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Quote:

Originally Posted by Chasing Hawk

Do you have an outlet outside?

Well that's just too ingenious to work! And I'm in Tucson, so the weather is beautiful right now. *Applauds*

Thank you all so much for your feedback! I get my water through a filtration system thing, so I think that's why it's taken so long for the mineral build up to get so bad.

Okay, just did it again. Let the vinegar sit in the iron for 3 hours. Then turned the temp and steam to high and tried not to breathe. Ick. I think I need to move, the smell is that bad.

Anyway, towards the end I kept hitting the extra burst of steam button (to try to finish out the vinegar... I was dying) and all this brown watery stuff started coming out. It happened a little through the vinegar tank but when I just wanted to be done and kept hitting and hitting and hitting, then it's all coming out. So I did that with the rest of the vinegar and with a tank of water. Still junk, I think, but I have to be getting close to getting it clean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyInTheSky

Maybe a new iron is in order. Sounds like you beat that one almost to death.

Since the vinegar is breaking up the crud, now put some dry baking soda in the fill spout, then add the vinegar. It'll bubble like crazy so have it over the sink. Let this solution sit a while and then do as you've been doing. The baking soda will not harm the iron, and will "wash" out with the vinegar.
Hope this helps

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chasing Hawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyInTheSky

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chasing Hawk

All the places I looked say to use vinegar..lol

My iron has a self cleaning mode. Which is great, I fill the reservoir with water turn it on and hold it over the sink and it does its thing.

I meant to ask, thank you. My iron has a self cleaning button. I hit it, nothing happens. I hold it down, nothing happens. How do I use that???? And follow up, do I have to have the iron plugged in or does it work when it's off (PS, I didn't learn to iron until I took my 1st quilting class when I was 20 :D )

The iron needs to be plugged in and the button or knob set to self cleaning. You set it to self cleaning, fill with water plug in and hold it over the sink. I t will spit and sputter for about a minute then drain the tank, refill and repeat. Then use the iron as usual remember to change the setting from self clean to which ever mode you use, steam or dry heat.

yes, that is what I have done

Quote:

Originally Posted by shequilts

Baking sode and vinegar... isn't that how we made volcanoes in elementary school? I never got to make one... now's my chance!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chasing Hawk

Maybe a new iron is in order. Sounds like you beat that one almost to death.

It's been working better since I cleaned it. Still come crud but seems happier. And I've only dropped it a few times, that's hardly beating it to death ;-) ;)