Over time, the plates deteriorate and you can end up ruining your clothes. The water in steam irons causes limescale and other mineral deposits to build up. Ironing sprays and starches can leave sticky residue on the iron. And if a piece of clothing is accidentally burned, some stains or residue may remain. But they all have a solution. With our guidelines for cleaning your iron with baking soda (one of the most effective household cleaning products), as well as other homemade tricks, your iron will look like the first day.
How to clean the iron step by step
- Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one of water (better if it is distilled so that it does not have lime and other impurities). Stir until it has the consistency of a watery paste but thick enough to be applied to the base of the iron.
- Apply the resulting paste to the base of the iron. To do this, you can use your fingers or help you with a spatula made of plastic, wood or a material that does not scratch the plate.
- Let the paste act for a few minutes. Then, remove the paste with the help of a clean and slightly damp cloth. And finish with a clean, dry cloth.
- To clean the steam holes, you can use a cotton swab like the ones used to clean the ears. Or cover a skewer stick with kitchen paper, for example. Dampen them with distilled water and carefully pass them through the holes.
- Empty the water tank, and fill it up to a third of its capacity with distilled water or a mixture of distilled water with white vinegar, at the rate of one part water to three parts of water. Turn on the iron and set it to the highest temperature and with the steam option activated so that it passes through the holes and finishes cleaning all the dirt that is in the tank and the circuits.
- Iron a clean old cloth to collect the dirt that is released. And finally, empty the tank completely and let it cool.
Other homemade tricks to clean the iron
- With table salt. Take a dry cloth and add several tablespoons of fine salt. Turn on the iron and, when it's hot, scrub until the dirt or burn marks disappear. When you're done, turn the iron off and let it cool, then wiping with a damp cloth to remove any residue.
- With vinegar. Dip a clean cloth in a little warm white vinegar and wipe the base of the iron. If the marks do not disappear with that, add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the vinegar and repeat. Then wipe with a dry cloth before storing.
- With laundry detergent. This is the most suitable trick if the griddle is non-stick. Heat some water and add a couple of drops of the detergent you use to wash clothes. Dip a cloth in this mixture and run it through the iron until the marks are removed.
- With dishwasher. It is often used when dirt marks are in the openings of the iron. You just have to mix a little dishwasher with distilled water and clean with a cotton swab like those used to clean the ears.
- With toothpaste. Apply a little toothpaste to the base of the iron and rub with a clean cloth. Then turn it on and let it steam for a few minutes.
- With newspaper. This trick is used to clean the iron when it is sticky. Put it at maximum temperature, but without water and with the steam option turned off. And run it through the newspaper until it doesn't stick and it glides smoothly.
