I have to think about this...I use surge protectors..expensive ones rated for high capacity, but.....


"I know that lightning can follow wires even if the switches are off"
....isn't this true of ANY electrical product...I don't unplug my fridge, my washer, my humidifier, my lamps...where lies the difference?

I always turn off iron and machine (and unplug it) when finished. A friend lost her very expensive machine when lightning ran into her house during a severe electrical storm and her machine was not unplugged.

Yes, unplug. We have read some horror stories from fellow QB members.

Well my DH the ele eng says Correct!

Me too. Modified in my instance to say, when I am done sewing for the day.

I always unplug my iron, coffee maker and toaster oven, but never thought about unplugging my sewing machine. Gotta do that!

I also never unplugged my sewing machine. I will start doing that now.

I do because my mother did and her mother did......

I unplug everything. All are plugged into a power strip, but I unplug the power strip when I am finished for the day.
Saw a picture of an iron left plugged in but turned off - melted mess on the ironing board. Scared me. Have told all my friends to do the same - unplug when done.

I, too, unplug when I am done in my sewing room--iron, a dozen sewing machines, my LA, everything but the TV (and you would think I'd do that, too, as we lost a TV to a storm for that very reason some years ago--gotta rethink, like Jan). We have "old house electricity" in some parts of our house, so those (one outlet in each room mind-set) outlets have surge protectors on them and don't always get unplugged. I always move my iron off the ironing board because of the likelihood of a cat jumping up and knocking the iron off, but don't always unplug it (pretty hard for me to bend over, etc. off and on all day long) or in an instance of someone bumping into it out in the sewing room as it is too close to the LA walking space. Need more room? Yessssssss.....

I have an iron with an automatic shut off, it also has a red light that glows when it is still plugged in, reminds me to unplug the iron just in case my cat jumps into the window and knocks it off. I do like the auto shut-off just in case I forget to turn it off or unplug it.

Good habit to have. Unplug all machines, lamps, etc. then unplug the surge protector. Call me weird, but I unplug coffee maker, toaster, computer, and anything rarely used. Fire in a home when younger got me spooked for life.

I always unplug, especially since irons of quite a few brands have been listed here as catching on fire so I don't want to take a change, need to do that with other appliances

I have my iron and radio plugged into a double addapter, after leaving my iron on all night, I came up with this idea, if I can hear the radio it means the iron is still on

Every thing in my sewing room is plugged into power strips. When I get ready to leave the room I look around to see if I see any of the red lights to make sure everything is off.

We get more than our share of lightning storms: all our electronics are plugged into surge protectors. But if we are home during a storm, I run around and unplug the surge protectors from the outlets.

I knew that lightning can travel along wires that are turned off but plugged in. We had a coconut tree struck by lightning: we were lucky to have no major damage except a wall of muddy water went through the cottage bathroom window, the gutter was severely dented, the tree was killed, a huge hole was punched in the neighbour's driveway which sent chunks of concrete flying in every direction including the roof! And, get this, the lightning ran along the wet ground across the driveway, a lawn, and zapped the neighbour's outside water faucet! The across the street neighbour woke up to the flood coming across the street and had the tools to shut off the water.

My Husqvarna Sapphire is always unplugged when it isn't in use. It's more precious to me than our TVs!

I used to unplug the iron but I'm in a temporary very small space and had let that go. After reading this thread I going to Home Depot and buy surge protectors for this room with the long cord and the red light. You can get I'll unplug those after I quit sewing for the day. :shock:

I'm an unplugger, too. I have a cheap dollar store stretch kids bracelet that sits on my ironing board. When the iron gets plugged in, the bracelet goes on. That way I never forget to unplug it.

I always unplug my iron, as I have a new puppy. He would pull the iron onto the floor.
Sharon in Texas

I don't unplug all of my appliances. But I do unplug all my small appliances. I was told once about a person who left a hairdryer connected and caused a fire in an apartment!

I never did before but since the cat knocked mine off the board I have to. LOL

I always unplug it.

I always unplug my irons when not in use. As well as my expensive embroidery machine.

Yes, I unplug. I like the idea of a power strip too.

I unplug my machine at the machine too. I put the plug through a binder clip and clipped it to my table near where it plugs in so I can find it easily.

