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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: Normie
Date: 11-02-2005, 08:11 PM (1 of 9)
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Last week Mary had as her quilting tip of the day, keep your iron clean with a good iron cleaner. What is a good iron cleaner? I have looked in our local Fabric Shop, Wal Mart, Grocery Stores but can't find such a thing. After having an iron (GE steam) for over 30 years, I decided to get a new one. I ended up with a Hamilton Beach Professional Iron, Model 14970. I just loved it from the start especially the difference in weight from my old faithful, the Auto Shutoff Reset ..wonderful. The soleplate is not the teflon finish kind but the smooth metal like the old one. I seem to be getting quite a build up of brown stuff on the soleplate. The instruction book says not to use abrasive cleaners or metal scouring pads but just wipe it with a sudsy cloth. Have you ever tried to clean an iron with a sudsy cloth. Any suggestions or products would be appreciated..... |
User: Normie
Member since: 01-07-2005 Total posts: 2 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 11-02-2005, 08:19 PM (2 of 9)
Get an old worn out towel .. dampen it and add a little soap or detergent and run the warm iron over it.. several times .. If it does not come clean, then do it again.. After you get it clean, try to figure out what is causing the "stuff" in the first place and try to stop doing whatever is causing it.. 
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: debsews
Date: 11-02-2005, 08:39 PM (3 of 9)
| My mother used to have a metal soleplate on her iron and as a kid we were taught to use waxed paper and table salt. Run the iron over the salt on the waxed paper and the brown stuff comes off. I use a liquid iron cleaner. It goes in the iron where the water goes and it steams the stuff out of the holes. I can't find the bottle to tell you the name of it but i got it at the grocery store. |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 11-03-2005, 07:30 AM (4 of 9)
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Here's a link to a thread in the General Sewing forum where they discussed cleaning an iron. It may give you some more ideas. http://sew-whats-new.com/vb/showthread.php?p=132842#post132842 Also, Mary had put a website in one of her newletters where the lady sold an iron cleaner and she said it was the best she had ever used...it really worked. If I can find the site, I will post it later. TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: MaryW
Date: 11-03-2005, 09:26 AM (5 of 9)
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It's called Iron-Off from Dritz. It works with a hot iron.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: katiesmom
Date: 11-23-2005, 06:12 PM (6 of 9)
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If my iron is not very dirty, I iron with a HOT iron over a dryer sheet (place an old towel underneath)..I usually use a Downy (the new Febreze scent!)...cleans the iron and makes the sewing room smell wonderful...hope this helps. If my iron is really bad, I use the Hot Iron Cleaner...place a small line of the Iron Cleaner on a slightly damp towel and iron away!!! Hope this helps... |
User: katiesmom
Member since: 10-30-2005 Total posts: 4 |
From: Catalina
Date: 11-23-2005, 06:55 PM (7 of 9)
| I like all these tips, the iron off is pricey- I always pick some up at the notions sale and it works well. |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: Normie
Date: 11-29-2005, 11:27 AM (8 of 9)
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Thanks so much everyone for your tips on how to clean my iron. I finally got a chance to work on it and you would just think it was new....wish I could figure out what I am getting on it. I ended up purchasing a 3M non abrasive scouring pad and using it but really don't want to continue using it. I plan on trying each suggestion here each time I have a problem and see which works for me. I would love to get some Dritz Iron Off but can't find it anywhere in this city. Does anyone know where I could purchase it in Canada online as I hate getting involved in brokerage and exchange if I purchase it in the USA. |
User: Normie
Member since: 01-07-2005 Total posts: 2 |
From: kkoberle
Date: 11-29-2005, 11:30 AM (9 of 9)
| I use the salt and a brown paper bag...wonderful...be sure to use a hot iron and pick out any leftover salt in the holes on the bottom. |
User: kkoberle
Member since: 02-02-2000 Total posts: 218 
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