It is possible that while you were ironing, your iron began to leave stains on your clothes. It is a dark and slimy dirt and what is worse, very difficult to remove. It may even start to throw out small pebbles that, when crushed, leave the same sticky tint. Once you lift the iron, you realize that its holes are black. If this is the case, it is possible that the inside of your iron is loaded with scale. This should not mean the end of the useful life of your iron, on the contrary, you can clean it and give it a tune-up so that it remains as good as the first day.
To begin with, you must understand why the iron fills with scale. It is very likely that you have used bottled water – or worse, tap water – to iron. You should know that the iron is a device that suffers a lot due to limescale and salt accumulation. The variable of water hardness is added, which is very different depending on where you are in the country. The entire eastern strip of Spain, for example, has very hard water. In comparison, the waters are softer in the south, and especially soft in the northwest. If you belong to a hard water area, you should think twice before using it on your appliances, as it can compromise their maintenance and durability.
How to remove scale from the iron
You should know that to remove scale from the iron you have multiple allies. First of all, you should keep in mind that many modern irons have a cleaning mode, which should help you remove dirt from the base and inside of the iron. Each one has a different mechanism but, in general, you must follow these steps:
- Fill the iron with distilled or demineralized water.
- Raise the temperature of the device to the maximum. When it reaches the desired temperature, unplug it and hold it over the sink.
- Irons generally have a removable steam regulator, a small button on the top. Follow the instructions on your appliance to remove it. If the button is not removable, you may just need to hold it down.
- Gently shake the iron over the sink. You will see that steam and fragments of tartar, a type of grit, are coming out.
- When it stops dripping, assemble the steam regulator according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the button is dirty inside, clean it with water and vinegar.
- Unplug the iron, let it cool, and wipe it with a damp cloth when it is cold.
On the contrary, if instead of an iron you have an ironing center, the cleaning method changes a little:
- Fill the water tank of your ironing center with distilled or demineralized water.
- Turn up the temperature regulator on your iron to maximum. When the iron is hot and at the desired temperature, unplug it.
- Rest your ironing center on your kitchen counter or another smooth, stable surface and place the iron over the sink.
- Shake the iron gently while pressing the cleaning button on its base. You must do this step until a third of the water in the tank evaporates.
- Stop pressing the clean button and shake the iron carefully.
- Press the cleaning button again and shake until you use another third of water, stop pressing the cleaning button and shake the iron. In short, repeat steps four and five until the tank is empty.
- Unplug your ironing center and let it cool.
- Clean the base of your iron with a damp cloth when it is cool.
It is recommended that, before scale becomes a problem on your iron, you do this process regularly as maintenance.
How to clean the iron with vinegar
If you think you need more aggressive methods to clean your iron, there are many home remedies that can help you. First of all, you must keep in mind that you are handling an appliance that uses high-temperature water, so you must be careful not to burn yourself in the process. If you have doubts about whether or not any of these methods are suitable for your iron, consult the manufacturer:
- For this home remedy, you need equal parts distilled or demineralized water and vinegar. You should find a place in the house that you can clean easily and that is well ventilated, such as your sink, bathtub, or sink in your bathroom. Fill the tank with this mixture, and turn the iron on at maximum power.
- Once the iron has the right temperature, set the steam mode to maximum.
- Place the iron over the sink and press the steam release button repeatedly until the tank is empty. You must proceed very carefully because the iron will release a mixture of steam and grit very quickly, sometimes it may even expel drops of water.
- Once emptied, as with the other methods, disconnect the iron.
- When the appliance cools down, wipe the base with a cloth and remove any debris.
How to clean the base of an iron
In all the methods that we have explained previously, the last step is always to clean the base of the iron with a damp cloth. But sometimes this is not enough, and it is possible that residues remain adhered and difficult to remove. Remember that to clean the base of the iron it must be turned off and cold.
You may be tempted to clean the holes in the base with a toothpick, especially the smaller ones, which can become completely clogged with scale. We advise you to discard this idea, since the chopsticks are fragile and can break, remaining inside your iron and rendering it useless. There are other tricks that will allow you to clean the base of your iron without damaging it:
- Soapy water: You can use a soft cleaning sponge, moistened with soap and water. Rub gently until the stains disappear. It is important that the sponge is soft; you should avoid scouring pads, since they can scratch the base of your iron. When you are satisfied with the result, remove the soap with a damp cloth. Otherwise, even if the soap is not visible, it will remain dry on the soleplate of your iron, which can cause it to burn your clothes when you turn it on.
- Vinegar: Vinegar is used both to clean the tank of the iron and to clean the base. In this case, heat water without boiling it and mix it with vinegar. Wet a cloth or sponge with the mixture and clean the areas stained with tartar.
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