Today I’m going to show you my top three ways to clean an iron: vinegar scrub, baking soda scrub, and toothpaste – check them out and pick your favorite!

PROJECT TIME: 10-15 min.
PROJECT LEVEL: easy
SUPPLIES: listed in each cleaning option

OPTION 1: VINEGAR SCRUB

SUPPLIES: 1/2 c. white vinegar, 1/8 c. salt (the finer the quicker this goes), small pot, spoon, small bowl, terrycloth towel/rag, cotton swabs, and a dirty iron, of course

1. PREP. Start with an unplugged and cool iron – empty the water tank if needed.
2. COOK. At your stove, place a small pot over medium heat and add the white vinegar and salt.
3. STIR. As the vinegar heats up, stir the salt frequently until it dissolves.
4. COOL. When the salt has dissolved, pour the mix into a small bowl and let it cool to the point that it’s still warm but won’t burn your fingers.
5. SCRUB. Dip a terrycloth towel or rag in the vinegar mix and use it to wipe down your iron’s soleplate.
6. DETAIL. If you’ve got buildup in the steam holes dip a cotton swab in the vinegar mix and use it to wipe them out.
7. BEFORE YOU IRON. See the “Final Note” section below.

OPTION 2: BAKING SODA SCRUB (my favorite method)

SUPPLIES: baking soda, water, terrycloth towel/rags, scrubbing pad (optional)

1. PREP. Start with an unplugged and cool iron – empty the water tank if needed.
2. MIX together 2 parts baking soda to 1 part water to make a wet scrub.
3. SCRUB. Dip your towel into the scrub, being sure to get some baking soda on it, and scrub your iron until it’s clean.
4. EXTRA SCRUB. If you need more scrubbing power for heavy buildup, add 1 more part baking soda to your scrub and use a scrubbing pad* along with the paste to remove the gunk on your iron.
5. CLEAN UP. Use a damp towel to wipe off any excess baking soda.
6. DETAIL. If you’ve got buildup in the steam holes dip a cotton swab in the baking soda mix and use it to wipe them out.
7. BEFORE YOU IRON. See the “Final Note” section below.

*don’t use steel wool if your iron has a non-stick coating on the soleplate

OPTION 3: TOOTHPASTE

SUPPLIES: toothpaste (not the gel type), terrycloth towel/rags

1. PREP. Start with an unplugged and cool iron – empty the water tank if needed.
2. SCRUB. Apply a small strip of toothpaste on a terrycloth towel/rag and scrub your iron’s soleplate with it.
3. CLEAN UP. Use a damp terrycloth towel/rag to remove the excess toothpaste.
4. DETAIL. If you’ve got buildup in the steam holes wet a cotton swab with water and use it to wipe them out.
5. BEFORE YOU IRON. See the “Final Note” section below.

FINAL NOTE

Regardless of which method you choose, before ironing for the first time you’ll want to make sure the steam holes are fully cleared by filling the tank with water and turning your iron to a steam setting. Once it’s hot, press the steam button a few times and iron an old towel to make sure nothing comes out of the steam holes.

That’s all there is to it! A clean iron – ready to be destroyed with more crafting and sewing fun. Let me know in the comments which method you prefer and if you liked this, be sure to subscribe to The Normal Girl Show to get notifications about new episodes every week. Until next time…stay normal!

-Katie