How to clean the sole of the iron from soot at home: iron the salt and “hold” the candle

Sooner or later, any housewife is faced with the need to clean the iron platform. Sometimes you look at the spots and think: “Like Tafal took ... They promised that nothing would stick to it ... But you go - you still need to clean!”

From what only sometimes do people have to clean the sole of the iron, or the curling iron: both from scorched wool from the carpet, and from plastic. In general, what they put on - that’s why they clean it. And it’s not always possible to just wash it.

If you find burning spots on the working surface of an electric assistant, do not rush to put an end to it: experienced housewives have long found the answer to the question of how to quickly and efficiently clean the sole of the iron. You can do without expensive chemicals or going to a service center. All procedures are performed at home using a set of cheap tools at hand.

Teflon, aluminum, ceramics: individual approach

For effective cleaning, it is important to know what material the sole of the iron is made of. The rules for caring for different coatings are different. There are three main types.

• Gentle Teflon. How can I clean the non-stick sole of the iron? Do not use products that contain abrasive particles. The cleaning solution should be liquid, gel-like or in the form of slurry. Necessarily homogeneous, without hard crumbs. To remove carbon deposits from the sole of a Teflon-coated iron with salt, soda or using a hard washcloth, do not even try.
• Unpretentious aluminum. This type of coating will "tolerate" any cleaning procedures. Liquid chemistry, pencil, paraffin, salt, ammonia. You can even remove carbon deposits from such a surface even with a knife if the stain is fresh. But cleaning with citric acid to aluminum is contraindicated. "Limonka" reacts with metal, can form rusty "bald spots" and the iron will become worthless.
• Noble ceramics. The ceramic coating is stronger than Teflon, but is very sensitive to shock and scratches. The basic cleaning rule is the same as for Teflon - the absence of abrasive components that can damage the sole. If the carbon stain is fresh and small, you can clean the ceramic sole of the iron with a wooden kitchen spatula. In other cases, liquid and paste-like products and soft washcloths will help.

2 types of plaque and what to do in each case

It is time to remove the plaque from the iron. It is important to understand what kind of pollution we are dealing with. There are two reasons for the appearance of ugly burn marks on the sole.

1. Burnt fabric. Spots form when ironing at unacceptably high temperatures. Also a common reason is an iron that is not unplugged and left with a sole on the fabric.
2. Scale. Scale flakes come out of the steam holes and, burning, are imprinted on the sole.

Cloth burnt: 3 cleaning scenarios

We will get rid of burnt tissue in two stages. The first step is to remove a piece of adhering material from the cooled device.Use a wooden kitchen spatula or, if coated with aluminum, a knife. You can then apply one of three methods.

1. Wax treatments. The paraffin candle will help to get rid of the remnants of burned tissue fibers. Heat up the appliance. Wrap the candle with a thin cotton handkerchief and treat the soot area. Wax flowing down the sole of the iron will carry away the dirt. If the iron has steam holes, press the steam button several times to remove the wax. If this is not done, then the next time you iron, find greasy wax spots on your favorite blouse or trousers. Allow the appliance to cool and wipe with a soft cloth.
2. Salt glide. To wipe the sole of the iron from the adhering fabric, ordinary table salt is suitable. Recipe: pour half a glass of salt, preferably fine, onto a blank sheet of paper. After heating the iron, swipe it several times over the salt layer. Grains absorb the remnants of soot.
3. Pencil. Universal tool for irons with any kind of coating. The price is in the range of 20-30 rubles (data as of July 2017). Instructions: Heat the iron to medium temperature. Sweep the contaminated area several times with a cleaning pencil. The core will melt and "pick up" soot. After the ritual, unplug the appliance and wipe the sole with a soft cloth.

7 anti-scale solutions

Due to daily contact with water, “hot” equipment is prone to scale formation. These are salts of calcium and magnesium, which are released from water when heated. You can try to remove the scale from the sole of the iron by the above methods using paraffin, salt and a pencil. And you can resort to other folk recipes. There are seven ways.

1. Vinegar bath. Put the switched off iron in a heat-resistant form, on two wooden slats so that the sole of the device does not touch the bottom. Combine a glass of table vinegar (9%) and a liter of water, pour the solution into the mold so that it covers only the sole. Place the mold with the iron and mortar on the stove, turning on the minimum fire. After boiling, spot ten minutes. Turn off the stove, let the water cool, and then repeat the procedure. Rinse the sole of the iron and place the appliance vertically to dry naturally.
2. Lemon acid. If the soot stains on the sole are small, you can simply wipe them with a slice of lemon or a sponge moistened with a strong solution of “lemon”.
3. Ammonia. Without turning on the iron, wipe the problem areas with a cloth dampened with ammonia. Didn’t work? Try connecting vinegar in the same way. If this venture fails, heat the iron to maximum and iron the cloth moistened with ammonia.
4. Salt bag. Put the salt (enough a couple of tablespoons) in a handkerchief, making an impromptu bag. Follow them on the heated sole of the appliance until carbon deposits are removed.
5. "Cook" porridge from soda. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with dishwashing gel until gruel forms. Put on the sole and leave for half an hour. Remove the product with a cloth and wipe with a damp sponge.
6. Peroxide. Carbon deposits on the working surface of a cold iron are well rubbed with 3% hydrogen peroxide, which corrodes burning spots in front of our eyes. Pour hydrogen peroxide onto a cotton pad or cotton flap and treat the desired spots.
7. Matchbox. Heat the appliance. Gently pressing, walk the side sulfur surface of the box along the soot stain. Judging by the reviews on the forums, the method is very effective.

3 express methods to clean the sole of the iron

How to clean the sole of the iron from soot at home, if you don’t have hydrogen peroxide or salt at hand (and this happens)? You will certainly find three more in your bathroom.

1. Laundry soap. The method will help to cope with fresh traces of scale and carbon deposits on the surface. Rub the hot iron with a bar of soap, then remove the residues by ironing a clean rag. The method is gentle, suitable for Teflon. Iron with a metal base can be cleaned with a soft metal washcloth. Dampen it with water and soap with soap.
2. Toothpaste. Use white, no abrasive particles. Generously apply the product on the contaminated area of ​​the preheated appliance, wait ten minutes and remove the layer of toothpaste with a damp sponge. The method is not suitable for gentle teflon.
3. Nail polish remover. If you accidentally ironed polyethylene material, plastic clothing elements, then adhering particles can be eliminated with a nail polish remover or acetone. Dampen a cloth or sponge and wipe the sole. Contamination should evaporate along with acetone vapor.

Polishing method

If the contamination is strong, and there are a couple of small scratches on the surface, try using a “two in one” cleaning method that will help you quickly and efficiently polish the surface of the iron from carbon deposits. Proceed in three steps.

1. Take a tablespoon of fine salt, mix with a handful of grated paraffin (a candle passed through a kitchen grater).
2. Spread the mixture on a piece of paper and cover with a cloth.
3. After heating the iron, iron the paraffin-salt mixture several times until the carbon disappears.

Even if you have not yet encountered a problem and have not wondered how to clean the iron from the burning on the sole, it is worth periodically using one of the above methods for prevention. From time to time, home appliances need to arrange a “wash day” - this will significantly extend the life of the product and prevent the formation of ugly brown spots.