How to descale iron? New models are equipped with self-cleaning; for others, a pencil, citric acid, and special cleaners will work. Limescale does not form if the iron is used correctly. Increased water hardness leads to the formation of limescale in the household electrical appliances - scale. An iron with scale clogged steam outlets leaves yellowish marks on the fabric. Every housewife should know how to descale the iron inside and outside to extend its life.
Self-cleaning function
The latest models of irons from well-known companies are equipped with a self-cleaning function. Instructions for using the appliance give clear instructions on how it works:
- The appliance is turned on at the maximum temperature and waited until it warms up and turns off twice.
- Then the iron is unplugged and the self-cleaning button is pressed.
- It is important to prepare in advance a bowl or tray into which the softened limescale will drain. The sink is not suitable for these purposes, since it will also have to be cleaned later.
- Hot steam under pressure discharges all contaminants through the openings of the device into a substituted container. For more thorough cleaning, you can shake the iron from time to time, while being careful not to burn yourself.
- After completing cleaning, you must wait for the appliance to cool, then wash and wipe its working surface dry.
Before you start ironing, you should try the iron on an unnecessary piece of fabric: if minor limescale stains continue to stand out, then you need to clean it again.
See also - How can I clean the iron from soot at home?
Cleaning pencil
An inexpensive tool - a cleaning pencil will help the hostess solve the question of how to clean the iron from scale from the outside. The pencil will loosen the limescale build up around the steam vents. To clean, pour water into the tank, heat the device to maximum temperature and turn it off. When its sole cools down a little, it is carefully rubbed with a pencil. After 5-10 minutes, the iron is turned on again and an unnecessary rag folded in several layers is ironed with it, setting the mode of intensive steam supply. The pencil helps to remove the scum that has accumulated outside in the holes on the working surface of the appliance. Before starting cleaning, it is necessary to open the window in the room, as limescale smells unpleasant.
Scale with citric acid
There is a popular folk method of how to clean the iron from scale inside. You can remove lime deposits with citric acid by dissolving it in a glass of water (25 g of acid is enough).The solution is poured into a water tank and high heat is turned on. After 5 minutes, the device is set to the maximum steam emission mode and turned off. A chemical reaction takes place between citric acid and scale, and together with hot steam and water, dissolved brown-yellow scale with an unpleasant odor accumulated inside the electrical appliance comes out of the holes. If necessary, the procedure is repeated several times. Then you can clean the sole with vinegar, rinse the water tank, pour clean water into it and iron the old cloth folded in several layers, wiping the iron with it. It is better to open a window in the room while cleaning. (Read also: How can you descale your kettle? )
Some craftsmen claim that it is possible to clean scale with Pepsi-Cola carbonated water and similar drinks, since they contain phosphoric acid, which dissolves organic compounds.
Boil the scale from the iron
If a lot of scale has accumulated and the sediment is solid, you can use a potent agent - immerse the soleplate in a hot solution of citric acid or a special descaling powder for household electrical appliances. To do this, perform the following actions:
- 2 wooden blocks are placed in a deep baking sheet;
- an iron is placed on the bars;
- pour the powder from the plaque onto a baking sheet, calculating its amount by the volume of water required to immerse the device in the solution along the sole;
- citric acid is put in an amount of 5-6 tbsp. l per liter of water;
- pour boiling water into a baking sheet so that it covers the sole of the iron;
- leave the iron in a hot solution for 1 hour;
- in order to more effectively remove limescale, you can place a baking sheet with a household appliance on a stove and heat over low heat for an hour.
Factory-made descaling agents
The problem of how to clean the iron from scale, it is not difficult to solve with the help of tools specially developed by manufacturers of household appliances, sold in stores along with household appliances. On the advice of a sales assistant, you can purchase a good imported product with cleaning additives and use it regularly. Then, limescale will not accumulate on the device - neither inside nor outside, and there will be no problem of things spoiled by calcareous stains. The working surface of the device does not need to be cleaned. You should only carefully read the instructions and use the product correctly. The disadvantage of factory scale solvents is considered their high cost and the need to constantly buy these funds. Sometimes they cause an allergic reaction in adults, children and pets. (Read also: How and with what to clean the coffee machine at home? )
Output
You can fight scale in different ways. Some models are equipped with a useful self-cleaning function. If there is no such function in the iron, you can clean the plaque from the outside with a pencil, and inside with a solution of citric acid or carbonated water. If there are hard lime deposits, gently immersing the soleplate in a hot solution of cleaning agent or citric acid for a long time will help. You can, without waiting for the formation of plaque, immediately after buying an electrical appliance, regularly use a special descaler, following the instructions for use.
It is important to remember that the formation of scale can be easily avoided by pouring distilled (in extreme cases, boiled) water into the water tank in the iron, draining it completely after ironing and cooling the appliance and always keeping it upright. These simple tips will allow the hostess to forget about the problem and no longer wonder how to descale the iron inside at home.
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