ILoveToQuilt

Same here. I ONLY use a dry iron now. I was taught by a tailor to never, ever use water (tap, filtered, spring, or any kind) in an iron. Water causes the insides to corrode. Metal parts + water = rust. I love my dry iron even if it is heavier than my previous steam irons.

copycat

Why thank you very much for posting this info. Will do!

waltonalice

Thank you for the post. I love the way each of the alternatives is presented, because the options are fact-based and make sense. I'm going to get a Brita pitcher ASAP.

Needles

And I was told never to use anything but 'distilled' water in my steam iron. Actually it was on the informational booklet in the box of the Proctor Silex iron I purchased in 1967. I'm still using that iron, it still works. It has never gunked up on me in nearly 50 years and I love the heft of it. Of course they will tell you to use tap water, you get to buy a new iron every couple of years. Oh, it doesn't look good, but then it has pressed thousands of seam, hems, etc and helped in many crafts. Paint is pretty much worn off on the handle. And the cord is electrical tape for a couple of feet but I love it. I may take it to the grave with me. LOL

BCM

Thank you for the site. I provides much information that will be helpful.

Yooper32

Good article. Enjoyed reading it. But then, I enjoyed even more reading all these comments below.

Maggie77802

Wow, you learn something new everyday. Being military and constantly moving, my mom always bought the water for the iron. It was kept with the ironing stuff and you did not use it for anything else. I thought that is what everybody did.
The one truth I know about ironing. You can spend a lot of money on an iron, but when you drop it, it will break just like a cheap iron.

Stitchnripper

i looked at the pitchers - and saw a Brita water bottle. One filter will do 300 bottles. I think that is the way I am going to go

and of course try not to drop the iron!!

Stitchnripper

The author didn't reference rust. She said a lot of irons are made of "non corrosive" materials. I wonder if older irons have metal that will rust. I've not had rust from my irons, just sputtering.

Roberta

I've been using distilled water and both my irons work fine. Now watch Murphy's Law come into effect and I'll go in there to quilt today and it will be spitting rust at me.