Cleaning an iron is not something you likely think of doing on a regular basis, if you think of it at all.  However, it is important to keep your iron clean and maintain it for optimum performance.  There are two parts of your iron that needs to be cleaned:  the soleplate and the reservoir.

Why do you need to clean your iron?  Detergent, starch spray, and fabric softener can leave a build up on your soleplate, which can then stain your clothes.  If your reservoir is dirty, the steam vents, which are the little holes in your soleplate, can become clogged with minerals from the water.  

Materials You Need for Cleaning Iron

• Salt
• Soft Cloth
• White Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Distilled or Purified Water
• Oven Cleaner

How to Clean Iron Soleplate:

• Turn off iron and let it cool completely.  
• Take a cloth damp with white vinegar or a solution of equal parts white vinegar and salt (heated up so the salt dissolves) and wipe soleplate.
• You can also make a paste of baking soda and water.  Wipe on iron soleplate with damp cloth.
• Wipe off with other side of the cloth.  

Tip:  Never use a metal scouring pad as this will scratch and damage the iron.

How to Clean Iron Reservoir:

• Fill reservoir ¼ full with white vinegar.  Fumes will be strong, so make sure there is ventilation.
• Steam the iron until the reservoir is empty.  
• Refill the reservoir with water and repeat until there are no longer any mineral deposits in the steam vents.  
• Rinse the reservoir out with purified or distilled water.  Prevent future build-up in the reservoir by using only purified or distilled water when steaming clothes.  If you do not have purified or distilled water, empty the reservoir while it is still hot.  This will allow it to dry completely.

Remove burn marks by turning off the iron and letting it cool completely.  Except for the sole plate, cover every part of the iron with paper.  Take outside and spray oven cleaner directly onto the sole plate.  Let this sit for three minutes and rinse the soleplate with a rag that is damp with cool water.

It is very important to clean your iron so that you do not damage your clothes due to stains from a dirty iron.

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Comments (1)

• |2010-03-27 21:06:10 Debby  - Cleaning sole plate on a steam iron
  Please note that when you are using a iron and spray starch you must let the starch set on the fabric a little bit before ironing. if you spray and then start ironing then you will run into trouble due to the build up on the iron. Now WalMart has been listed as a place to go buy Faultless iron cleaner. Which is a tube (2 pack) and this is the most effective way. But WalMart does not carry it anymore. Now Kmart might. I went to ours to look for this product and they happened to be out. Clean your iron after every use is the best way to not let a built up start. Or give the starch a little time before ironing...
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