How to clean an iron: a trick to do once a month will help

An iron with a steaming function that uses hard water can accumulate limescale and rust over time, which can leave horrible stains on your clothes. Since these stains are caused by high temperatures, it can be very, very difficult to remove them. That's why you need to deal with the root cause.

According to Kobieta, the appropriate prevention should be carried out monthly. And you can find the ingredients for a cleanser in your kitchen.

Mix half a glass of water with half a glass of white vinegar. The water should be distilled or specially made for ironing to avoid additional limescale. Before using such a cleaner, use a toothpick to mechanically remove the plaque from the holes through which steam escapes. Then pour the cleaner into the iron reservoir, preheat the appliance, lift it in a horizontal position, and turn on the steam function. After a few minutes, turn off the iron and pour out the remaining liquid. You can also wipe the soleplate with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar.

However, it's not just scale and rust that irons need to be cleaned. Burnt spots on the soleplate can be caused by burnt fabric ironed at too high a temperature. Or because you inadvertently placed the iron on the wrong surface.

To clean such a "burn", you will need baking soda. Mix two teaspoons of the powder with a teaspoon of water to form a paste-like substance. Apply it to the stain in a thick layer, leave it for 15 minutes, and then gently wipe the stain and rinse off the remaining product with a damp cloth.

The ceramic sole of the iron can be cleaned with a white candle. To do this, heat the device slightly and rub the candle in the place of contamination so that it is covered with a layer of wax. After a few minutes, wipe off the wax with a cloth and use the soleplate of the iron to "iron" the baking parchment or newsprint. This will leave no greasy residue on the soleplate. The wax from the steam holes can be removed with a toothpick.