How to Clean the Soleplate of a Steam Iron

Irons are heroes that make your clothes look crisp and neat. Using an iron to eliminate the creases and wrinkles from clothes is a mandatory routine in our daily lives. Moreover, you must clean the soleplate (the bottom of the iron) of your irons as it might become dusty, oil and sticky over time. In some cases, the melt residue of a burnt fabric can develop a stubborn and ugly mess. By taking proper care of your iron, you can make sure to glide the iron smoothly over shirts, dresses, skirts and other clothes.

So here I am going you share some of the tricks and tips with you that would help you keep your iron good as new.

Cleaning the soleplate using a mixture of water and baking soda

It is a great method that helps to dissolve any grime and gunk that has made itself at home on the soleplate of your iron. It is not only simple yet really easy to clean your iron’s soleplate using this mixture. All you need to do is to take some baking soda and mix it with water to make a paste. Now rub this paste on the base of the soleplate of the iron. You can use a towel or a soft brush to scrub the soleplate. After giving a good scrub, use plain water to wipe the mixture away. Make sure that you have wiped the soleplate completely. Let the iron dry before using it.

Using a newspaper

For using this method, firstly heat your iron to the highest setting. Wear the oven mitten to protect your hands from the heat. Take some newspaper and scrunch it up. Now use the scrunched newspaper to scrub the soleplate of your iron. This would remove all the dirt and gunk from the soleplate.

Using an acetone nail polish remover for cleaning the soleplate

This is another method that helps to wipe and dissolve all the dirt and grime from the soleplate of your iron. For this method, turn the iron on and allow it to heat up. Take a cotton ball and soak it with acetone nail polish remover. Wear over mittens for protecting your hands and quickly dab the soaked cotton ball on the hot surface. Acetone nail polish would evaporate quickly. However, it does a great job of dissolving and removing the dirt and grime away. After this wipe the surface using water and a soft cloth.

The kitchen scrubbers and sponges do a great job at cleaning

You can use a non-scratch kitchen scrubber or sponge to scrub the surface of iron using some soap and water. These can do a great job of cleaning the soleplate of the steam irons. After you are done scrubbing, wipe the surface away using a towel and allow it to dry down completely before use.

Vinegar

Take a small towel and dampen it using some white vinegar. Now wipe the soleplate of iron and remove any dirt and gunk present at the bottom. In some cases, some of the residues might remain that calls for soaking the towel in distilled water. After soaking the towel, lay the cool iron soleplate on the towel. Allow it to soak for about 15 to 30 minutes and then wipe until the soleplate is completely dry.

A powerful cleaning duo 

The powerful cleaning duo includes baking soda and some vinegar. Take 1/4 cup of baking soda and add it into half a cup of vinegar. Now take a small towel and soak it in the solution of baking soda and vinegar. Spread the soaked towel flat and run the turned off iron over the towel. Do it as you are ironing the towel.

 The dish detergent

Another really good method to clean the soleplate of your steam iron is to pour some drops of liquid dish detergent into some water. Now using a towel or a soft rag or a paper towel dipped into the solution, wipe any residue that might be present at the soleplate.

Using the table salt 

Take an ample amount of table salt on a sheet of paper. Now run the warmed iron over that sheet of paper with salt. This would assist in removing the gunk and other stains from the soleplate. Run the iron a few times over the salt. Now unplug the iron and allow it to cool down. Once the iron is cooled down, wipe the salt away and dry the surface using a soft cloth.

Using some toothpaste

Take some toothpaste and simply scrub it onto the soleplate of your iron. Now wipe the surface by using a damp and clean cloth. Always make sure that your iron is dry before you use it.