How To Properly Clean An Iron Box
If the bottom of your iron is starting to look less fresh — or completely burnt — you might be wondering how to clean your iron. ..will not burn your fingers. It’s totally doable. With the right approach, you can restore the bottom of your iron to keep it looking the same as it did on day one. Read on to discover 11 tips for cleaning your iron—without fancy cleaning supplies.
1. Soak the towel in vinegar
Another way to clean an iron plate with vinegar is to soak a towel in vinegar and place the iron on the towel with the iron plate facing down. Leave on for 30 minutes and wipe off. As good as new! This method is especially useful if your iron shows signs of corrosion
2. Make an iron cleaning paste with baking soda
Baking soda is an amazing product that cleans everything from the oven to the dishwasher. It also cleans your iron. Just use two tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of water to create a cleanser. Gently rub on the iron plate, but try not to get the baking soda into the steam holes. If you get paste into the steam holes, make sure to clean them out…which brings me to my next iron cleaning tip.
3. Clean the steam hole with a cotton swab
A cotton swab is the perfect tool to really get into the steam hole and clear it out. Dip them in distilled white vinegar before using them for added stain resistance.
4. Turn the iron to low heat and scrub with dry paper
It’s that simple: With the iron on the lowest setting, wipe the soleplate with the dryer plate. Once the drying sheet gets too hot, toss it and grab another sheet. Repeat until the iron is clean.
5. Dissolve Tylenol in the hot bottom plate
One of the best tips for cleaning irons with burnt residue is rather unexpected: Tylenol. It doesn’t have to be a brand name – any acetaminophen tablet will do. Turn the iron on to the highest setting. Once hot, press the pill directly on the burn area. The pill melts and turns into a gel, dissolving burn marks. Clean the soleplate with a damp cloth or paper towel and repeat the process until the char is completely removed.
It’s obviously important to protect your fingers, so wear oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves when using this method. However, don’t try to grab the pill with pliers or tweezers – one swipe and you’ll end up scratching the iron, and you won’t be able to fix it. Wear something to protect your hands and you should be good to go.
6. Add vinegar to the tank
If you have a steam iron, you can also clean the iron’s steam nozzle by adding a mixture of half-distilled white vinegar and half water to the tank. Then take an old cloth or towel and iron and steam. When steaming, the residue comes out of the opening along with the vinegar.
7. Use a nail polish remover to break down residue
One last tip for cleaning your iron: use a nail polish remover! Take a cotton ball and dip it in acetone nail polish remover. Using oven mitts or heat protection gloves, wipe the surface of the hot iron with a cotton ball. It dissolves residues in a very short time. If you use this method of cleaning your iron, do it outdoors so you (or your family or pets) don’t breathe chemical fumes.
8. Make magic with the magic eraser
A magic eraser can work wonders on an iron, especially if your iron gets dirty with hard water. Wet your Magic Eraser and rub the sponge with a cold iron until the stain comes off. Re-moisten the sponge as needed.
9. Iron the newspaper and salt
Believe it or not, salt and newspaper can also do the job. Set the iron to the hottest setting and place a newspaper on the ironing board. Sprinkle the newspaper generously with salt and iron the salted newspaper into circles until it comes out clean. If you don’t have newspaper on hand, you can use a kraft paper bag – it will work too.
10. Remove melted plastic with ice cubes and a plastic knife
If your iron comes into contact with some plastic, you’re going to have to deal with some mess – but it’s easy to get off. Once your iron is in contact with the plastic, unplug it and let it cool. Fill a metal bowl or pan with ice cubes and place the iron plate over the ice to harden the plastic quickly (you can skip this step if the plastic is already hardened on the cold iron). Now take a plastic knife and scrape off the plastic, then wipe the surface with vinegar spray or a damp rag. It is very important to remove all plastic before using the iron again – otherwise the plastic will fuse with your clothes.
11. Get out a Brillo pad
If your iron has glue from a craft project, like applying a patch, Brillo pads are effective at removing any residue without scratching your iron.
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Now that your iron Box is nice and clean, to prevent further sticking you need to ensure that the water used during steaming is clean and that you regulate the temperature of your iron box. You can also seek services of a qualified electrician from Arrowtech electrical and Plumbing services Nairobi.
