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Member since 10/10/06
Posts: 200
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Posted on: 3/30/09 7:12 PM ET
I hope this is the right place for this. I can NOT seem to get my iron clean. I have used the Faultless hot iron cleaner and it STILL won't come clean. I have a gravity feed iron if that makes a difference. Any tips??? I want my iron clean again lol.

Thanks!
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Adrienne
www.adriennesessentials.com
  
Member since 3/9/07
Posts: 1481
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Posted on: 3/30/09 7:28 PM ET
In reply to 3kids1036
Adrienne,
Does your gravity feed iron have a stainless steel sole plate? If so, here's how DH Keith cleans my iron(s):

1. Use Brasso brand metal cleaner. It comes in a squeez-able bottle and has a shampoo-like dispenser top. Heat the iron to warm, but touchable, temperature. Apply the brasso to a clean white rag (old sheet bits work great). Rub the Brasso all around the iron, turning your rag, to pick up all dirt, residue, glue bits, etc.

2. Using another cotton-ish rag, spray the 2nd rag with Windex (or like product) to remove the final residue of the Brasso cleaner from the iron's sole plate.

3. Heat the iron more, to steam temperature. Lay the iron down into a 3rd clean white rag (any kind) and steam the iron into the rag, making sure that you remove all minute residue from all steam holes.

Voila! Cleanest irons in town. HTH --Lily
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Lily
  
Member since 10/10/06
Posts: 200
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Posted on: 3/30/09 7:35 PM ET
In reply to lilyofthevalley
Yes it does. Thanks for the tip!!
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Adrienne
www.adriennesessentials.com
  
Member since 1/25/06
Posts: 527
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Posted on: 3/31/09 4:50 AM ET
I don't know if it's applicable, but after a lot of frustration trying to clean my stainless steel kettle, I boiled it with 2 lemons cut in half and left it to cool. Perfect! The shiny better than ever surface.
  
Member since 8/24/02
Posts: 275
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Posted on: 3/31/09 11:18 AM ET
I use rubbing alcohol to clean my SS iron. Put some on a cotton ball or flannel scrap, wipe away. I use a Q tip on the steam holes.
Make sure your iron is stone cold.
  
Member since 3/28/08
Posts: 675
Body Type:
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Posted on: 3/31/09 11:52 AM ET
If there's glue from fusibles stuck to it, there's also a product called Goo Gone that does a good job.
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Tricia
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The advantage of being a beginner is, nobody has told you "That can't be done." This is also the disadvantage of being a beginner.
  
Member since 3/19/09
Posts: 758
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Posted on: 3/31/09 3:26 PM ET
In reply to tr1c14
The best stuff I have found is parrafin wax, or bees wax. We used it all the time to get "gunk" off our theaterical irons.
I used it on my personal iron when I dropped it on the nyron carpet. I had melted carpet all over the plate. (I would rather clean the iron than burn my feet any day.)

The only thing is make sure the iron is hot, let the stuff melt on then using a cotton towel or cheap muslin Iron it off. The more friction the better. It took me 3-4 repitions to get it all off but it worked.
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"Costume Tech's are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated except to those designers, actors, directors, playwrights, and other theater artists who depend on them." - The Costume Technicians Handbook
  
Member since 5/10/05
Posts: 2641
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Posted on: 4/8/09 2:21 PM ET
Ive used dryer sheets before. You have to use more than one, but they get the gunk off. I would also use a old towel over your ironing board, because it will leave a oily residue.


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Member since 8/15/06
Posts: 218
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Posted on: 4/8/09 5:28 PM ET
I use Mr. Clean's Magic Sponge on a cold iron. No nasty fumes like from commerical iron cleaning products.
  
Member since 11/3/08
Posts: 37
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Posted on: 5/5/09 7:38 PM ET
In reply to lilyofthevalley
Brasso is my new favorite trick! Thank you - this stuff is amazing and I couldn't believe how much gunk came off my iron. I've been searching for something and won't even admit some of the things I've tried. This is definitely the solution to a real problem.
  
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