Tips On How To Clean A Steam Generator Iron With Vinegar

Want to give your steam generator iron some sugar? We show you all the tips to freshen and clean your iron with vinegar!

Steam irons are prone to hard water mineral build-up. Those without self-cleaning capabilities can be filled with white vinegar and allowed to steam for 10 to 15 minutes. A good rinse with fresh water afterwards will remove the vinegar and minerals.

It might sound strange but vinegar is an excellent way to clean a steam generator iron. As a bonus, the process is quite easy too! Read on the see exactly how you can keep your iron in the best shape ever.

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How To Clean A Steam Generator Iron With Vinegar

A steam generator iron is a great tool. Some of the better models are built to last a lifetime and they are known to remove creases from clothes with little to no fuss. Why spend more time on ironing than you have to, right? But if that steam generator iron is not clean, it cannot do its work properly and you will likely find that ironing takes longer or that you cannot remove creases at all!

The main “dirt” that interferes with steam irons is mineral deposits. These boogers are common in regions where hard water is the norm. Mineral deposits are also known as limescale and famously damages all water-using appliances like boilers, taps, plumbing, washing machines, and irons.

Now that you know the enemy, how to get rid of it? Dealing with limescale is as simple as filling the iron with vinegar, letting it steam and then rinsing it with clean water. But to ensure that everything goes smoothly, let’s give the cleaning process a closer look.

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What Happens If I Don’t Clean My Iron?

If you use hard water in the steam iron, the chances are that it is going to leave behind harmful deposits that will eventually clog the steam vents on the surface of the soleplate. This will slowly reduce the effectiveness of the appliance and eventually, things can deteriorate to the point where the steam iron breaks.

One of the ways you can prevent limescale from happening is to use softened water in the steam generator iron. However, this can be quite a challenge because it is not possible to know the hardness of water at a glance. There are kits available to test the hardness of the water in your area but at the end of the day, one of the best things to do is merely to slosh your iron with vinegar now and again.

What Do I Need To Clean My Steam Iron?

You do not need anything fancy. Just a bottle of vinegar. The best type to use is white vinegar and also remember to avoid any products that are sold as imitation vinegar. You want the real stuff! Time-wise, you also do not have to plan a whole day around this task. Cleaning your steam generator iron takes between 15 minutes and half an hour.

How To Clean The Inside Of A Steam Generator Iron

Is Your Iron Self-Cleaning Or Not?

The first step is to read the iron’s user manual. Why? You might own a self-cleaning iron and not even know it! These steam irons do not need to be cleaned with the vinegar technique at all. They have special settings that do all the work! Make sure that yours is not a self-cleaning model because if something goes wrong and the manufacturer realized that vinegar entered the equation at one point, it could cancel the product’s warranty.

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Unplug The Steam Generator Iron

If your user manual says nothing about self-cleaning functions, the vinegar method can be used to remove limescale and to keep future build-ups away. When working with any appliance, it’s essential to disconnect the power. In this case, it’s fine to switch off the wall socket and unplug the iron.

Add The White Vinegar

Remove all the water from the iron. Take the bottle of white vinegar and pour it into the water reservoir until the container is about a third full. Do not dilute the vinegar. Position the iron in a way that it can safely expel steam without burning you or any surfaces.

Turn On The Steam Generator Iron

Plug the steam iron back in and set the heat to medium. Simply allow the appliance to steam for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. This is enough time for all the steam to evaporate from the water reservoir.

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Do A Water Rinse To Clean The Steam Iron

Once all the vinegar has evaporated from the water reservoir, switch off the wall socket and unplug the iron. This time, refill the appliance with water. Turn the iron back on and set to medium and as the water evaporates, the vinegar and remaining mineral deposits will be rinsed off.

How To Use Vinegar To Clean The Outside Of The Iron

If the steam vents are clogged as well, you can clean them with a cotton bud that has been dipped in a solution of water and vinegar.

Sometimes your steam generator could have an accumulation of residues that leaves behind stains whenever you are ironing your clothes. Removing these residues will require a special mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Prepare a paste by blending baking soda or salt with vinegar and then use it as a scrub. Using circular motions, wipe the soleplate with a piece of white cloth.

Pro tip: When doing this, avoid the use of abrasive cleaners because they could possibly damage the coating of the soleplate.

A Quick Summary On How To Clean Steam Generator Irons With Vinegar

• Always use white vinegar.
• You do not need the vinegar method if your iron has self-cleaning functions.
• Pour vinegar into the water reservoir and steam for up to 15 minutes then repeat the process with water to get rid of the limescale and vinegar.
• Vinegar can also clean the outside of your iron.