Well, I had to iron the bathroom and kitchen curtains before putting them back up...used my spray starch and forgot to clean it before turning it off...
Now I have a nasty buildup on the bottom of the iron and I really need to use it on the wedding dress I'm trying to finish in time.
Please...someone tell me what to use...my brain won't work.

I considered vinegar, but with all that is going on....will wait till someone tells me yes or no...

I've had good luck just ironing over a wet towel.

Have you tried to heat it up and iron a paper grocery bag?

yup. damp towel here, too.

Did a search and found this and it came up several times as a way to clean it.
http://www.ehow.com/how_18787_clean-starch-residue.html

A used fabric softner sheet works well. Warm the iron and rub over the sheet. Be sure to let startch soak into the fabric for a minute or two befor you iron. This will reduce the buildup on your iron.
peace

Cool your iron and use a magic eraser! That will clean off just about anything.

I just read that this works well on starch. I use them for most everything they're great

i use wax paper, iron over it alot, crumble it and iron more.

Thank you, everyone...I will start with the cleaning sponge...

I am 70 and I remember my mother doing this to her iron. I have also.

that is what I do

I use the magic eraser too. It works like...well, like magic. Nothing else does the job as well.

Magic eraser has my vote!

Agree...it works great :thumbup:

WOW - thanks for this tip! My DH said we should buy stock in this business as I LOVE these things. Now I have a new use.

I also use the Magic Eraser but I also bought the dry iron from HD. I love that iron. No holes to clean out and if I need steam I just use a spray bottle.

I use wax paper too - fold a large sheet in half a few times so it's 4 or 8 layers thick. Iron over the wax paper several times, then wipe iron on a bath towel. Will probably need to be repeated a few times.

Ditto on the Magic Eraser--it really does work like MAGIC!

I use iron off. I just did it yesterday. Works great.

I use the stuff you clean glass top stoves with. Use it on a cold iron. I think I read this somewhere on here and it works great.

I was at a quilting class, and dropped my iron onto indoor/outdoor carpet. I picked it up quickly, so the carpet did not have noticeable marks, but my iron was a MESS! The class was being held at a community activity center, and there was a kitchen stocked with basics only. I found some wax paper and some salt, and spread the salt on the wax paper, went over it with my heated iron, and the entire class was amazed at how clean it came out. I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it!

On Create-TV yesterday, Fons and Porter said to use the oven wipes that you can buy in the grocery store to clean the bottom of a gunky iron. Thought I would check the grocery store when I go shopping this week.

What kind of sole plate do you have on your iron? Different kinds work best with different methods. On my teflon plated iron a damp cloth while iron is turned off but still warm is all that is needed.

For the titanium plated iron, I keep a new fabric softener sheet on the very end of the ironing board and run the iron over it to clean it periodically. It takes off starch, fusible bits, etc.

For stainless steel plated irons, I love those magic erasers and then wipe off with damp cloth.

Wax paper works for all of them, but I am spoiled and just keep the fabric softener sheet by the iron all the time. No bending over to go to a cupboard! LOL

Good luck!

A lady at Hancocks told me to use a Mr. Clean Magic Sponge. Oh my goodness it WORKS GREAT! I even bought an iron at Goodwill that was like new but the bottom was nasty with some kind of burnt mess on it and I cleaned it with the sponge and it wiped right off. I use those sponges for everything. Good luck!!!!

I use a hot iron cleaner that I purchased from Joanns. Works wonderful. It will take off just about anything.

They make a product just for cleaning sole plate of iron called Iron Off.

There is also a product you can buy...called Iron Off. comes in a tube like toothpaste, found it in Walmart by the spray starch....you use on a hot iron....

when I was much younger, I remembered my mother using table salt on wax paper. Seemed to do what mom wanted it to do

I generally run my iron over a USED (NOT NEW!!!!) dryer sheet. That has saved my bacon plenty of times.

If you let the starch soak in a few minutes, this will not happen. But since we are all in a hurry, that's not always something we do! Particularly me! So I know what you are going through. I'm happy to learn of that eraser, because I'll probably need it the next time I wash, starch and cut fabric!

I just saw on Fons and Porter a tip where you can buy wipes for cleaning cook tops that is supposed to be very effective for cleaning off your iron. Good luck

I pour table salt on a paper bag (if the cats will let me use one!) and just run the iron back and forth. Pour in the waste basket, fold the bag to a different spot and pour more salt and iron. May take several times but it always cleans mine nicely.

Set the iron on linen or your highest setting, no steam. fold a scrap piece of warm and natural batting into fourths and press with the iron. Keep turning the batting as you clean, this will give you 8 sides to wipe on to. Usually pull the iron across from heel to toe also helps to remove the scum. This method also worked when my GD decided to iron patch onto a garment before I came to help. Of course sticky side on iron plate....ugh...but all came clean with the warm and natural.

Magic Eraser is really a God-send! It will do the job.

salt on waxed paper works pretty well.

I don't have a glass cooktop but for some reason I do have cooktop cleaner in my shelf. I'll try that the next time I make a mess on my iron.

Is it possible to use starch with a pressing cloth? I've never starched and need hints. Thanks!

weird thing about windex... works on sticky curling irons ( beutitian taught me to heat iron and spray windex, let it drip ) wow !

so, tried it on my iron.. wow !

a new use for windex.. Anyone see My Big Fat Greek Wedding? ha ha.. windex was used for all kinds of thinks in that movie. !

Use a Magic Eraser! You will not believe how easily this item cleans crud off your iron. (I also use the Magic Eraser for countless other tasks around the house and haven't found anything that works better! Amazing!)