With all the applique I've been doing, I discovered that I've got a dirty iron. I've been trying to clean it after each use, but I've got some sticky stuff that is turning black. My mother-in-law thought I was nuts when I asked for a Rowenta Iron for Christmas and I don't want it ruined. How do I clean it? I thought about Goo-Gone, but it will leave a oily residue. What do you recommend?

Mr Clean magic eraser. or a used dryer sheet.

iron a dryer sheet... it really does work.

I buy the hot iron cleaner. Comes in a tube with a polishing cloth also. Made by Rowenta

there's probably as many answeres as there are irons- i've heard of salt- brown paper bags- dryer sheets- there are a dozen or so iron cleaner products in the grocery store (laundry isle)
my iron does NOT have a non-stick coating on it- i've crumpled up aluminum foil and used it on the hot plate to remove fusable- with great success- i'd be afraid of damaging a coating if there was one though.

once you get it clean again- start using a pressing sheet when working with fusables= will really save your iron and other surfaces-
there are plenty of options for pressing sheets- you can purchase one from a quilt/fabric shop (quite pricy)
you can use the release paper from fusable- after the fusable is used- and you peel the paper away- the paper works well to put over your appliques before pressing=
or you can use parchment paper- available in the grocery store- right next to the freezer paper (these two items are main stays in my sewing room- the room would be 'naked' without them :) )
i agree with your m-i-l---crazy
my $10 iron is a wonderful iron that has held up way longer than that stupid iron i paid $149 for- that was leaking-sputtering- horrible in less than 3 months

I have heard running distilled water thru it too

Try ironing on wax paper. My mom had me do this when I was doing some fusible applique at her house and accidentally tried ironing with the fusible side face up. Take a large sheet of wax paper and fold in half a few times, so it's either 4 or 8 layers thick, but still bigger than the face of the iron. Briefly iron the wax paper and then wipe iron on a clean towel. Repeat several times to get all the gunk off.

Magic eraser or rubbing alchol is what I use

Just be careful not to have your iron too hot - I just did that and melted the drier sheet on my new big ironing board! :cry:

EDIT: I can report that Magic Eraser works GREAT on a cold iron - quick, easy, no residue - and now my iron is looking new again!! Thanks for that great, inexpensive tip!!!

I use wax paper like Qbquilts & it works great.

I read some where that you can use a pre moistened stove top cleaner wipe.

I've tried the used dryer sheet, several times. It may have worked a little. Will try the magic eraser.

Does using the magic eraser scratch the iron? I know it's abrasive and can take paint off the wall and can take off the top layer of skin (for the unfortunate kids whose parents think it's the same as a sponge or wipe).

Wow! Thanks for all of the great responses. I happen to have a ton of magic erasers at home. Hubby uses them to clean his golf clubs. When I get home from work, I'm going to give it a try. Then I'm headed for the store to get some parchment paper. Thank you thank you thank you.

I heard on the Fons and Porter show yesterday, someone who sent in a tip, said that using the ceramic stove top cleaner sheets take all the "gunk" off an iron. Haven't tried it but it sounds logical.
Gloryb

A couple of weeks ago I ask the board the same question.
I got a lot of good responses. But nothing worked. I had
to go out and get a new iron for ironing, and the messed up one I use for quilting. I hope yours is not as bad as mine. :(

Dritz has a good iron cleaner. It comes in a tube like toothpaste. Squeeze about an inch on an old towel and rub your hot iron over it. The gunk comes off easily this way. Just keep rubbing the iron over clean places on the towel until there is no more residue. The iron needs to be as hot as possible for this to work. There will be some fumes, but it is not an offensive odor. Works for me. You can get this at JoAnn's when they have their half off notions wall. I think Walmart has it too.

I used this in the past, and it really did the trick for me. I did hate the smell of the stuff however.

I tried the dryer sheet & it just melted. What brand dryer sheet do you use?

I also applique a lot and had a very dirty iron. I looked up on google and found "How to clean an iron".... Tear a brown paper bag on one side and lay flat with salt sprinkled on it. Iron away your dirt. Worked like a charm. Good luck.
Oh yea I think I even spritzed my iron with some water when I did it. My iron is clean now....Good luck..Gib

What I was gonna say

I save my dryer sheets and wad about 4 up in a ball and use that to scrub yuk off my iron :)

if older iron with no coating on it, i have used SOS pad to clean it off, run lots of water over it and through it, then make it slide good with waxed paper.

Take a piece of wax paper, put salt on it, with hot iron rub back and forth across the salt until the iron is clean. Good luck.

I also use a Mr Clean Magic Sponge.

Rowenta irons have a tube of stuff that will clean the plate. Go to JoAnn or Hancock fabrics they sell the tube. If its bad you may need to do it a couple of times to get the iron clean.

if you do a lot of fusible do what I do..I do use a teflon pressing sheet..just a cheap generic one, that works really well..but often we are in a hurry and might forget it..so I bought a cheap, but decent black & decker iron at a thrift shot for $3.00...it gets really hot, has steam so I can still do steam a seam, and if it should be ruined, no big deal...but at least I am not ruining my Maytag cordless that can't be replaced!

i've always relied on the "open brown paper bag and salt" method for a quick cleanup. i've never tried the "eraser"--that'll be the next try!

I use Boasch Iron Clean. I know Joanns has it. It works great!

Ditto! There are several different hot iron cleaners and if you follow directions, you'll have a clean iron. froggyintexas

My mother always used the waxed paper trick.

Yup the used dryer sheet works like a charm

Wax paper. Also hot iron cleaner that I get at my LQS. Use flannel scraps to iron onto....does not scratch the plate.

Dritz Hot Iron Cleaner (available in the notions department) has saved many irons for me.

brown paper bag and salt, just iron the salt

I have always used distilled water in my iron, however, my new Black & Decker's insructions said that it was not necessary.

I ran the iron over wax paper, always seemed to work.

I also had an expensive rowenta iron but now use a $7.98 one I bought on sale at the grocery store. It is the best I have used.

Also adding to the Rowenta Hot Iron Cleaner, it stinks to high heaven, but it does work.

dryer sheet

When I had sticky gunk on my iron plate I sprinkled salt on a folded sheet of waxed paper and with a low heat on the iron, I ironed over the salt and then ironed on two layers of old dryer sheets. Then I rubbed the plate with crumpled up dryer sheets - not too sure what worked the best but it all worked eventually. Does require some "elbow grease".