That cleaning is not something we like, although since we know these Tricks to organize cleaning at home without bingeing things have improved. Keeping a clean home not only has benefits for our health due to hygiene issues, it is also a way of help combat stress and reduce anxiety according to experts.
But we’re not just talking about pass the mop, scrub the bathrooms and clean the windows. We also clean some objects that we use in our day to day and that without a deep cleaning will be damaged sooner. Cleaning the fridgefor instance, the one with the silver of our jewelry and decoration or the one we are up to today: cleaning the iron.
How do I know if I have to clean the iron?
Like the rest of the household appliances, the ideal is to do it from time to time, depending on its use. The microwave, for example, should be thoroughly cleaned every 15 days and the oven once a month or every two months, so the dirt will never be so encrusted. In the case of the iron, we can do a very thorough cleaning and even inside once every six months and clean the surface once a monthunless the iron first shows signs of being dirty, with rust or with darker areas.
We are going to give you an example that may sound familiar to you. you have a piece of white clothes that you have bleached and when you get on the ironing board and start to iron it you discover that that last pass of steam has stained it. The reason is that the iron is dirty and releases dirt when used, which can damage your clothes.
How to increase the life of our iron
In addition to frequent cleaning, there are several Tricks that will make our clothes iron last longer. The first one is to use distilled water instead of tap water, since it contains less lime, especially depending on which provinces of Spain.
ADESCO S/A Distilled Deionized Water 5 liters (1 Unit)
The second trick is to never store it with a full water tank. When we finish using it and it cools down, we empty any remaining water and store it upright and in a place where dust does not accumulate or better yet, in a heat resistant box.
How to clean the iron so that it looks like new
Before starting to clean your iron, here are two essential and much-needed pieces of advice: the iron must be unplugged and cold, to avoid possible burns or vapors that can be released during cleaning and that are magnified if the iron is hot.
As with cleaning any other appliance, if this is the first time you clean it, read the manufacturer’s instructions for use carefully, in which it will surely indicate precautions to take during cleaning.
Now we do start cleaning with the help of bicarbonate and water. In a bowl we will a paste with two tablespoons of baking soda and one of distilled water that we will move until it integrates well. With the help of a brush, a spatula or simply your finger to prevent the iron from scratching, we place the paste on the metal part that we use to iron, the one in the image.
Let it act for a few minutes and remove the paste with the help of a clean, damp cloth, and then dry with a second clean, dry cloth. With a ear swab Moistened in distilled water we can clean the remains that may have remained in the holes through which the steam comes out. Once the iron is clean on the outside, we are going to spend a few minutes cleaning the inside of it in a very simple way.
Johnson’s Baby Baby Swabs with 100% Pure Cotton Ends – 1 x 200 Swabs
How to clean the iron inside
In this case, experts recommend avoiding using cleaning vinegar (that Mercadona’s top product that helps us to eliminate limescale, polish metals and remove kitchen grease), which could damage the interior, but we can do it if the iron is really very dirty. If it is simply a maintenance cleaning, we will use distilled water to clean the interior.
With an empty tank fill up to a third with distilled water or with a mixture of distilled water and vinegar in equal parts (only if it is very dirty) to clean the inside of the iron.
Now is the time to turn on the iron, and put it at the highest possible temperature with the steam option activated so that the holes that we had cleaned with the cotton swab are cleaned well. Once very hot, we iron a clean cloth or any cloth that we do not use, so that with the steam, the dirt from inside comes out. After a couple of minutes, we empty the tank and let it cool.
With this cleaning done once a month, our iron will always be like newbut if right now it has lime or rust or blackened stains, don’t worry, we’ll tell you how to fix it.
How to clean scale from your steam iron
It is possible that in the area where you live, the water has more limescale (hence, it is best to use distilled water for ironing and not tap water), and that you have to clean it more often because traces of lime on the iron
If things have gotten out of hand and you have a lot of limescale, there is a remedy: mix half a cup of cleaning vinegar, half a teaspoon of baking soda and half a cup of water. Stir well and pour it into the iron tank. Turn it on with the steam function and leave it vertical so that it releases steam for half an hour. Once the time has passed, clean with a damp, dry and empty cloth, it could remain in the tank.
How to remove black stains from your iron easily
with white stone
We have already told you about the benefits of Mercadona white stonebut we do not stop discovering that it is used for almost everything, such as removing black spots from the iron.
With baking soda and vinegar
If we have resistant black dirt we can make a paste with two tablespoons of baking soda and a splash of cleaning vinegar, which we will put on the iron, leaving it to act for a couple of hours. Once the time has passed, rub with a soft sponge, remove the remains with a clean, damp cloth and dry with a clean, dry cloth.
with toothpaste
Another way to clean burnt stains from your iron is to do it with toothpaste. With the iron unplugged and cold, put toothpaste on its base. Now heat up the iron, turn on the steam for a few minutes, and then iron a clean cloth for another minute.
Now let the iron cool and when the base is completely cool, wipe with a damp cloth to remove any remaining toothpaste, and dry with another cloth.
with coarse salt
We can use salt in two ways: mixed with a little water to form a paste (better in this case with fine salt) and let it act on the iron as we would do with the mixture of bicarbonate and water that we told you about at the beginning, or use it on a cloth and iron it, literally. I’ll explain how: place a little salt scattered on a cloth arranged on the ironing board, turn on the iron at maximum power and when it’s hot, pass the iron several times through the salt that you have on the clothas if you ironed it.
Nothing happens if your iron is non-stick, it will not be damaged by this. Once the stain has come off, let it cool and clean the remains as usual, with a damp cloth and then a dry one.
What to do if the clothes stick to the iron
If the clothes stick, the solution is baking soda and lemon that we will mix well until obtaining a paste. With it and an old toothbrush, for example, and with the cold and unplugged iron, we clean the base well, removing the remains with a damp cloth and drying it afterwards.
More home remedies to clean the iron
With a little laundry detergent (or with dishwasher)
If our iron is non-stick, we can clean it with a little laundry or dishwasher detergent.. We heat some water, add a couple of drops of detergent and mix well. We wet a clean cloth in the mixture and pass through the iron to remove the dirt.
with newspaper
If we find that our iron is sticky and we don’t know how to remove it, try ironing newspaper. Turn on the iron at maximum power, without water and with the steam turned off. When it’s hot iron the newspaper over and over again until it slides easily again.
Specific products to clean the clothes iron
In addition to natural cleaning remedies, we can use specific products for the care of our iron of the clothes.
Rayen’s Clear Wax
Cost €4.99 on Amazon and has a dosage that allows you to apply the exact amount. You only have to heat the iron up to approximately 100ºC, remove the bar, pass it through the iron and leave it to act for between 2 and 3 minutes. Once the time is up, you remove the dirt with a cloth and that’s it.
Rayen Cleans irons | Remove Dirt | with Lemon Scent | Easy to Use 6163.01, Wax, Transparent
Iron cleaning cloth
You can also use this cloth that is sold in El Corte Inglés and that is priced at 8.50 euro Made of polyester and with cleaning detergent, to clean the plates without scratching them.
Rayen iron cleaning cloth
multipurpose softener
If what we have is problems with lime, you can try a softener. This one is eco-friendly and is priced at €12.75.
EcoDescalk Ecological Descaler 500 ml (9 Decalcifications). 100% Natural Cleaner for Kettles, Washing Machines and Dishwashers. Multipurpose Liquid Descaler for All Brands.
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Photos | Marcos Ramirez, averie woodard, Annie Spratt, David Becker, Philip Mroz and Content Pixie in Unsplash