We all have to iron our clothes, with some completing the dreaded task more often than others, but it turns out you may want to add a store cupboard ingredient to the household appliance. Experts say it’s something you should do every month, and there’s a specific reason why.
When you use your iron a lot, brown marks start to form on the surface, and it’s a problem that’s annoying and it can be troublesome to deal with. This normally happens due to residue buildup on the soleplate and mineral/rust accumulation in the water steam vents, but there’s something you can do to get rid of it.
There are a few different cleaning hacks you can use to remove brown marks from your iron. In fact, there’s a simple trick you can try to rid those pesky stains.
A tip was recently shared online by the Nauti Standard, which explained how to descale irons quickly and efficiently. It said you need to fill the tank of the iron with equal parts water and vinegar.
Then, you should steam the iron for 10 to 15 minutes, while leaning it in different ways to ensure it steams throughout. From here, let the iron cool down and wipe it with a microfibre cloth once it’s cold.
Next, you need to rinse out the tank and fill it with plain water. Steam the iron once more, and then iron a lightly coloured old cloth to ensure it’s clean before using it properly.
Little you may know, you can use vinegar to remove brown marks from an iron. However, you need to read your iron’s manual before doing so, as the method can cause damage to some irons.
After adding white vinegar to the tank, you can also use the steam function over an old towel to flush out mineral deposits and residue. You need to ensure you clean out the tank afterwards to ensure no vinegar remains inside.
If there’s only light residue on your iron, you can gently heat a cup of white vinegar and apply it to the soleplate with a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge. From here, simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
For stains that are more stubborn, you can also create a paste of equal parts white vinegar and table salt. Apply this to the soleplate with a soft rag and give it a good scrub to remove tough buildup and stains. Ensure the iron is off when you do this.
When using the method, you just need to bear a few things in mind, as the trick does carry with it some cons. Due to the fact that vinegar is acidic, it can break down the protective coating and internal components of some irons over time.
As well as this, if you have a warranty, it could make it void if any damage is caused to your appliance. You need to find out if your iron is suitable before cleaning it in this way.
However, if you iron as often as every day, it’s generally advised you clean your iron once every month. For those who use the appliance a little less, you should still clean it every three months at least.
This means November is a good time to start cleaning your irons as, if you check your appliance, you’ll probably find there are a few brown marks already hanging around. It’s best to check it and see if it needs a clean.
There are also other techniques you can use to clean irons. You should find which one works best for you and your appliance.
