How to Maintain and Clean Your Steam Iron ?

Steam Iron Care 101: 7 Steps to Clean and Maintain It

Do you often take your steam iron for granted? Since you use the appliance to remove wrinkles and always look sharp regularly, frustrating ironing sessions may arise due to lack of maintenance. When was the last time you gave your iron the attention it deserves?

It’s important to clean steam irons to ensure they work seamlessly. Indeed, you can make a big difference after learning how to clean and maintain your iron, whether you use it daily or just for special occasions. If you want to avoid poor performance, annoying leaks, and too much steam, let’s learn how you can clean an iron base plate.

Reasons to Clean Steam Irons

Before you dive into the how-to, wait for a moment. Let’s check out why it is important to regularly clean and maintain your steam iron.

Mineral Buildup Prevention

Over time, the minerals in tap water can accumulate inside the steam iron. Now, this buildup can lead to clogged vents and compromised steam flow. Consequently, you can face water leaks, uneven steam distribution, and pressing inefficiency.

Smooth Soleplate

The soleplate of your steam iron comes in direct touch or contact with your clothes. In case the soleplate is dirty, it can leave stains on your clothes or even damage the fabric. A clean soleplate verifies that your clothes are smoothly pressed. Also, there’s no risk of unwanted marks.

Longevity Enhanced

Regular care extends the life of your steam iron, like any other appliance. With a steam iron descaler and other preventive measures, your appliance can perform well for years to come.

Superior Performance Intact

Not to mention, a well-maintained iron can perform up to your expectations or even exceed them. Indeed, you can fortify the steam iron’s efficiency by clearing out the blockages and maintaining the steam functionality.

How to Clean Steam Irons

Now, let’s see how to properly clean and maintain your steam iron:

1. Turn Off and Unplug

Be it a self-cleaning iron or not, always power off and unplug the appliance. This particular step is crucial for your safety and for preventing potential accidents. Also, let your iron cool down completely if you have used it a while ago.

2. Empty the Water Reservoir

After your iron has cooled down, remove the remaining water from the tank. Otherwise, the tank is prone to the buildup of minerals and creates sediment if you leave water inside the reservoir for extended periods. 

To clean steam irons’ tank, you can take out the removable reservoir and empty it. If it doesn’t have a removable tank, you can hold the iron over a sink and tap it gently to pour out all the water.

3. Clean the Soleplate

Your clothes touch the soleplate of your steam iron while getting pressed. Hence, you must keep it clean and free of stains. If the soleplate has mild stains or dirt then:

• Dampen a sponge or soft cloth and wipe down the soleplate. Well, avoid abrasive scrubbers as they can scratch the surface.
• If you find the stains to be stubborn, clean an iron base plate with a paste of baking soda and water. Simply, rub the paste onto the soleplate with a sponge or cloth. Finally, wipe it off with a damp cloth.

What about those sticky burnt marks? Can they be cleaned from your steam iron’s soleplate? Here’s what you can do:

• For self-cleaning irons, you can turn on the steam function. So, fill the water tank, plug the iron back in, and then set it to the highest temperature to clean out mineral deposits.
• After your iron starts steaming, hold the appliance over a damp cloth or paper towel. Afterwards, allow the steam iron to release the steam.

The above-mentioned steps should loosen any sticky buildup. Also, wipe the soleplate to remove any remaining residue. As shared by experts, never leave the iron sitting idle on fabric. Otherwise, you might get scorch marks on the fabric from the soleplate. So, rest the iron on its heel when you don’t use it.

4. Descale the Steam Iron Regularly

Now, this is an unskippable step as you live in an area with hard water. The minerals in the water can easily accumulate inside the iron. Also, they can clog up the system vents. Check out all the necessary steps about a steam iron descaler process:

• Most manufacturers recommend using a dedicated descaling solution. So, try to stick to that to clean steam irons and descale them.
• However, you can make yourself a DIY steam iron descaler. Just mix equal parts of water and white vinegar in the water tank. 
• Then, run the appliance in a high setting and let it steam for a couple of minutes. 
• Turn the steam iron off and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Once the descaling process is over, you can fill the reservoir with clean water. Then, let the iron steam again to flush out any remaining descaling or vinegar solution.

Make sure you empty the water tank after the descaling process. However, some manufacturers strictly forbid to use of vinegar. So, pay attention to your steam iron’s user manual before using the vinegar solution for descaling.

5. Steer Clear the Steam Vents

Mineral deposits can clog the iron vents. To clean steam iron vents, here’s what you need:

• Dampen a cotton swab with a vinegar solution. Gently insert the swab into the steam vents to remove any gunk or mineral buildup.
• If it’s a stubborn buildup, you can use a toothbrush to lightly scrub around the vents. 
• However, be careful that you don’t force the brush into the holes or damage them.

No matter how stubborn the stain is, you should never use harsh chemicals or metal tools to clean steam vents. Or else, you may end up damaging your steam iron.

6. Maintain the Water Reservoir

As a part of maintenance, you should count the water reservoir and its cleaning into the regime. Over time, the water tank of the steam iron is likely to develop grime and mineral deposits. To keep the tank in good shape, here’s what you should follow even if it’s a self-cleaning iron.

• After every use, rinse the water tank out with clean water. This will ensure that there’s no mineral inside.
• Instead of tap water, you should use distilled one. Distilled water contains fewer minerals. So, the chances of buildup inside the reservoir as well as the steam vents are less.

However, refer to the user manual before you clean an iron base plate or water tank for better results.

7. Storage Tips

Improper storage can harm your steam iron. No matter how seldom you use the steam iron, here are some safe tips for storage:

• Never ever store your iron when it’s still hot or warm. Only put it away when it’s completely cool.
• Additionally, keep your iron in an upright position to prevent damage to the soleplate and other components.
• Are you thinking of not using your iron for a while? Then, make sure you empty the water tank. This will prevent any residual moisture from causing problems.

What’s More?

It might seem tempting to create more steam. However, never overfill the water reservoir as it can lead to unwanted leaks. So, fill the reservoir to the recommended level. On the other hand, many irons are now available with the self-cleaning feature. So, check out the guidelines in that case.

Hopefully, these bonus tips pay you off for your steam iron maintenance.