How to clean a burnt iron

Clean a burnt iron using salt

Although you might not ordinarily think of using salt for cleaning, it can be very effective — while also helping to combat condensation.

Place a clean, dry, cotton cloth on your ironing board, sprinkle the cloth with a generous amount of sea salt and set the iron to a high temperature, before ironing over the salt crystals several times — until the burn stains disappear.

Clean a burnt iron using baking soda

Baking soda is another household product that is very useful for cleaning hacks.

You can use vinegar to get more stubborn marks or sticky residue off an iron.

Andrea Phillips

Not only does the cooking product do the trick, it’s also a gentle way of removing burn marks.

Make a paste consisting of two tablespoons of baking powder and one tablespoon of water, spread it over the iron’s plate while it is cool, trying to avoid getting the paste into the iron’s steam holes, rub with a clean, non-scratch cloth, then wipe the paste off using a damp cloth and the stains should be gone.

Clean a burnt iron with toothpaste or white vinegar

To ensure this cleaning method is carried out safely, make sure the iron is cold, unplugged, and the water tank is completely empty.

According to Philips, if the previous approaches haven’t worked, toothpaste or vinegar should be your next option.

Make sure that the plate of your iron is completely dry before starting, get a small blob of toothpaste and rub it over the surface of the plate using an old rag or tea towel, again avoiding the steam holes, then clean the toothpaste away with a damp sponge or cloth.

Once this is done, the iron should be looking brand new — but allow it to fully dry before attempting to use it again.

A similar system can be utilised using white vinegar and salt.

Philips says: “You can use vinegar to get more stubborn marks or sticky residue off an iron.

“Lay down newspaper before you begin, because vinegar can damage stone or wooden surfaces.”

Create a mixture of equal amounts of white vinegar and salt in a saucepan, gently heat the mixture, making sure not to let it boil, take the pan off the heat, put on some rubber gloves for protection and soak a sponge into the mixture, wring it out so it’s damp, then gently scrub the plate until the burn marks start to come off — repeat this process until the desired results are achieved.

Prevent build up

One of the most effective ways of eradicating this problem is to prevent build-up from occurring in the first place.

It’s best to iron low-temperature fabrics first, like nylon and silk, before going onto high-temperature ones like cotton.

Use a hot iron cleaner after every use to maintain the soleplate, or alternatively you can use an iron cleaner pad.

One of the main culprits for leaving marks on irons are printed T-shirts.

Try ironing these from the other side — the one without the print on it — and on a lower heat to maintain the printed design, ensuring no residue is left on the iron and avoiding permanent damage to your clothes.