An iron is a household appliance that a housewife uses almost every day: iron clothes for going to work for herself and her husband, a school uniform for a child or an outfit for a matinee, laundered bedding, and much more.
It is not surprising that the iron is quickly contaminated and needs to be cleaned.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tools for cleaning the iron at home.
How to clean the iron at home: what are we cleaning from?
The main "scourge" of modern irons is scale. When ironing with steam, the desired effect is easier and faster, so we pour water into the iron every day. Most often, this is not special distilled water, but ordinary tap water. Therefore, not only the kettle, but also the iron has to be saved from scale.
Another common pollution of irons is adherent material. The reason for this is the non-compliance with the recommended temperature regime for ironing different types of fabrics. Trying to finish faster, we often stroke the pillowcase, favorite blouse, and trousers in the same "average" mode. As a result, adhering fibers of the material remain on the sole of the iron, which reduce sliding, making the smoothing process very difficult.
Sometimes appears on the sole of the iron rust coating. There may be two reasons - either the increased content in the water, poured into the iron, iron, or the contact of the sole with metal objects (for example, when ironing jeans with metal buttons and buckles).
The most unpleasant thing when working with the iron is randomly adhered polyethylene. A candy wrapper forgotten in a pocket will stick to the sole of the iron almost tightly, while ruining the fabric and exhaling an unpleasant chemical smell throughout the house. Such pollution is the most difficult, but the advice below will help to cope even with it.
How to clean the iron at home: methods and tools
Faced with the problem of cleaning the iron every day, wise housewives have identified several recipes that will help to cope with pollution without much difficulty.
1. Salt
To clean the sole of the iron with salt, you will need a piece of cotton cloth, which then will not be a pity to throw away. Pour a tablespoon of salt onto the material, it is better to take sea salt, but the usual one, which is always in the kitchen, is also suitable. Turn the iron on to the most powerful mode, and turn off the steam. Gently iron the salt-sprinkled fabric without pressing hard on the iron. The salt crystals will darken, absorbing dirt, and the sole of the iron will become shiny without spots. Instead of material, you can use paper or newspaper, but with caution, without holding the iron on it for a long time.
2. Soda
Soda has long been used to clean plaque from dishes. You can clean her iron. There are several ways. You can take a handful of soda, wrap it in thin gauze and rub the hot iron well. Nagar will come off very quickly. The second method is longer, takes more than half an hour, but no less effective. For its implementation, you need to mix soda with a detergent (any suitable for washing dishes), and thoroughly smear the sole of the iron with the resulting slurry and leave it for 40 minutes. During this time, soda will "eat up" the raid. After thoroughly rinse the mixture with warm water. The iron is ready to go.
3. Vinegar
In order not to rack your brains for a long time over the question of how to clean the iron at home, always keep vinegar on hand. Dampen a cloth in vinegar and rub the heated sole of the iron. If the contamination is strong and after this procedure has not disappeared, you should cool the iron and put it on a cloth soaked in vinegar. Leave on for 8 hours. After a while, the coating will peel off and you just have to wipe the iron with a damp cloth.
4. Ammonia
You can wipe the sole of the iron with a cloth soaked in ammonia. If the iron does not clean, take a piece of cloth and soak it with a mixture of ammonia and vinegar. The pollution will disappear like a wave of a magic wand. But doing this is best in a well-ventilated room or on the balcony, because the fumes will have a strong pungent odor.
5. Paraffin
One of the oldest folk iron cleaners is a paraffin candle. Thousands of Soviet irons - the ancestors of modern ones, were cleaned in precisely this way. The paraffin candle must be wrapped in a dense fabric, and a very hot iron should be rubbed. The iron should be tilted over a previously prepared bowl, into which the molten paraffin will flow together with particles of dirt. It is important to ensure that paraffin does not flow into the steam holes (for this, they keep the iron tilted). Otherwise, when ironing there will be a lot of trouble up to the damaged thing.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide
The soot from the iron will be washed off instantly if you wipe the hot sole with a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide.
7. Hydroperite tablet
If you move a hydroperite tablet on a hot iron, the pollution will peel off, and it will be enough to remove the residues with a damp cloth. It is important to remember that with this procedure a pungent odor is released, so you should open the windows in advance.
8. Nail polish remover
An excellent tool in the fight against polyethylene adhering to the iron. Heat the iron and thoroughly wipe its sole with a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover. When the iron is clean, wipe with a damp cloth to get rid of the smell of acetone.
9. Matchbox
One of the most non-standard means for cleaning the iron, but at the same time effective. Heat the iron and rub it with a strip of sulfur on the box - the sole will become clean. Use this method with great care in order to prevent burns.
10. Citric acid
Pour half a glass of water, add 2 teaspoons of citric acid, dissolve it. Moisten the resulting solution with gauze, thoroughly wipe the sole of the iron. If the scale does not go away, the iron can be turned on - when exposed to temperature, the desired effect will definitely be achieved.
11. Special cleaning pencil
On the shelves of stores a huge number of all kinds of cleaning pencils for iron from various manufacturers. The principle of operation is the same for everyone - to rub the hot soiled sole of the iron. The pencil melts, removing traces of dirt. Having cleaned the iron, it remains just to wipe it with a damp cloth.
12. Cleaning products for a gas stove or plumbing
The sole of the iron can be wiped with water with the addition of any cleaning agent that has come to hand. If the pollution is not strong or has just been received, it will disappear and will not cause any more trouble.
13. Toothpaste
You can apply a little toothpaste to the sole of the iron and rub it with a damp sponge. After that, thoroughly rinse the resulting foam and wipe dry.
14. Self-cleaning system
Many of the modern irons from leading manufacturers are endowed with a special self-cleaning system, and you should not neglect it. Read the instructions carefully and use safely!
Like any household appliance, the iron loves careful and accurate handling. If you wipe the sole with a clean, damp cloth after each ironing, you won’t have to deal with heavy dirt for a long time and stubbornly - they simply will not.
Special attention should be paid to the steam vents.. For their thorough cleaning, you will need acetic-saline solution and a cotton swab. Gently rinse each hole in the sole of the iron with the moistened tip of a cotton swab, and dry, remove any remaining dirt and solution. Another great way to clean them is to pour distilled water with vinegar into the iron tank. Then turn on the iron, wait until it heats up, turn on the "Steam" mode and iron the towel for 5-7 minutes. After this procedure, the steam holes will be perfectly clean.
How to clean the iron at home and not spoil it?
If polyethylene or fabric fibers adhere to the iron, in no case do not try to remove the contamination with an emery cloth or metal sponge and do not scrape with a knife. You will wipe off the dirt, but the sole of the iron will be hopelessly damaged. In addition, almost all modern irons have a Teflon coating, which does not tolerate such barbaric methods. Do not use powder to clean the soleplate. It will scratch the coating and render the device unusable.
In order not to torment yourself with the question of how to clean the iron at home - do not allow scale and dirt! Excellent prevention of contamination of the sole - compliance with the temperature regime. There are established standards for each type of fabric, as well as recommendations for the use of steam. For example, linen products are ironed at a temperature of 180-200 degrees with a large amount of steam. A chiffon does not tolerate high temperatures, ironed in the mode of 60-80 degrees without steam.
Pouring tap water is not recommended. Depending on the quality of the water and the content of lime and iron, white or red spots will appear periodically. Special iron liquid is sold in stores. Buy it. You can use distilled water. Both of these tools cost a penny and do not hit the wallet.
Guided by these simple rules, you will get rid of unpleasant procedures for removing contaminants for a long time, and the iron will serve you faithfully for a long time!
