Wednesday 13 August 2014

How Not To Clean An Iron

 
 
It was only 52F here yesterday morning, really sort of Fall like weather to me.
And don't ask me why, but there is just something about those cooler temperatures that brings out the domestic side in me.
 
Does this mean that I was raring to drag out my ironing board and iron a basket full of clothes?
Oh my gosh, no!
But I was raring to start working on those kitchen curtains I had delayed sewing because of all of the lovely weather we'd been having; me preferring to laze out on my screened in porch reading the original Agatha Christie story, The Moving Finger instead.
 
But now back to my original thrust:
 How Not To Clean an Iron
 
First, as I said already, I was in the mood to sew. I took one look at my iron and knew there was no way I was going to chance using it on any brand new fabric.
It wasn't completely covered with gunk, but it had a few places where the sticky no sew tape had gotten stuck on the iron and had turned it brown.
Stupidly in the past I have gone ahead and ironed without cleaning it first, and then ended up with brown on my fabric.
Very aggravating!!
 
Now I don't know about you, but I have tried all sorts of 'tried and true' solutions for cleaning an iron. Off the top of my head, wax paper and salt come to mind as one of those wonderful ways to clean your iron.
Nada!
 This never worked for me.
Finally yesterday I found a new iron cleaning remedy on Pinterest. This particular lady had good results by dampening a rag with white vinegar and pressing the iron on the rag.
Guess what, I did too...
At least it made the shiny part of the irons base shinier, but it still didn't remove the brown gunk completely.
Then next she advised that a person should shake baking soda onto a cloth, then press the iron back and forth atop this.
I was apprehensive about this right off of the bat. It just made sense to me that all of those little steam holes might get clogged with baking soda.
They did!
So now I was banging my iron on a clean rag hoping to unclog the baking soda packed holes. This worked with only one hole remaining clogged. After trying a tooth pick and then my nut picker without success I just left it to eventually fall out on it's own (I hope).
Throughout all of this my husband is watching on the sidelines....
He keeps saying, "Just scrape it off."
"No, no, we can't do that it will scratch my iron," I respond.
 
Seeing nothing is working, and before I can protest, he grabs a flat paring knife from the kitchen drawer and scrapes the brown gunk from my iron completely off.
Problem solved!
I have a couple of scrape marks on my iron now.
But guess what?
It doesn't effect my ironing at all.
I have curtains half way finished now, with no worries of a stain ruining them from a dirty and sticky iron.
So all's well that ends well...
 
 


22 comments:

  1. I'm chuckling because you sound like me, in this situation! Then comes along hubby and solves the problem.

    Show and Tell the curtains!

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  2. I use a Mr. Eraser and it works like a charm. Sometimes husbands know their stuff. Sounds as if yours does and if he hadn't, he would have known that you'd have to have a new iron, preferably that cute little yellow number for a couple hundred dollars. ROFL!

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  3. I agree with Vee, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works like a charm.

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  4. Kimberly, I have always ironed salt to get goop off. I truly believe in white vinager for cleaning most things. So I think that should have worked. I wish you luck. I know there must be so many different things to use. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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  5. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense to us...and we just need to listen to our hubby. :)
    I like the little needle point up top.
    I keep saying I'm going back into your posts and printing off some of you patterns...
    I just the printer hooked up the other day,(it's my son's and it's on the other side of the wall in another room! we're networking!) I should take advantage of it while it's here and get those pattern printed. :)
    Loved this post...and when the camera gets resolved... we'll see those cute curtains. In the mean time...
    keep bloggin! Pat

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  6. Kimberly,

    I only use distilled water in my iron this way the wholes don't clog and rust doesn't come leaking while ironing.

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  7. Always listen to hubby...or... always listen to hubby? haha! He did GOOD and now you can iron up a storm! Sweet hugs to you both!

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  8. Isn't that annoying. That photo looks like a flour sack embroidery that my mom had and used as a dish towel. That generation didn't waste a thing. BTW, did you see the Hercule Poirot mini documentary, 'Being Poirot'? It was really interesting! I think you would like it. David Suchet seems like he'd be a nice person to know.

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  9. I iron so seldom that mine never needs cleaning. Haha. Your hubby had a bright idea that worked though. Have fun sewing. Hugs, Pam

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  10. I found a product called Hot Iron Cleaner in a tube from Falstaff, like the starch. It helped a lot. To keep the iron smooth, mama would rub beeswax over the hot iron and quickly rub the excess off on an old cloth. She kept that cloth handy and occasionally would pass the iron over the cloth. This was NOT a steam iron and was not teflon coated. Really made ironing much easier.

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  11. Well now I know not what to try. I think I will try your husbands way. I don't have much on there but it might work wonderfully to get what is there off.

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  12. Glad something worked! Sounds like something we would do!

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  13. Oh my - I'm pretty sure I've tried all those remedies and I still have guck on my iron!

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  14. My husband would do the same, but I'd shoo him away because after all I found it on Pinterest!

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  15. Thanks for stopping by my blog, WorthwhileBooks. From your profile I can see we are kindred spirits. Blessings on you!

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  16. My iron is frequently covered in some kind of brown gunk it seems. I use fabric glues for embroidery and quilting, and also lots of starch and sticky paper for applique. I bought a SMALL tube of iron cleaner at my local quilt shop and with a wet rag clean the bottom of the iron every few days or so and it works instantly and perfectly. But BEFORE I bought this, I used your husbands method trying to be careful...oh yeah, it worked all right, but I do have scratches on the bottom of my iron. Guess they haven't hurt anything...yet. But I was afraid to keep doing this. I mentioned it at the store and they lead me to their cleaner. Said it was every quilters best friend, lol. It's something I can't do without. Little tube lasts a LONG LONG time too as you just need a little dab. Have no idea what's in it though. Enjoy your day€!

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  17. Hmmm... I think it's time to clean my iron - it's looking a little "gunky." Thanks for the post :)

    Hugs and blessings!

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  18. I can sympathize! =)
    Bet your curtains are lovely!
    Blessings, Valerie

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  19. Yea, our husbands come through every now and then! LOL!
    It seems like fall to me, although the weatherman said this morning that the heat and humidity are coming back. This whole summer has been springlike with storms and lots of rain.

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  20. laughing laughing all the way home -- been there done that..giggle.

    HUgs

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  21. Would you believe I have not one, not two, but three irons, and I dislike all three of them?!

    Hubby came through it seems Kimberly. Sometimes simple is best :)

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You are dear and lovely friends!