Groomed Home Smarter Living
Clothing irons are extremely useful, but can quickly get messed up, or worse.
Here are some basic tips and tricks to clean your clothing iron.
Soleplate Cleaner Kits
This is one of the most expensive, but not necessarily most effective solution. Non-toxic cleaner kits are commonly available. In lipstick or tube form, it is mainly composed of paraffin.
Kits are the easiest way to clean your clothing iron, although the smell is very strong, and the results are not guaranteed.
Quick cleaning tips
To avoid clogging and hurting your clothing iron in the first place, here are some simple tips:
- Quickly iron starched clothes with an iron not too hot, as starch may adhere to the sole.
- Avoid demineralized water, scented water, rain water or distilled water. They are harmful to your clothing iron. They cause brown staining and premature aging of the device.
- Regularly descale your iron to prevent it from clogging.
General maintenance
When it comes to dirt and limestone, soap is almost always the simplest and most efficient solution.
When the sole of your iron is warm, clean it with some soap. Rub the result with a clean cloth. A cloth sprayed with some hydrogen peroxide can also clean the soleplate. It should then be washed with soap and water.
Dirty soleplate
If your iron is really dirty, you can rub it with an emery cloth (sandpaper) with very fine grit. Be careful to clean in the longitudinal direction, from top to bottom (instead of sideways).
Melted fibers
If synthetic fibers, like nylon, melt on your soleplate, increase the temperature. You can then clean it away with a piece of paper. Contrary to popular beliefs, lowering the temperature will allow the fibers to penetrate even deeper.
Metal sole stuck to clothes
If your sole iron metal sticks to your clothes, dip it in solvent after disconnecting the device.
Yellowed sole
Lemon juice and wine vinegar are effective against a yellowed soleplate. Simply rub a cloth soaked in whichever solution you prefer on the still-warm plate.
