How to clean your iron from scale, burnt marks, rust and mold

Features of cleaning an iron with salt

Table salt used as a cleaning agent has its own advantages. These include:

1. Efficiency. The abrasive quickly removes dirt, and the absorbent property of the substance also allows it to absorb loose particles of soot.
2. Availability. It is difficult to imagine a home that does not have a minimum amount of salt.
3. Price. The product can be purchased for less than 20 rubles, and its cleaning costs are minimal.
4. Safety. The food product does not contain any harmful chemicals that could cause harm to human health. In addition, after using the product there are no traces left on clothes.
5. Easy to use. Even an inexperienced housewife can clean the iron.

Attention! If the instructions for the device indicate that its platform is made of materials that are prohibited from being exposed to abrasive substances, then it is better not to clean such an iron with dry salt. In this case, it is better to use liquid solutions.

Rules for using irons

Modern irons require respectful treatment, namely compliance with basic operating rules. If you follow them, then you won’t have to clean the iron, or at least you will need to do it extremely rarely.

1. Set the ironing mode correctly depending on the type of fabric.
2. Do not leave the iron on the surface of the item unless you are ironing.
3. Do not talk on the phone while ironing clothes and linen.
4. After every third ironing (the third time of using the iron is meant, not the third thing), the sole of the iron should be wiped with citric acid using a napkin.
5. Only distilled or boiled water should be poured into the water tank. When using ordinary raw water, scale forms inside the iron and when splashed during ironing, dirt splashes out, which can ruin the item.
6. Always drain unused excess water.

Author Olga Smirnova

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How to clean an iron with salt at home

There are several ways to clean your iron from being burned with salt. The choice of method directly depends on the type of material for the sole of the electrical appliance. Dry salt is suitable for cleaning aluminum and metal surfaces. The saline solution can be used on enamel, Teflon and sapphire coatings.

Important! If you do not know what material the base of the device is made of, it is better to clean a small area of ​​the sole to see if the coating is deteriorating.

Cleaning with dry salt

This method is considered the simplest and fastest. In order to clean the device, you will need five minutes of free time, salt (it is better to use a fine grind), a small piece of cloth (you will have to throw it away later). Cotton rags can be replaced with a sheet of white paper; however, newspaper and sheets with drawings should not be used, since paint may remain on the surface of the device.

Sequencing:

1. Turn on the electrical appliance at the highest possible temperature. The steam function must be disabled.
2. Apply an even layer of salt to the paper or fabric (3 tablespoons will be enough).
3. Run an iron over the crystals of the substance. Movements should be smooth, preferably moving the sole in different directions.
4. If the salt becomes dirty, it must be replaced with clean salt and the procedure repeated.
5. After the platform is clean, you need to wipe it with a paper towel or dry rag, after turning off the electrical appliance and waiting for it to cool.

Cleansing with saline solution

The cleaning method with saline solution is considered the most gentle: it will not harm the surface of the product.

To clean an electrical appliance, you need to arm yourself with a piece of cloth (white), salt (coarse crystalline salt can be used), and 9% vinegar.

How to clean:

1. Mix 2 tbsp in a container. l. vinegar and 1 tbsp. salt.
2. Soak a cloth in the solution.
3. Apply the mixture to the soleplate of the electrical appliance. It must be preheated to maximum temperature and turned off.
4. After 3 min. It will be possible to remove softened deposits from the iron platform. It is convenient to do this with an ordinary rag.
5. The final step is to wipe the surface with clean water and dry it.

Attention! Instead of vinegar, you can use citric acid or apple cider vinegar.

You can clean the iron from carbon deposits with salt in this way in just five minutes and not be afraid that the sole will leave marks on your clothes that are difficult to remove.

Cleaning with salt and paraffin

This option is the most time-consuming and difficult to implement. But it can be used on absolutely any surface. In order to clean an electrical appliance, you need to stock up on the following kit:

• candle;
• salt;
• grater;
• paper (several sheets) or a piece of white fabric.

