What we’re going to need?
Ceramics are a very fragile material that can easily be scratched by inadvertently ironing metal buttons or a zipper on your clothes.
Clean the iron with extreme care, using soft cloths, sponges, and non-abrasive detergents.
There are many special chemicals that will help make the soleplate of the iron perfectly clean, and for removing stains will also work and home remedies: lemon, vinegar and others.
8 recipes on how to clean the ceramic hob from soot are presented here.
Tips and tricks: how to keep the results
These techniques will save you money on buying a new iron and a lot of time searching for new, effective means of cleaning it.
You may also find our article on how to clean ceramic tableware helpful.
How to clean different types of cover?
Teflon
The material prevents the fabric from sticking, but it can sometimes happen that ironing will get soiled.
Do not start scraping dirt with a knife. the Teflon layer is very easily damaged, which will damage the appliance.
A suitable option for cleaning the ironing platform is a pencil.
You can also use home remedies:
- Soak a piece of cloth in vinegar essence (70%) and iron the cloth with a hot iron. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands, and be careful not to bend over the caustic steam when ironing. After removing the stains, wipe the surface of the platform with water.
- Soak a cotton pad in household solvent for painting work and clean the soot (the iron must be cold), wipe the sole with a damp cloth.
Aluminum
The material is highly conductive, but very soft, so this ironing platform should not be cleaned with abrasives.
In addition to ready-made chemical products (pencils), you can clean your iron in the following ways:
- When cold, spread a thick coat of toothpaste on the soleplate, brush gently over the whole area of dirt and leave for 15-20 minutes. Wipe the stains with a damp sponge, remove any paste residue. To clean the holes, turn on the iron and iron the fabric, releasing several jets of steam.
- Spread a piece of foil on the ironing board, smooth it out. Turn the iron on to the max and go over the metal sheet a few times, this will release the stuck garment from the soleplate. Wipe the cooled appliance with a damp sponge.
Ceramic
Ceramic is easy to care for and durable, but even a small scratch on the soleplate can cause the coating to peel off.
Ceramic platform cleaners should not contain abrasive particles or alkalis:
- Remove large pieces of soot with a wooden kitchen spatula;
- Mix 10 ml of table vinegar and 30 ml of warm water in a small container, soak a cloth in the solution and wipe the paraffin-covered area. You can use a nylon sponge.
A stencil works great on ceramic surfaces.
Steel
The sole material is tough and resistant to mechanical damage, so they can also be cleaned with gentle abrasives: soda, salt or tooth powder.
Can the damaged surface be repaired?
Even with proper use of the iron, over time the surface of the soleplate will wear down and become covered with small scratches.
You can reduce the roughness of the Teflon ironing element in the following ways:
- Cut off a small piece of paraffin wax candle and grate it;
- Mix the shavings with a pinch of finely ground salt, spread the mixture on a piece of cloth, and spread it out evenly;
- Place a piece of light cloth (or paper towel) on the mixture;
- Warm the iron and iron the fabric a few times;
- Turn the appliance off and clean the soleplate with a dry cloth.
After the procedure, the scratches should be unnoticeable, and the sole should be smooth.
ATTENTION! If the method with the candle and salt did not help to improve the condition of the Teflon. the non-stick layer can be restored by contacting a service center.
How to clean the iron soleplate from carbon deposits without a special pencil at home
Even if the iron is made from high quality materials, burning is inevitable on the soleplate. To clean it, it is important to consider the type of surface of the appliance. Modern housewives have both household chemicals and folk methods at their disposal.
The iron is operated at high temperatures, so the soleplate gets burnt. Teflon- and ceramic-metal-coated models are available which are highly resistant to burning. However, over time, any device gets dirty, so you need to monitor its cleanliness.
Laundry soap
A bar of laundry soap will remove only fresh soot. Removing long cured dirt with it will be ineffective. The method is to do the following:
- Dissolve a small amount of crushed soap in warm water (1 tbsp. л.).
- The surface of the sole is wiped with a cloth soaked in water and wiped dry.
- Dissolved soap is applied to the slightly heated soleplate and left on for 15-20 minutes.
When the surface cools and the mixture hardens, laundry soap should be washed off with a damp sponge. Most of the soot will be removed along with the dried soap scum.
The use of ordinary salt for cleaning is not the most effective, but cheap and available to everyone method. The product can be poured on cardboard or foil and evenly distributed. Then on the salt layer should be passed by the heated sole of the iron until the complete removal of the soot.
The second method of application involves wrapping the salt (2-3 tbsp l) in a cotton cloth. The roll is used to rub the heated soleplate. Unlike the first method, this one is suitable not only for metal and ceramics, but also for Teflon coating.
How to clean the iron from scale inside and remove deposits from the holes: special functions, professional liquids and ordinary lemon juice
Over time, even the most advanced models of irons can not fully cope with their task because of dirt. As a rule, limescale is formed inside the device, where the steam generator is located. This occurs when using untreated water, which contains various particles and salts of heavy metals. Some irons are equipped with a self-cleaning mode, while others must be cleaned with special or improvised means. There are several options on how to clean the iron from the scale inside at home.
Many housewives are wondering what is the best way to treat the iron from limescale. To keep your appliance in good working order, it’s important to use it properly. In particular, pour “good” water or a special liquid for irons inside. If the appliance is already clogged and there is fouling on the parts inside, there are several options for cleaning.
One reason for the formation of deposits and stains on the soleplate of an electric device is the use of ordinary tap water when ironing.
In addition to the presence of various salts, such a liquid can contain particles of rust and other debris. When you use the steam function in an iron, it boils water, and that causes a hard, insoluble residue to form on the insides and outsides of the appliance.
If the appliance is not cleaned regularly, sludge will gradually build up, causing the steam pressure to drop during operation and reducing the quality of ironing.
Also on the appearance of contamination of the product with a ceramic coating are influenced by the following factors:
- Non-observance of the temperature mode recommended by the manufacturer of the device for ironing certain types of fabrics;
- Prolonged contact between the heated soleplate and synthetics;
- Plastics, polyethylene and other sticky materials on the ironing element of the iron, which melt under the influence of high temperature and stick to the hot surface.
The Best Way to Remove Scratches from Stainless Steel
IMPORTANT! Contamination on the soleplate is not only dangerous to spoil things when ironing: the continued use of such an instrument can lead to damage to the enamel on the coating and the need to replace the iron, since the repair in this case is not feasible.
Recipe Cleaning the soleplate of the iron with laundry soap
It will help if you have decided to clean the ceramic soleplate of the iron at home, but the soot on it is not strong.
How to clean the soleplate of the iron with laundry soap:
- Heat the iron on the minimum heat.
- Rub the surface with a bar of soap.
- Wait for the soap to soften the residue.
- Remove soapy residue with a cloth or disc, and treat the steam holes with a cotton swab.
- Dilute crushed pieces of soap in warm water.
- Use the cloth to wipe off as much of the carbon residue as you can.
- Apply a soapy solution to the dry, heated soleplate at minimum temperature.
- Wait 20 min.
- Wipe the surface with a clean cloth.
