A dirty, sticky iron with residue that you don’t clean regularly will not work properly. It can also leave unsightly marks on ironed fabrics, damage them and burn them. Find out how often you need to descale your iron and why there are several ways to clean the appliance. One of them was suggested to me by a friend, and I did not expect that an ordinary product from the drugstore could have such surprising results – just a few rubs and the iron will shine like new.

How often is it necessary to remove limescale from the iron?

Ready-made cleaning products easily dissolve traces of mineral deposits or remove burns from the ironing board of an iron, but not everyone wants to use them. I understand this very well and for years I have been trying to use only organic products in my home and products whose composition I know as well as their effect. I make many myself based on common food ingredients or preparations available in pharmacies.

Some simple, off-the-shelf products have been shown to work better on a wide variety of stains than many hard-to-remove liquids. Sticky spots and burns on the hot surface of the iron base, scale in the steam slots or water deposits in the tank should be removed regularly, otherwise, the performance of the appliance may deteriorate and the release of steam from the vents may deteriorate.

If you want your iron to last longer and iron out large creases on thicker and less flexible fabrics better, you need to take care of it. How often is it necessary to remove limescale from the iron? With regular use, thorough cleaning at least once every 2 months is an absolute necessity. If you iron more often and have different fabrics under your feet, both natural and with different additives, increase the frequency of descaling to 1 treatment per month. Ideally, immediately put it on the list of monthly thorough cleanings.

How to remove limescale from an iron – home methods

As part of regular cleaning, there are so many necessary tasks in the home that you don’t even want to think about adding more duties? All the more reason not to descale your iron, because the sticky residue and scald left on it over time forms a hard-to-remove layer – on the one hand, it is harder and longer to clean, and on the other hand, the residues that constantly dissolve in the heat cause stains and damage delicate clothes.

How to remove limescale from an iron at home? There are at least a few effective methods that will allow you to remove not only limescale and burns, but also dust, pollen and fibers of ironed fabrics that accumulate and clump. Remove dirt, sticky marks and accumulated mineral deposits:

  • from the base of the iron – using toothpaste, a solution of white vinegar and water or a medium-thick baking soda paste;
  • from the water tank – by filling the tank to 1/3 of its volume with a solution of water and vinegar in a ratio of 1:3, of which 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water; it is important that you set the iron to the highest power, wait a while for the board to heat up and rinse the reservoir, iron with an old cotton cloth and create steam until the inside of the reservoir is completely empty;
  • from steam cracks – use white vinegar and cotton buds to clean the inside of the small holes from all the deposits that will accumulate there in a few minutes.

If scale and stains persist. It is good to apply paste on the heel of the iron

Baking soda or a kitchen towel soaked in a vinegar solution. It is a good idea to spread the baking soda paste lightly with a soft microfiber cloth on the cold ironing surface of the iron. Wait a while for the product to take effect. Similarly, the vinegar solution needs some time to dissolve the layer of deposits, so soak a kitchen towel in it. Fold it over the surface of the iron and after a few minutes, wipe it with dry paper or a dry microfibre cloth, which removes dirt without scrubbing.

Cleaning clogged nozzles

Clogged nozzles of the iron mean that the generated steam does not fully escape through the designated holes. Weaker steam output means more difficult ironing of more demanding fabrics. In addition, when the nozzles are clogged, water can escape from the holes instead of steam. If, in addition, scale has settled on the ironing surface and in the slots of the iron. This can result in unsightly stains on the ironed fabric. Cleaning the iron’s nozzles by rinsing them with a vinegar solution is the easiest method, but check first. Whether your appliance is approved for aqueous acetic acid solution.

Do not forget that cleaning the iron’s clogged nozzles with hot steam alone is not enough. You must also remove all limescale from the baseboard and its nooks and crannies. You can do this with baking paper and a little salt. Sprinkle the spices on the surface of the paper that you spread out before, heat up the iron and press the salt in all directions. Until you remove the impurities in this way. Not only limescale is removed, but also stains, traces of rust and other coarse deposits. Remember that salt can clump together and get into larger holes. Therefore, always have a cotton swab or cotton swabs soaked in vinegar handy.

Paracetamol is one of the most effective ways to clean the iron. This medicine, which is available at the pharmacy in the form of effervescent tablets, perfectly removes stuck dirt and dissolves traces of rust. My friend advised me to heat the iron first. She picked it up by the handle and cleaned the board and holes with the tablet – grab it with longer kitchen tongs or tweezers and rub the dirt until the tablet dissolves. After just a few moments and after the hob has cooled down, you should be able to remove the scale residues with a soft cloth and especially without any further lengthy scrubbing.

Does the iron leave stains on the clothes? This is how you get rid of them