The cleansing process is as follows:

1. First you need to build a backing from fabric or sheets of paper.
2. Rub the candle on top and distribute evenly over the surface.
3. The paraffin layer must be generously covered with salt.
4. Cover everything on top with a rag.
5. Heat the electrical appliance to the highest possible temperature.
6. Place it on the prepared pillow, having first turned off the power.
7. After 5 min. You can move the iron over the pillow a little so that the softened paraffin has the maximum effect.
8. Place the electrical appliance in a vertical position (it is better to place a sheet of paper under it so as not to stain the surface).
9. Clean the sole with a piece of cloth.

Attention! Carbon deposits accumulated in the holes of the sole can be easily cleaned with a toothpick or cotton swab.

Cleaning with salt and aspirin

You can also clean your iron from carbon deposits using acetylsalicylic acid. Its effects are similar to vinegar and citric acid. For cleaning you will need several aspirin tablets, salt of any grind, water and an unnecessary cloth.

To clean a household appliance, you will need:

1. Crush 5 aspirin tablets.
2. Mix them with 1 tbsp. l. salt.
3. Add a little water to form a paste.
4. Apply the mixture to the heated sole.
5. Leave to act for 5 minutes.
6. Clean the ironing surface with a clean piece of cloth, removing all grains of the mixture.
7. Wipe the iron with a damp cloth and let it dry.

How to care for Teflon coated irons

Ironing devices with non-stick coating are very popular. But alas, even high-quality equipment is not immune from human errors in its use. Simply put, modern material can also easily burn. And this is where the difficulties begin.

Teflon-coated soles cannot be cleaned with abrasives, even finely dispersed ones. This is a truism. Fresh dirt can be easily removed by wiping the heated sole with a bar of laundry soap. Naturally, any remaining product will need to be removed with a damp cloth.

However, home remedies are not always effective. In addition, in order not to damage expensive equipment, it is better to use special products designed to carefully care for such surfaces. For example, you can purchase a Cinderella cleaning pencil. It costs mere pennies, and is also suitable not only for Teflon, but also for any other coatings.

When using the product, it is worth considering some nuances. A pencil cleans a hot surface, but you shouldn’t heat the iron to maximum. Stop at the middle mark. Don’t forget to lay down a napkin so that the black sludge that flows down doesn’t stain the table. Upon completion of cleaning, warm up the device to the maximum, then iron it with some unnecessary cloth. If you don’t do this, the paraffin that makes up the base of the cleaning stick will leave greasy stains on your clothes.

Of course, in order for the iron to look like new, simply cleaning off the burnt deposits from it is not enough.

• Wipe the case with soapy water and then with a clean cloth to prevent stains from remaining on it.
• Store the iron in a dry place to avoid corrosion of the heating elements.
• Don't forget to drain any remaining water from the reservoir after you've finished ironing.
• Observe the ironing temperature to avoid burning on the sole of the iron.

Well that's all for today. I hope that my recommendations for cleaning your iron at home will be useful to you. And I say goodbye to you. Leave comments, your opinion is important to me. Subscribe to my blog. Share links to articles with friends.

Preventing the appearance of carbon deposits on the iron

Cleaning your iron with salt is easy. But it is better not to allow the platform to become dirty to the point where it requires emergency cleaning. To do this, you need to wipe the base of the electrical appliance every time after use.

The fact is that dirt can accumulate on the surface of the iron for a long time, which is not immediately noticeable. At the same time, this practically does not affect the quality of ironing. Particles from starched linen and fleecy fabrics may stick to the sole, forming a light white coating on the sliding surface. After some time, they melt and accumulate in such quantities that the working surface of the iron becomes unusable. To prevent this from happening, you need to take into account some recommendations:

1. Clean the platform with paraffin and salt once a month (if the iron is used daily).
2. After each ironing procedure, it is necessary to wipe the cooled surface of the device with a damp sponge soaked in a solution of water and detergent.
3. When the iron is switched off, it should not be stored horizontally.
4. To prevent carbon deposits from forming on the sole, you need to set the temperature according to the operating instructions.

