How to Clean a Clothes Iron

Clothing irons are used on a daily basis to smooth the wrinkles from clothes and to help you look crisp and clean. Eventually the iron will get dirty and begin to cause damage to clothing. There may be residue built up on the bottom of the iron. Dirt and grime can be accumulated in the vents and water reservoir. You don’t have to throw the iron out and start over again. You can clean the iron instead. Here are instructions on how to clean a clothes iron.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Q-tips
• Water
• Vinegar
• Newspaper

1. Clean the reservoir of your iron regularly. The biggest problems you will have with a dirty iron is when dirty water gets on your clothes from the reservoir. To clean the reservoir you should plug in the iron and allow it to get hot. Then pour in a water and vinegar mixture into the iron allowing it steam. Drain the iron of this water and repeat this step.

2. Use a newspaper to clean residue from the bottom of the iron. To do this, turn the hottest setting. When the iron is sufficiently hot, use it to iron a newspaper, which should take most types of residue from the bottom of the iron.

3. Clean the bottom of the iron with ammonia to remove oily substances. Should you accidentally get oily substances on the bottom of you iron, use household ammonia and a sponge to clean the bottom of the iron. When the substance is removed, wipe down the iron again with a wet cloth to remove any traces of ammonia.

4. Clean out the vents of your iron with Q-tip type cotton swabs. You will want to unplug your iron before sticking anything into it. You will get better results if you clean the iron while it is still warm.

Tips & Warnings

• The best way to keep your iron clean is to take steps to prevent it from getting dirty. You can do this by ironing clothes at the proper heat setting and draining water from the iron after every use.
• Do not stick anything into your iron while it is plugged in.