At first my plan was to get a new cover every 6-9 months; I found one I like for $10 on Amazon, but now I just cover the board with a towel when I'm doing a lot starching and throw it in the wash.

I always lay an old pillow case under the piece I'm starching. I guess any fabric would do tho. Then when it gets yucky, I just toss it

I washed my first June Taylor mat and thought it was OK. The washing of it distorted the ruler markings on it, and it didn't come as clean as I wished. I also bought a new one with a 50% off coupon and asked here on the board how to keep it clean. Someone suggested I get some of the silver iironing board fabric from Joann's and use one of those old marking wheels that we used with the colored marking paper to mark darts on fabric when sewing clothing. You cut the fabric a little larger than the board and use the tool to force it between the ironing surface and the backing that is the cutting mat. It works! I never used the measurements on the ironing side of the board anyway. Now my new one stays clean. I hope this helps.

If you have (and every sewer I know has one) a tracing wheel it works great to run around the edge of the pad to tuck in a cover over the old one. You can't tell it's a cover and it pulls out easy to wash. I did this to the new one I bought and the original cover still looks like new. I started putting a layer of freezer paper underneath the cover to keep the steam from the starch from going to the mat side. I had the mat bow from steam on my old one.

I bought at a yard sale an old wooden TV tray table. I made an ironing board cover out of an old sheet and the Batting with the silver in it, Used when making pot holders. I made it with elastic and I can remove it and throw it in the washer ans dryer. Fits perfectly to my right, I just swivel and iron. Great when I am piecing.

Thanks for the tip on using the ironing mat-mine is on my cutting mat and it never occurred to me that the heat might warp my cutting mat!!! Now I'll remove the cutting mat before I iron.

I throw mine in the washer on gentle cycle and let it air dry. Don't know if this would work for you.

Can you wash it?

When my ironing board cover gets "icky" from starch, etc... I just make a new one,(method sewingsuz above uses) generally out of the 54" wide decorator fabric from WalMart. I just put the new one over the old one.. Adds cushion to the already existing one. Measure the biggest width of your board and add enough for turning edge and casing and voila! pretty new cover!! You can also color coordinate to you room!

I set my iron on cotton, no steam, put an opened up brown paper bag on the ironing board and then press the bag. It will clean up the ooky stuff on the ironing board cover.