We descale the water tank

Do you know what a kettle and an iron have in common? Both have heating elements. And if you do not use distilled water, very soon a deposit of salts will form in the liquid reservoir. Getting rid of scale inside is not difficult at all.

It is enough to warm up the device several times by pouring water and soda inside (2 teaspoons per 100 ml of liquid). To ensure that the water completely evaporates, turn on the iron at maximum temperature, and when it warms up, iron any cotton fabric with it. You can combine cleaning with tidying up, for example, light-colored bed linen, so that you don’t waste time.

It’s even easier to get rid of scale at home using citric acid or vinegar. From acid crystals we prepare approximately a 10% solution (less than a teaspoon per half glass). We dilute 9% table vinegar by a third with water.

After this, the prepared composition must be poured into the tank, leaving it all overnight. As a result of the chemical reaction, the salts will dissolve; all that remains is to pour out the cloudy liquid. Of course, not too fast, but effective.

Further care to prevent lime deposits

Regular care and compliance with the operating rules of the iron will help prevent the appearance of scale:

• It is advisable to pour filtered water into the iron, because the fewer salts contained in the liquid, the longer the device will remain clean;
• at the end of ironing, the water must be drained (this will help avoid the appearance of an unpleasant musty odor and prevent the appearance of scale);
• the device must be kept in an upright position at all times, with its nose up (even when turned off);
• It is necessary to carefully ensure that the sole of the iron remains perfectly flat (it is almost impossible to remove scale from dents or chips).

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is a fairly effective, but at the same time delicate, iron cleaner. As in the case of salt, the simplest and most budget-friendly one without additives, dyes and flavors is better. You will need:

A drop of toothpaste. What to do:

Just a little paste is all you need - you need to apply it in a thin layer over the soleplate of the iron. Rub the dirtiest areas a little separately and leave everything for 5-10 minutes until the paste eats away the burnt marks and plaque. Wipe the surface and iron the unnecessary rag a couple of times for final cleaning.

Adviсe

A few tips from experienced housewives will help solve the scale problem as quickly as possible:

1. If you use softened water (ordinary tap water, boiled for ten minutes with a small amount of baking soda), you will have to clean the iron less often.
2. The cleanliness of the anti-lime rod must be checked at least once every month and a half.
3. You can avoid the rapid appearance of scale deposits by pouring distilled water into the iron (sold at any gas station).
4. After cleaning with acetone, the device is tested on unwanted clothing. This will help prevent yellow marks from appearing during the ironing process.

The more often cleaning is carried out, the longer the life of the household appliance will be.

Find out more about ways to remove scale from household appliances here.

Cleaning the iron with hydrogen peroxide

Cleaning your iron with hydrogen peroxide is also a good way. To do this, apply the liquid to a cotton swab and wipe the iron. Contaminants will be removed.

Special iron cleaning products

Store-bought special iron cleaning products will help 100%. The chemical components contained in such special products are aimed at quickly and effectively cleaning the iron from plaque and carbon deposits.

One of the best ways to clean your iron is with an iron cleaning pencil.

To remove carbon deposits from an iron, rub the surface of the heated iron with a pencil and wait a while.

Then remove the product with a cloth. Once the iron has cooled completely, wipe it with a damp cloth to thoroughly clean it.

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Acetone

Try not to spill acetone on the plastic parts of the iron so as not to spoil anything - it is still too aggressive. You don’t have to worry about the sole – nothing will happen to this coating. You will need:

Nail polish remover. What to do:

You can remove strong burnt marks, stuck polyethylene or synthetics with acetone. Nail polish remover and a regular cotton pad will do - just blot the stain until it disappears. If you have an acetone-free remover, that is also suitable, because the principle is the same.