'Nother question
 

I see a lot of you starch fabric. How do you keep your iron clean or clean it?

I had a Rowenta Steam Generator, and now have a Reliable. Those generic plates can be hard to get on.

I got either starch or Steam a Seam in the channels of the Reliable, and I can't get the residue out!

If I am starching I always let the starch dry or sit for awhile, them I do not get residue.. If its steam a seam or other fusibles , I use "hot iron" cleaner .. you can get it at Jo'Anns.
Some use dryer sheets.. I have not had much luck with them . If its really really bad and I have use Hot Iron cleaner without getting it all off.. I use a very very fine steel wool and very lightly scrub it off.

I too let my Best Press soak into the fibers of the fabric before I press. As for the residue from fusibles, I highly recommend a Pressing Sheet to prevent this from happening. Before I got my pressing sheet, I had good luck with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser removing the residue

Pour salt on a brown paper bag and rub Hot iron over the salt until gunk is gone.

hot iron cleaner works pretty good. you can also put some on a q=tip to help get the residue outta the grooves. once you get your iron clean, use a pressing cloth with your fusibles. the residue gets on the cloth instead of your iron.

I use Goo Gone from Walmart, to get the residue off left from fusibles.

starch does not normally build up on an iron- fusables on the other hand can make quite a mess- always use a pressing cloth when using fusables & you will avoid this problem.
a pressing cloth can be any lightweight piece of fabric- muslin works great- parchment paper also works well...you place it over the top of the item you are pressing down that has fusable on it- then press- any excess fusable will stick to the pressing cloth and stay off your iron.
a hot iron cleaner is an item you may want to keep on hand.

Big stuff like applique, I will use press cloth. My problem stems from fixing small areas using 1/4" fusible. I'd like to use one of the small craft irons, but some of the fusibles want steam. Can I spray the fabric instead? Trying to do a small area with a press cloth is the pits. Can't see what I'm doing.

Best Press leaves no residue? I've used some premade (Perfect Sew) and other types of starch for making entredeux. You can make this stuff by dissolving scraps of rinse away stabilizer in water. That did leave some residue. How dry does the starch have to be?

Thanks

Here is the easiest, cheapest and effective way to clean iron. Btw, I have loved my Reliable for the past year, however, it is now going back to company for repair twice in a month. Really disappointed - and $ to send to Canada. Hope you kept your receipt!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qeY9nydiILM

Buy an iron with a teflon faceplate. I've never had to clean it, even if I accidentally iron over unprotected fusibles.