Having your iron scorched is not a pleasant thing. Luckily, however, you can solve this problem easily now with these tips.
How to clean a scorched iron?
When the bottom of your iron is burned, the first thing you should do is to unplug it. Let the iron cool completely and then take a wooden chopstick or a pair of tweezers to lift the melted material from the plate.
Your iron will not work well as long as the burned fabric is not completely removed from it. Once you remove the whole material, use one of the following methods to clean the iron.
Vinegar
In case that your iron is badly burned, do not use salt, but take some vinegar instead. Heat the vinegar up, take a cloth and soak it into the vinegar.
Using the cloth, wipe the scorched sole plate until you remove the marks. In the end, take a damp cloth and wipe the bottom of the iron with it.
In case that the vinegar does not work in removing the marks from the iron, make a mixture using hot white vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of baking soda or table salt. Stir the mixture well until the baking soda or the salt dissolves in the vinegar, and then take a cloth and wipe the sole plate of the iron with it until you completely get rid of the stains.
In the end, wipe the bottom of the iron using a damp towel.
Salt
Put a couple of tablespoons of salt on a cloth and then put the cloth on the ironing board. Turn on the iron and place it on the salt, rubbing forth and back until you get rid of the scorch marks. In the end, turn off the iron and wait until it cools, and then take a damp cloth so that you wipe the sole plate.
Laundry detergent
If your iron has a nonstick sole plate, you can clean the scorch marks using laundry detergent. Take a bowl with some warm water in it and add several drops of detergent into it. Dip a cloth in it and then rub it against the sole plate of the iron. Finally, wipe the plate of the iron with a damp towel.
Dish soap
Sometimes, the scorch marks can even cover the iron vents. Use a mixture of water and dish soap to get rid of them. Dip a cloth into this mixture and then rub it on the sole plate of the iron, making sure that you also reach the vents. Once the marks are removed, take a clean cloth and dry the iron.
Hydrogen peroxide
Take a cloth and soak it into hydrogen peroxide. Then, place it on the ironing board. Iron over it and do not stop until you get rid of the stains.
Metal polish
If your iron does not have coated iron plate, you can clean it by applying a few drops of metal polish solution. Rub this solution onto the scorched marks until you eliminate them and in the end use a clean cloth to wipe the iron plate.
Before you start with this procedure, read the iron’s owner manual, as some of these techniques might not be recommended for your iron. Moreover, maybe the manufacturer has written some tips in the manual on how to remove the scorch marks from it.
Prevention is the key
If you want to avoid your iron being scorched, keep it in a perfect shape. In other words, make sure that you clean it on a regular basis and that you prevent the building up of materials and the clogging of the vents.
Moreover, make sure that you never turn your iron on and leave it unattended, as you will not be able to know how hot it is before you press it against the linens, the clothes, or any other materials, because that will surely scorch the sole plate of your iron.
Remember that you should not use some scrub brushes or abrasive cleaners to clean the scorched iron, as they will damage it even more.
