Ironing is an often overlooked chore that many of us don’t think about. With the rise in popularity of do-it-yourself online tutorials, people have gradually become more aware of how important it is to iron clothes before wearing them. Some consider ironing tedious, but it’s more than just pressing your clothes on a hanger and waiting for them to come out wrinkle-free.
Some people love to iron clothes, and others hate them. Iron is made from clean stainless steel, requires maintenance and care regularly with little supervision. One can keep an iron in proper working conditions and get good steam power. Iron is one of the essential home appliances. Like other appliances, your fabric steamer also requires maintenance and care regularly. With little maintenance, one can keep the Iron in working condition.
How Often To Clean An Iron
Iron should be cleaned seasonally depending on either you use it frequently or not. It’s better to clean the Iron’s soleplate when a dull film or build-up black marks appear on it. If we do not clean our Iron, it could be challenging for us to use it, as you will feel it dragging on the clothes instead of gliding, as you will feel roughness in the to and fro motion while ironing, and it will leave black marks and stains on your clothes that are hard to remove.
Ways To Clean Soleplate Of The Steam Iron
The most effective ways methods to clean the soleplate are as follows:
Baking Soda Method:
Make a paste of baking soda and water. Then apply this iron cleaning paste on the plate’s rusty areas, and then wipe it with a damp cloth after 30 seconds. The paste should not be runny.
Salt Method:
Take some salt on a towel or paper. Move your Iron over that salted area. The salt will remove the dirt and will leave the Iron clean. This method will make your iron glide smoothly.
Vinegar Method:
Damp any cloth or towel in vinegar and rub it on the rusty or dirty area of your iron plate. Or you can soak the fabric in vinegar and put your Iron over it. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes, and then wipe it with a dry towel.
Toothpaste Method:
Apply your white toothpaste to the rusty area of the plate. Next, wipe it with a wet towel gently. Do not forget to let the Iron dry thoroughly before use.
Candle Wax Method:
Turn on the Iron at an average temperature. Then rub a candle or candle wax on the surface of your Iron. Wipe it off with a soft cloth. If you are unable to remove the stains, use vinegar for better results.
Laundry Detergent Method:
Take a cup or jug of water. Then add some laundry detergent to it. Dip a soft cloth in the mixture. Rub that cloth on your appliance.
Clean The Holes Of The Steam Iron
Cotton Swabs are perfect for cleaning steam iron holes. They are the only thing that can get inside for cleaning. Just dip them in distilled vinegar and clean the cavities.
Descaling the Steam Iron
Steam iron uses water, and water contains limescale. Limescale deposits block the steam holes, which leads to rust formation. It could inhibit the flow of your steam iron and make your clothes dirty by leaving stains or marks on them. Descaling of a steam iron is reasonably necessary.
Anti Limescale cartridge
Anti limescale cartridge is a part of a steam iron and is changeable. The anti-limescale filters water in the iron tank with the help of the cartridge. This cartridge needs to be removed changed after every three months.
Limescale Collector
It is a small container inside that absorbs limescale. Remember to clean it after every 2-3 months to protect your Iron from limescale.
How to Descale Your Iron
Many individuals never descale their irons because nobody has at any point revealed to them that they ought to. However, when limescale develops, it is considered broken or unfixable. Descaling your Iron is not a time-consuming task, and one can do it with the things available at your home. The essential items and the procedure is mentioned below:
Things You Need
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Water
- Handtowel
- Dish bowl
- Ironing Boards
- Cotton buds
Prepare A Solution
Grab a bowl. Take little white vinegar and mix it with little water. White vinegar makes a great sanitizer.
Fill the Reservoir
Fill the iron tank with a Solution. Then turn it back on. Would you please set it to the highest conceivable setting? Give it time to warm up.
Use the Solution
When the Iron is warm, grab a hand towel and put it on the board. Press the clothes steamer down into the cloth while holding the steam button. We suggest doing this in 20-30 second stretches for a sum of 1-2 minutes.
Empty the Reservoir
Empty the reservoir down the sink and wash it under the tap. Ultimately, fill it again with new water.
Prepare Your Second Solution
Properly rub the soleplate of your Iron. It’s time to remix it — this time, take white vinegar and salt and mix them in equivalent parts. After mixing, apply this mixture with the help of a soft cloth to the soleplate.
How to Keep Your Iron Clean for Longer Use
Now when you have cleaned your Iron, it is vital to keep it limescale-free for the long run. You can follow these precautions:
- Always use distilled water to avoid clogging.
- Try never to iron on zippers, pins, and other things like them while ironing your clothes. It may damage the soleplate.
- Make sure to empty your Iron’s water tank after using it. Never leave the water as stagnant water evaporates slowly, which can cause lime deposits.
FAQs:
How do I get the black stuff off my Iron?
With this 3 step method, you can get the black stuff off your Iron quickly:
- First, make sure your Iron is not heated. Then, mix half a cup of water in half a cup of vinegar.
- Get a cloth and soak it in a mixture of vinegar and water.
- Put some baking soda on the black stuff and scrub the stain with the help of cloth or cotton, which we have soaked previously.
Boom! You have black stuff-free Iron. Happy ironing.
How do you descale an iron?
Irons require manual descaling. For that, you have to make a descaling mixture. Mix 1 tablespoon of water and two tablespoons of baking soda together. Gently scrub the soleplate of Iron with the mix by using a soft cloth. Stop when the soleplate is clean. Try to prevent the mixture from going into the steam holes. Tip: Ensure that the soleplate of Iron does not get scratched by rough scrubbing.