How to clean a burnt iron

Ironing your clothes for removing the wrinkles and creases adds the elements of splendor to your attire. 

As irons are subjected to heavy-duty ironing day in and day out, their soleplates are exposed to intense heat for prolonged periods. 

Sometimes it may result in scorched or burnt iron, which, if not cleaned, may create rusty stains on the ironed fabrics.

Let’s learn about the easy tips for cleaning a burnt iron in no time.

Unplug the iron as soon as you sense that your iron has burnt. Allow it to cool down completely.

Before you clean a burnt iron, ensure to remove the scorched fabric from its soleplate. 

Pick the fragments of melted fabrics using tweezers or wooden chopsticks. Ensure to completely remove all the attached fabric material. 

Now follows the below-mentioned tips for cleaning your burnt iron conveniently.

Salt

It is one of the simplest ways of cleaning the stains. Take a piece of clean and dry cotton cloth and lay it on your ironing board.

Sprinkle some salt on the cloth. Heat your iron to high-temperature settings. 

Iron over the cloth sprinkled with salt a few times. You will see that burnt stains are removed, leaving your iron sparkling clean.

Baking soda

Baking soda is the revered clean-all cleansing agent for cleaning a wide range of household appliances. You can put it to clean, gentle, and light burnt stains on iron. 

Prepare a paste of two tbsp of baking soda mixed with one tbsp of water.

Apply this paste over the stains on the iron plate when it is cool. Gently rub using a clean cloth. Now wipe the paste using a damp cloth.

It is an effective remedy for completely removing gentle burnt stains.

Toothpaste

It may sound surprising that your toothpaste can also clean the things other than your teeth. 

Apply some white toothpaste over the stains on the cold iron soleplate. Gently rub using a clean cloth. Now wipe the paste using a damp cloth.

Ensure to dry the iron completely before using it again.

Vinegar

When your scorched stains are hard and stubborn, you need to apply a more robust and strong cleaning regimen.

Take some white vinegar and heat it. Soak a piece of soft cloth in this solution. Use this cloth to wipe the stain marks on the soleplate for a few minutes. Also, wipe the iron’s bottom with another damp cloth with clean water. 

In case you still see some hardened stains, soak a clean towel in a distilled vinegar solution and lay the cool soleplate of iron on the towel for 30 minutes. 

Now wipe away using a clean damp cloth and allow soleplate to dry completely before using iron again.

Combination of vinegar and baking soda

The combination of vinegar and baking soda is a potent cleansing solution for removing stubborn, burnt stains. 

Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing a few tbsp of baking soda in hot white vinegar. Allow the baking soda to dissolve completely.

Now soak a piece of clean cloth or towel in the mixture. Use it to wipe the hardened stains on the cool soleplate of the iron. 

Apply more rounds of wiping until you see the stains are vanishing.  

Now wipe away the soleplate using a clean damp cloth and allow it to dry completely before using iron again.

This combination works great for most of the tough stains, and its best part is its non-toxic nature.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Pick up a piece of cotton cloth or a rag. Soak it in the solution of hydrogen peroxide. 

Place this on your ironing board. Heat the iron to high-temperature settings.

Iron over the rag or cotton cloth a few times till you see the stains going away.

Nail Polish Remover

Using an acetone nail polish remover is an effective way of treating scorched iron stains.

It is recommended to carry out this cleaning procedure outdoors. 

When the hot iron surface comes into contact with chemicals of the acetone nail polish remover, it may produce toxic fumes that may be dangerous to inhale for humans, pets, and birds. 

If you need to do this cleaning indoors, ensure to do it in a room with good ventilation.

Begin by heating the iron to its lowest setting. Dip a piece of rag into the nail polish remover.

Now wear oven mitts, unplug the iron, take it outdoors and rub the soaked rag over the stains carefully to not get burned. Repeat it a few times.

The acetone dissolves the stains and gets evaporated quickly. Once you have cleaned the stains, allow the iron to cool down.

Now take a clean damp cloth and wipe the soleplate completely. 

Allow it to dry thoroughly before using iron again.

Dish or laundry detergent

You can use liquid dish detergent for cleaning the stains on iron with nonstick soleplate. 

Prepare a solution by adding a few drops of laundry detergent with warm water. 

Soak a piece of clean abrasive cloth into this solution. Scrub the soleplate using this soaked cloth to remove the burnt stains.

Now take a clean damp cloth for wiping out the iron. Dry it out completely before using the iron again.

Combination of lime juice and baking soda

The combination of lime juice and baking soda combines the acidic action of lime along with gentle abrasive treatment of the baking soda.

This solution removes the burnt stains effectively and renders sparkling looks to your iron.

Prepare a paste of baking soda and lime juice. Apply this paste on the scorched stains of the cold iron. 

Leave the paste to act for at least 5 minutes. Now gently rub this paste over the stains to make the stains disappear.

Take a damp cloth and wipe the paste completely from the soleplate. 

Allow the iron to dry out thoroughly before using it again.

Candle Wax

Using candle wax for cleaning burnt iron stains is a very simple and yet effective treatment.

Heat the iron to its lowest setting. Wear the oven mittens and use a candle to rub the scorched stains on the soleplate. 

Use a thick cloth for gently putting pressure on the stains for rubbing the wax against them. It would remove the stains.

Allow the iron to cool down and wipe it clean by using a damp cloth for removing the wax residue and restoring the shine on the soleplate.

Non-scratch sponges and scrubbers

Prepare a solution of soap and water. Dip a non-scratch sponge and scrubber in this solution. 

Gently scrub this sponge against the stains for removing them. 

After you are done, wipe the iron’s flat surface with a damp towel. Allow it to air dry completely before using it again.

Newspaper

Using a newspaper for cleaning the stains is also an effective cleaning alternative.

Heat the iron at the highest settings. Wear oven mittens for protection against burning.

Take a page of the newspaper. Fold it up and scrunch it. Use it to scrub against the flat surface of the iron.

Within a few minutes, you will see the stain marks disappearing from the soleplate.

Iron Cleaners

If nothing seems to work out effectively, you can also buy a readymade iron cleaner that conveniently removes scorched stains and burn marks. 

These iron cleaners are highly potent cleansing agents that restore the shine on the iron’s plate and make them look shiny.

With all its benefits, you must exercise great precautions while ironing your clothes and preventing the iron stains from appearing in the first place.

Even then, if you sense the burnt iron episode, don’t scratch the iron surface using hard items like paper clips for removing the stains.

Instead, follow the above-mentioned tips for cleaning the burnt marks or scorched stains with great ease and convenience.