I have been felting wool and decided a really good steaming would be in order-----only I forgot to turn my iron down to "wool". I now have little melted bits of wool on the bottom of two irons. I've tried Spray and Wash, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and just plain elbow grease. I am now reading the back of a can of oven cleaner. Anybody got any ideas???

You can take a piece of paper bag and put some salt on it, then roll the iron around on the salt. You could always try the iron cleaner goop you can buy at the store. try ironing a damp wash cloth. The key is going to be get the iron hot and THEN clean it while the wool is kinda melted again. once its cooled down and stuck on its harder to get off.

What would happen if you heated the iron and wiped it on an old rag?

I am very curious what your source for the raw wool was, since wool does not melt. perhaps soap residue from the felting process, or a filler in the wool if you used a yarn rather than loose fiber...

Is the sole plate teflon? My mother taught me a nifty trick to clean the bottom (if not teflon). Take a few sheets of newspaper and lay them stacked on the board and generously sprinkle table salt on it. Heat the iron (No steam) and with a little elboe grease, simply rub the iron over the salt in circular motion, then when clean, take a damp cloth and just wipe it. Worked everytime for me. It doesn't harm the sole plate-I wouldn't use harsh chemicals (oven cleaner).

Sounds like you are using a synthetic and not wool...
I would get the iron really hot and then try to wipe off the worst of it and then try the cleaners when the iron cools off a little :D:D:D

I wonder if those magic erasers would clean it up or use gogone on it. Could also use a brass putty knife to scrape it of as brass doesn't scratch other metals.

Whenever there is sticky stuff, like from wonder under, I use a used dryer sheet. Press the dryer sheet with the hot iron and the goo comes off. Don't know if it would work for the felt or not. Worth a try.

When I get fusible on my iron, a dryer sheet always gets it off-and makes my ironboard smell nice in the process!

Thanks for all the suggestions. It is 100% wool from recycled clothing that was felted in a hot washer with just a tad of Tide--wonder if that was the culprit? Iron was on "cotton" so it was hot. Some of the wool had an interfacing on it--wonder if that was the culprit?

The oven cleaner immediated cleaned the chrome plate (my Rowenta). The teflon plate was harder to clean for some reason. After reading all kinds of stuff on the internet I tried fingernail polish remover--worked some but required lots of scrubbing. Tried rubbing Lava soap on it--naw, didn't work. Was getting ready to try the salt deal when I went ahead and sprayed the oven cleaner on it. After all, it was a cheap iron. With lots of scrubbing it finally worked.

Have you tried Goo Gone? It might work. Just iron some old rags after you try it to get the chemical smell to go away.

I get the best results using a product called Hot Iron cleaner, they have it a JoAnns. It gets all kinds of "stuff" off the bottom of my iron.

use goo gone.

JoAnn's carries something called "Iron Off." I've used that for a few different messes on my iron. It worked really well. I've never used it with wool, but it's worth a shot!

i did something stupid , i was putting some of the strap[webbing type] on a tote , i had put some glue on the strap ends to stop fraying, and was doing a little pressing on the tote, and got the glue and strap[it melted] on my iron, and i had a piece of cardboard there,and quickly rubbed my iron on it, and everything came clean. it might help you.

I wrap a piece of parafin wax inside a flannel cloth and rub it over the bottom of the iron in the affected areas.

I was using my iron one day when I twisted my wrist while setting it down. I let go a bit too soon to relieve the pressure from my wrist and the iron tumbled down to the carpeting, melting the fibers onto the bottom of the hot iron. The only thing that took it off was something called "Iron-Off". It's sold at some Wal-Marts and just about every Joann's. With two little girls, I've had everything from that carpeting to plastic chip bags set too close to my iron and it's taken everything off.

This isn't about irons but I was reading about felting wool but then bought some instead. Not enough time this year!
Good luck with your iron!

Hancock Fabrics has some stuff that slightly thick, comes in a tube. Works great.

Dritz makes an iron cleaner. Comes in a tube like toothpaste. Squeeze out about an inch onto an old towel and wipe your hot iron over it. Then turn the towel to a clean spot and wipe the residue off until you can no longer see it. It will smoke but really cleans the bottom of your iron and makes it nice and slick. I get mine at JoAnn's when notions are on sale half price.

don't put oven cleaner on your iron. There is a iron cleaner that works great, you can find it in the section with the spray starch. you just put a dab on a clean white cloth and set the iron on hot and then iron over the iron cleaner the iron on a clean cloth, I have removed lots of gunk off of my iron with this iron cleaner. Also my mom used to use a warm iron on waxed paper, and I mean warm not HOT

Also you might want to invest in one of the teflon ironing sheets, I use it all the time when doing wonder under and you never have to worry about messing up your iron, they are relative inexpensive and I think clotilde has them

Great idea. The teflon fabric is for sale at Hancock Fabrics is suppose as well as Joann. Could you use that???

Salt & brown paper bag works the best for me

That happened to me a few days ago. At JoAnn's, I used a 50% off coupon (because it was rather expensive) and bought Rowenta soleplate cleaning kit, a hot iron cleaner. It worked like a dream and did not take a lot of elbow grease.

I had excellent results when I cleaned my iron with the same cleaner that I use for my glass stove top.

used dryer sheets always work to clean my iron, just iron over a dryer sheet a few times and it removes any residue from fusible web etc. Good luck

I just use dryer sheets. Set the iron on cotton and run it over the dryer sheets one by one till your iron is clean. I hope this works for you. Roz

Did you try sticking the iron in the freezer for a while and see if the stuff would pop off? If it is not smeared on that might just work.

Thanks for all the different solutions. In my haste the other day I ironed right over a piece of webbing, of course I had it wrong side up. The whole bottom of my iron is a mess. I had another iron tucked away that I could finish my project with, although it's not a good one. I'll try some of these things before I go to the store and pick up Iron Off.

if it is not teflon, I use steelwool. It seem to take most stuff off. Then heat the iron up and run it over wax paper.

Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner. Found @ Walmart.

Try warming and wiping with a vinegar laden rag. I used to have problems like that, till I bought the T FAL, nothing sticks to that plate.

JoAnn's carries an iron cleaner you just put a spot on a clean washcloth and iron the stuff off. Works well. WM may even have it

Yeah, that was my question. Wool would burn, but not melt!

I have had this happen and have used the Mr. Clean sponge. Get it really wet. Lay on a thick folded towel, place hot iron on sponge and iron back and forth til iron is clean. It works great. I have used the iron cleaning product in the tube and find it gets into the vents and is very hard to get out and will mark your fabric. The Mr. Clean eraser is so much better. You may have to wet the sponge again and do it again.

mom always used wax paper and salt. when i do this, my iron glides...i think the wax paper makes it glide and the salt cleans sizing, heat n bond, or whatever has collected on the soleplate. good luck. johnnye

must be interfacing...wool does not melt. but heating it back up and using a dryer sheet (like a bounce sheet - used one) should be able to remove the rest of the residue. i press wool on cotton all the time..i have hit that yukky interfacing stuff and made a mess before. good luck