Keeping Your Iron Clean
October 28th, 2006 (Cleaning)
When you first get your iron you’ll need to read the instruction manual to find out the right ways to clean and maintain it. Keep the soleplate clean to avoid sticky ironing or staining a garment with residue from spray starch or detergent that didn’t completely rinse out of the fabric during laundering.
If your iron has a nonstick soleplate, clean it frequently with a damp cloth. If the soleplate is metal, put a mild detergent-and-water solution onto a cotton cloth and wipe the surface.
If you notice a sticky brown residue on the soleplate, it’s probably from spray starch. Clean it off with a paste of baking soda and water on a soft cotton cloth, then wipe that off with a damp cloth. Don’t try to clean your iron’s soleplate with an abrasive cleanser, steel wool, or anything that could scratch the surface - that would pretty much ruin its gliding capability.