How to clean a Teflon-coated iron from burnt fabric?

Urgently intending to iron things, we do not always pay attention to how the sole of the iron looks. As a result, you can get a fabric with yellow-brown traces of unknown origin. Sometimes the reason for this lies in the state in which the device is located.

In order for the soleplate of the iron to become dirty, sometimes you need the influence of not one, but several factors. Here are a few main ones:

• The most obvious is the non-compliance with the conditions of the temperature regime in relation to certain types of fabrics. Usually, all the data about what kind of care is required for this or that thing is on the tag or label. This also applies to the ironing process. Usually this icon is indicated by a symbolic image of an iron with dots that indicate the desired temperature (one corresponds to 110 degrees, two to 150, and three to 200). There are fabrics that cannot be ironed even gently. As soon as you exceed the allowable temperature, the fabric begins to melt or burn with the formation of a substance that remains on the iron.
• Equally important is the correct ironing technique. You should not leave the iron in one place for more than 2 seconds, and even more so wait until it warms up by placing it on a cloth or other surface with the sole down (there are stands for this).

• Damage and scratches also play an important role. In addition to the fact that they can damage the fabric mechanically, the soleplate of the iron heats up more in the place where the coating is not covered and ceases to protect things.

• Glue can also get on the iron if you iron the appliqué, or plastic from melted buttons. Therefore, we must remember that it is necessary to iron carefully, observing all the nuances.
• If you pour hard water into the iron, scale can form, which will leave marks on clothes and scratch the coating. And in combination with adhering burnt fabric fibers, it will acquire a dirty color.

A feature of the Teflon coating is the lowest coefficient of friction among solid substances, while not weighing the object. Therefore, the iron glides so easily, which facilitates the work of a housewife. Widely advertised non-stick properties do not really save in emergency situations when it comes to synthetic and delicate fabrics.

Nagar not only stains things, when heated, it emits an unpleasant odor and impairs slipso it must be disposed of immediately. But this does not mean that you need to throw out the electrical device itself. There are ways that quite successfully cope with this problem.

The main methods for cleaning the iron are:

• Mechanical (of course, observing all precautions);
• using various chemicals.

There are special products on sale, the manufacturers of which promise cleanliness without much effort.The most common are the so-called pencils (this form of release is very convenient and allows you to spend it sparingly). Their composition, in addition to fragrances, includes ammonium nitrate, adipic and citric acid. Pencils are:

• Universal (suitable for different surfaces);
• Designed for a specific material.

For Teflon, pencils without abrasive particles are available. You can read about their availability in the instructions.. It also describes the progress of work:

1. To begin with, the device must be heated to 140 degrees and give it a vertical position.
2. Apply evenly over the entire surface.
3. Wipe clean, preferably with a cotton cloth.
4. If necessary, repeat the procedure until the contamination is completely removed.

Another representative of household chemicals that can help with this problem is cleaning agent for glass-ceramic surfaces, microwave ovens, ovens. If the composition does not include aggressive solvents, you can safely use them. They are applied to pollution or moistened with a plastic bag and put a cold (!) iron on it. After that, the surface is wiped with soapy water, a clean damp cloth and wiped dry.

Of course, a special tool may not always be at hand, so you can use in the following ways:

• For example, with the help of citric acid, which must be dissolved in hot water (at the rate of 20 grams per glass).Wipe problem areas with a cloth moistened in the resulting solution. In a neglected case, it can be left for 20 minutes. Acid can be replaced with ammonia.

• Dissolve table vinegar (a spoon into a glass) in a wide container, placing supports there and lowering the iron on them so that the bottom edge of the sole is in the water. After a short soak, it must be wiped. It is important that water does not get inside.

• Hydrogen peroxide has good cleaning properties. An alternative to it can be a hydroperit tablet. After cleaning it is necessary to ventilate the room.
• Small spots can be removed by applying a gruel of soda to them.
• You can try methods using toothpaste, baby cream, or tooth soap. There are many positive reviews about them.

During cleaning, special attention should be paid to steam holes - cotton buds are suitable for this. After cleaning, you need to pour water inside the iron and press the steam button several times to finally clean the holes.

One of the disadvantages of Teflon coating is its relative low strength. It is easily scratched and torn off. That is why, in order to prevent violation of integrity, various brushes and abrasives cannot be used on it. The exception is chalk, which must be crushed and try to grind off adhering synthetics with it.

Another acceptable tool can be a spatula - wooden or Teflon, so as not to melt and aggravate the situation. The bulk of the adhering fabric can be removed immediately after it has adhered or by reheating the iron.All movements should be sliding, without pressure and shock.

Burnt residues can be cleaned with paraffin. To do this, you can take an ordinary candle and rub the sole with it. After that, the device is heated. When the paraffin begins to melt, you need to run it several times over an unnecessary fabric made of cotton or linen. The paraffin should rub off along with the burnt material. Holes can be plugged with cotton pads or thoroughly cleaned with steam.

The problem is easier to prevent than to fix, which is why it is so important to read the instructions for the device. or take advantage of our tips:

• A lot depends on the type of fabric. Be careful with silk (natural and artificial), jersey, satin, twill, nylon, polyester. If there are doubts, it is better to clarify the information, since some things cannot be ironed at all.
• Be careful with embroidery, sequins, locks, buttons, rivets. Such clothes are ironed from the inside out so that the surface of the iron is not damaged.
• Do not lean the hot appliance against plastic and textile surfaces of furniture, walls or lay it on the floor, as some types of substances cannot be removed at all.
• To prevent scale formation, it is necessary to use water or liquid specially designed for this. And the plaque already existing inside the iron can be removed with vinegar.

If, nevertheless, tanning appears on the fabric, you should:

• Don't waste time. The sooner you start cleaning, the better, since hardened and stubborn marks are more difficult to remove.
• Clothing can be reanimated by applying a solution of boric acid to the tan or wiped with a cut of an onion head, and then washed in the usual way.In case the fabric is only slightly affected, soak it in a solution of borax (tablespoon per liter of water). Rinse and dry afterwards. Serious damage, unfortunately, can only be masked with stripes or decorative patches - fortunately, they do not lose their relevance.

For information on how to clean a Teflon-coated iron, see the following video.