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Cleaning the iron at home: video tutorial
From time to time, plaque may appear on the sole of the iron, which creates problems for normal ironing. The reasons for its occurrence may be non-observance of the recommended regimes when ironing various types of fabrics, as well as too hard water. In any case, the sole should be cleaned, and there are several ways to do this.
How to clean an iron
How to clean an iron with a pencil
There is a professional cleaner for the soleplate. The hardware store sells a special pencil that can easily deal with plaque. Just preheat the iron and rub the product on a warm surface. Wait a little and you will see how the scale begins to melt under the influence of chemicals. Wipe the soleplate gently with a dry cloth. After the iron has cooled down, rinse it with water and wipe it dry. There will be no trace of the plaque.
Folk ways to clean the sole of the iron
If the dirt on the iron is fresh, it can be removed with a wax candle or laundry soap. After using the wrong mode and planting a couple of stains on the sole of the iron, do not wait for the appliance to cool down, immediately rub the bottom with wax or soap. Unplug the iron and run it firmly over the piece of cotton fabric. The bottom of the appliance will be clean again.
You can clean the soleplate of the iron at home using available tools for this purpose. Take finely ground salt and put it on a newspaper. Turn on the iron and, using forcefully pressing the appliance, iron the spilled salt with it. Run the sole of the iron over the salt until you see the salt and newspaper begin to darken.
If not all plaque has disappeared the first time, repeat the “ironing”
Dampen a rag with vinegar and wipe the sole of the iron with it, rubbing it into the metal. Vinegar dries out pretty quickly, so keep the bottle with you so you can re-wet the rag. Then plug in your iron and iron on a piece of fabric you don’t need. The bottom of the iron will be clean.
If you decide to clean your iron with vinegar, open the windows to get rid of the pungent odor.
You can use baking soda to clean your iron at home. Take a few tablespoons of baking soda and mix it with the detergent to make a gruel. Apply the resulting mixture to the sole, rub it thoroughly with a sponge and leave it on for a while. After 30-40 minutes, wash the iron and wipe it with a dry cloth.
If you ironed synthetic clothes in the wrong mode, and burnt synthetics remain on the bottom of the iron, do not clean the iron using the methods described above. Better turn it on at maximum temperature and wait for the fabric to melt to the end, then remove it with a wooden spatula.
Read on: how to descale your iron