I also unplug but I do have a question. I sew at the kitchen table. I have an extension cord that runs under the table to the outlet. In front of the outlet is a cart. My machine and iron gets plugged into the extension cord when I iron or sew. When I am finished I unplug both the iron and the cord from the sewing machine and the extension cord, but the extension cord is still plug into the outlet. There is nothing sitting on the cord. Should I unplug the extension cord from the outlet? Even though nothing is plugged into the extension cord the cord in still plugged into the outlet. Thanks for any thoughts. BrendaK

I think you are making a correct assumption. I see a lot of people unplug almost everything. But my computerized sewing machine is precious to me, and I think is very touchy. Other things are not quite so expensive to replace either. We have our TV and everything connected to it plugged into outlets that are controlled by a light switch on the other side of the room. I suppose that should be unplugged too, but we never do.

Only because I don't want coal in my stocking from Santa Claus I will tell the truth. I turn my sewing machine off when I am not using it - I do not unplug it. I have my iron on the top of my sewing table. It turns off automatically - I do not unplug it. But, I do have a power strip and when I bring my machine out again after the holidays, please rest assured that I will use my foot and turn off the power strip. 99% of the time I do not keep my head on straight. My brain totally multi-tasks on its own and I have no control of it, unless I write things down to be sure to remember. I can also put a plastic label (from my label making machine) and paste it onto the sewing machine "HIT THE POWER STRIP"!!!!! Then I will be reminded. Thanks for reminding me, which reminds me, I have to iron a piece of batik I am giving my friend for Christmas. See, that's exactly what I am talking about - then I'll let the iron turn itself off and I'll be rolling peanut butter cookies five minutes later. I guess I should be grateful the old grey matter is still working, eh?

Have a great day!!! Edie

I recently bought a three plug adapter to plug into the outlet....and this has an on/off switch. When finished just turn the adapter off and everything will be disconnected.

Thats really clever! I turn my cutting table light in befor I turn my iron on, then turn my iron off and unplug it before I turn the light off, but I might follow your suggestion too. The older I get, the more forgetful and preoccupied I get.

WE took a Fire Safety Class several years ago ( free Dinner) and they Highly Recommend unplugging most every thing... especially Coffeemakers, Irons, other Kitchen appliances like Microwaves ( if you are going to be gone for more than 1 day, Hair Dryers and Curling Irons, most everything should be plugged into surge strips, and never leave extension Cords plugged in.. like a previous post- the power is still going through the cords... I unplug the Sewing machine if we are going away too. Be Safe, Better to take a few min. plugging everything back in...

Hmmmm. I guess I better go unplug my coffeemaker!
What about washing machine, I can't reach that one.

Our electric service is terrible. We lose power at least once every couple days and have a lot of power surges. I noticed the more surges we have the quicker light bulbs burn out. We installed a whole house surge protector but I still unplug most things when they aren't in use.

ETA: Besides, it gives me a little extra excercise to bend down to unplug them and I can use the little extra... :)

Simply because of the poor layout of my half finished basement, all my machines and iron are on power bars which I turn off when I leave.

I have an auto shut off iron which I really like. I know a lot don't like them. I am always afraid I will forget to turn the iron off and unplug it when I am finished for the day. I don't necessarily get time to sew every day so if I would forget to unplug and turn it off it could be on for days. Also my sewing room is next to my DS bedroom and I have taught him to look in there as he goes past it. WHen it is dark it is really easy to see the red flashing light. It just makes me feel safer. I also installed a smoke detector in there just for safety.

I also unplug. Sleep better knowing it isn't plugged in

About 10 or more years ago, we bought a new microwave. Then, about 4 months later, we went on an extended trip: 3 or 4 weeks. When I came back I plugged the microwave back in, and the LED display did not all come back. It has never come back except for one day: on Christmas Eve. Go figure! I still use it, but have to be careful to press Clear before I start something in case there may be minutes on it yet from the last use.

And BrendaK, there is no power going through an extension cord that has nothing plugged into it; anymore than there is power going through the outlet that it is plugged into. The two wires inside have to touch to make the power flow. So, don't worry about an extension cord that has nothing in it. The only danger would be if a child picked up the end and put it in his mouth. So if you have small children (or animals that chew) this may be something to think about.

I always unplug mine when I have finished for the day, as I do the toaster, and coffee pot, never can trust the off switch to not short out. fire can be an ugly thing. Merry Christmas

I always unplug mine because sometimes I forget to turn it off...getting old is for the birds.

I rarely unplug everyday. When I travel I turn off the breaker to my sewing room.

My rule of thumb is to unplug everything I value, everything that is important to me, expensive and that I could not afford to replace. Most of the fire hazard items are electronics. I do unplug everything but the refrigerator, washer and dryer. Those items are not fun, hobby, joyous things. I can send laundry out and eat out. LOL.