Many people iron their clothes so that the laundry becomes nice and smooth and wrinkle-free. If you iron your clothes and other textiles regularly, don't forget to clean your iron. Because from time to time it gets dirty and should be cleaned. But how do you clean the iron? You can also do this with home remedies, for example you can clean your iron with aluminum foil. Read on to find out our tips!
Why does the iron get dirty anyway?
When ironing, the iron inevitably comes into contact with residues of detergent or fabric softener. Grease and limescale deposits can also put a lot of strain on the iron. Stick due to high temperaturesthem at the ironand not only harm himself, but also the textiles being ironed. Residual materials such as plastic fibers can also affect the performance of the iron. As soon as you see dirt on your iron, you should clean it before using it again. Otherwise, the burnt-in residue can leave stains on your laundry that can no longer be removed.
When cleaning your iron, you should never use cleaning products that attack the surface. So stay away from salt or abrasive cleaners! If in doubt, it is advisable to read the instructions for use to find out how to clean it. A tried and tested home remedy for removing dirt from an iron is aluminum foil.
And this is how it works:
Tear a large piece of aluminum foil from the roll and place it on a towel, matte side up. Heatyour ironto maximum temperature.
For steam irons: Do not use the steam function to clean your iron with aluminum foil. Iron over the aluminum foil for about five minutes. The dirt from your iron settles on the aluminum foil. Repeat the process if not all of the residue stuck to the aluminum foil on the first pass. However, use a new piece of aluminum foil to do this.
Descale the steam iron when cleaning
When cleaning a steam iron, clean the water tank to remove or prevent limescale buildup. Because limescale can also damage your laundry. In addition, the steam nozzles of the steam iron become clogged over time. You can prevent limescale contamination of your textiles when ironing by only using distilled water for the steam iron and completely emptying and drying the water tank after ironing.
To descale, you can either follow the manufacturer's instructions for use or you can descale your steam iron using home remedies, such as: E.g. vinegar or lemon.
Descaling the steam iron with vinegar: Mix vinegarand water in a 1:2 ratio and pour the solution into the tank of the iron. Heat the device and let the cleaning agent work for about five to ten minutes. Then empty the water tank and rinse it well.
Descaling the steam iron with lemon:Mix lukewarm water with lemon juice without pulp and add the mixture to the water tank of the steam iron. Do not switch on the iron, otherwise crystallization may occur. Place the iron in a bowl filled with about an inch of the same mixture overnight. The next morning, rinse the tank with distilled water.
How to clean the steam vents
Of course, you also need to clean the steam vents. This is also a simple process and here's how to do it!
- First, unplug the iron and turn it off.
- Mix 1 cup distilled water and 1 cup white vinegar.
- Pour this mixture into the iron's steam container.
- CloseTurn on the iron, turn on the steam function and let it run until the mixture has evaporated. Supervise your iron during this process.
- Turn off the iron, unplug it, and allow it to cool until it is just slightly warm.
- Use cotton swabs to wipe out any remaining residue in the holes.
Read in English:How to clean your iron with aluminum foil
