Iron Sputtering Rusty Water

On last Friday, my steam iron all of a sudden started sputtering and spewing out rusty water. I've had problems with previous irons and our local, extremely hard water (just white deposits -- not rust), so I've been using bottled spring water. I did not use distilled water, because the manufacturer recommended not using that.

I must confess that I did not empty the iron out after using it.

I looked on-line for information on how to clean that out of an iron and found several recommendations to use a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water to clean the rust out.

I've tried that three (3) times, but it just keeps spitting out more rust.

I'm looking for recommendations -- Do I ...

1) try the vinegar/water a few more times? 2) try a commercial cleaner (if so, which one worked for you)? 3) forget about trying to get the rust out and use the iron without steam from now on?

Thanks for your help. Bev in TX

Reply to
countryone77
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I'd go for the vinegar/water a few more times before going any further. It's a lot cheaper/easier than any of the other alternatives

- just costs a few minutes time. After that, I'd go for not using steam until you have a chance to replace the iron. If the vinegar/ water doesn't do it I wouldn't think a commercial cleaner would do much better but then, I don't have any experience with them either. I'd opt for a new iron, myself.

Good luck!

Kim in NJ

Reply to
AuntK

(4) you put the vinegar/water solution in the iron. Figure out how to let it be face down. Setting it on a cookie rack or something down in the sink works okay. Let it heat, steam, kick and cuss. Pick it up (still level) and slosh it back and forth. (carefully) Press the spray/steam buttons some. Cool. Rinse with water. Repeat. Your home will smell like you're dyeing Easter eggs. No matter. Our Rowentas needed that serious cleaning often. Maybe if I'd used spring water they would have lived longer. The newer (about a year old) Conair has only needed fierce flushing once. Maybe all spring water is not created equal. Before you use the iron on something important, please do test on an old towel or such. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Polly's advice is excellent, and has worked for me in the past. However, now I ALWAYS empty out all the water when I am finished ironing, and haven't had that problem for over 10 years -- just hold the iron with the water hole at the lowest point for a minute and let the water dribble out into a sink or toilet, and do that while the iron is still hot. Why it being hot makes a difference I do not know, but it seems to clear out all the water while waiting until the iron has cooled down does not. (An old lady in the church choir told me that, and as usual, Helen knows!)

Reply to
Mary

While it is hot, the remaining small amount of water evaporates; at least, that is what I have always supposed? . In message , Mary writes

Reply to
Patti

The commercial cleaners worked very well for me. It seemed a lot "stronger" than vinegar. But they're expensive, too. I've also used a commercial coffee-pot cleaner on an old iron I was ready to replace anyway. It worked beautifully. I couldn't believe how much crud sputtered out of it.

Sherry

Reply to
Sherry

Howdy!

I've been saying this for 10+ years: don't put water in the iron.

I don't care if it does say "steam" iron, don't put water in it. My dry "steam" iron never spits, spots, sputters or stains; it doesn't gurgle, chortle or hiss (that's what the cat is for). A spray bottle of tap water is perfect for spritzing clothes on the ironing board, the iron likes it & so do I. Irons do not steam themselves to death here.

Solution for your rusty-water devil iron: Replace it. Irons aren't expensive; get a new one & NEVER put water in it. ;-D

R/Sandy

Reply to
Sandy E

Or you could just do like Ricky Tims does....he figures most irons become incontinent so he uses a dry iron and keeps a spray bottle of water nearby to spritz when needed. I'm sure he could get as many free irons as he would ever want, but he prefers the spray bottle.

Reply to
KJ

Howdy!

Ricky Tims: another Texan quilter. See? What'd I say: don't put water in the iron! ;-D

R/Sandy- just a little older than Ricky, w/ many more years of ironing experience

Reply to
Sandy E

If the vinegar isn't cutting it -- and you're ready to toss the iron.... why not try a little CLR?

Removes lime and rust residue. I use it in the laundry, in the shower... I can't imagine it would hurt the iron -- but I've never done it so I don't make any promises. I'm one of those with a spritz bottle next to the iron.

Reply to
Kate in MI

I've tried the vinegar/water three (3) more times and the iron's rust situation is getting worse instead of better. I even had dry rust come out when I tried it without water. The net result is that I tossed the thing this morning.

When I first purchased the iron, the soleplate felt rough (it eventually smoothed out). When I wrote to manufacturer about it, they sent me a duplicate iron (which had the same issue) and they did not ask to have the older one returned. So I do have another iron, though it took a while to find it in one of the other bedroom's closet, where I had packed it away out of sight. I just hated throwing something away that was not cheap and only 7-months old :-(.

I used to be one of those who did not have a steam iron and used a spray bottle. I liked the flat sole plate and I did not have water deposit/rust issues. Then I developed a touch of arthritis, which is why I switched from a spray bottle to a steam iron a few years ago. I'll just have to make sure to empty the water reservoir after each use, while the iron is still hot. I think that I'll also switch to distilled water, contrary to what the manufacturer suggests.

I also found rust on the ironing board and gobs of it was coming up through the ironing board cover when I tested the iron this morning. Looking underneath, I see a thick layer of rust. It was a relatively cheap board, but I never expected to see something like that. So, I'm going into town today to get another ironing board & cover.

Hopefully that will finally get rid of all the rust and keep it away, at least for a while :-).

Thanks for all of your excellent suggestions :-).

Bev in TX

Reply to
Bev in TX

I think I'd throw it out too, Bev. It would be a shame for the rust to re-appear just as you were ironing something white (and important!) I don't understand why new irons forbid the use of distilled water. Our water is so hard that the irons still gunk up anyway. I have a friend who got a new iron & she's using distilled anyway. I've been tempted to, also.

Sherry

Reply to
Sherry

Bev: Of course you need to avoid aggravating your wrists and hands. I would like to suggest you look around for other styles of spray/mist bottles. There are so many varieties, and some are in the garden store. You may find something you can use while it sits on the ironing table, avoiding the need to lift. Good luck. PAT

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

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