoon of powder in 200 mL of water and pour it into the compartment. Having heated the device, shake it and press the steam button. Scale may start to fly out of the holes, so perform the procedure over the basin or sink. It can be repeated 1-3 times. It is recommended to do a trial ironing on cotton fabric with the steam function turned on after cleaning.
• Vinegar. This is another effective tool than cleaning an iron at home. To do this, you will literally have to cook it. The procedure is simple. Prepare the container. A tray, a baking tray or a large frying pan will do. Dilute a glass of 9% vinegar in a liter of warm water. Put two wooden slats or sticks in the tray, placing them in parallel. Install the device on them, slightly lifting the back part. Set the steam indicator to the maximum mark, pour the solution into the container so that it barely covers the metal base of the iron. Put on the fire and bring the liquid to a boil. When it cools down, repeat the operation. After that, wash the iron thoroughly and perform a trial ironing a day later.
• Carbonated mineral water. Often, in search of what to clean the iron at home, housewives try unusual, at first glance, means. One of these is mineral water. It includes acids and other substances capable of dissolving scale. But not in ordinary soda, but in therapeutic mineral water. Note that such water is not cheap and is not always at hand at home, like vinegar and lemon juice, so the method is not very popular, but effective. The operation is carried out in the same way as in the case of citric acid.

How to prevent the formation of scale in the iron?

It is impossible to stop the appearance of scale, but by following a number of recommendations, you can delay the unpleasant moments of the appearance of sediment. The problem of how to clean an iron tefal or another popular manufacturer will not be relevant for a long time if:

• for steaming, use purified drinking water, or even better, distilled, since there are a lot of salts in the tap that precipitate when heated.
• at the end of ironing, put the iron vertically or on a special stand.
• at the end of the work, drain the water from the tank.

Purified water for steaming

As you can see, there are many unsophisticated ways to clean the iron from scale or burn, allowing you to keep the equipment in order and get pleasure from household chores, and not disappointment and unnecessary problems.