How to Unclog a Steam Iron
As a quilter and seamstress, a steam iron is a must-have component in my sewing room, but it’s of little use to me if the steam holes are clogged. Clogging happens for a variety of reasons (which I will address later) and here is the one way to unclog a steam iron.
Steam Burst
Fill the iron with tap water and set it on the highest setting. When the iron is warmed up and ready to steam, hold it over the kitchen sink and push the ‘burst’ button repeatedly until all the water has been flushed through the iron. Wipe the water spatters off the soleplate with a damp cloth and your steam iron should be unclogged and good as new.
Still Clogged
If the steam holes were so clogged that bursts of steam could not pass through or if there is no improvement in the iron after flushing it, there is no hope for the iron. Don’t waste your money purchasing a commercial steam iron cleaner. Cleaners will break up the mineral deposit inside the iron, but the product will usually damage the interior of the iron too. Use the money towards the purchase of a quality replacement iron and follow these tips to prevent mineral buildup and clogged steam holes in the future.
Use Tap Water
Skip distilled water and just use tap water in your iron, unless your tap water is very hard. Modern day steam irons are designed to work best with water from the tap.
Drain Before Storing
Never store an iron with water still inside. Steam burst all the water out of the iron before unplugging and let cool thoroughly before storing.
Preventive Steaming
Once a month take preventive measures by flushing all the water out. Fill iron, allow to heat up, then hold over sink and hit the ‘burst’ button until all the water has been flushed through the iron.
Clean Soleplate
While doing preventive cleaning on a steam iron, go ahead and clean the soleplate (aka face plate) so nothing will be left behind on freshly ironed clothing. To clean the soleplate, wet an old white washcloth with vinegar and iron the washcloth with a hot iron. Then run the hot iron over a dry washcloth to remove any remaining residue.
