Bring your old iron back to life with this simple household hack

Looking to revive your trusty iron without a lot of fuss? Fortunately, there’s a surprisingly simple trick that can have your iron gleaming like new using just a few common household items.

Thanks to home hack expert Anita Birges, you can transform your grimy iron into a spotless tool with just a few easy steps, making ironing a breeze once more.

Birges recently took to social media to share her clever hack, revealing that “all you’ll need is a paracetamol and a pair of tweezers to make sure you don’t burn your hands.”

Birges then outlined the straightforward process:

1. Make sure your iron is hot, as dirt can be dried on and this will help soften it.

2. Pick up the paracetamol tablet (not the one that comes as a capsule) with your tweezers and carefully rub it over the dirty areas.

3. Wipe away the dirty residue with a damp towel or cloth.

4. You’re done! Shiny iron‼️

Birges explained that the “fibre experts say that the molten p-aminophenol that’s in paracetamol ‘solubilizes’ the synthetic charred polymers which stick on the iron’s surface”.

“Whatever it is, this works!! And works fantastically well,” she added.

 

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A post shared by Anita Birges | Home Organisation🇦🇺 (@mise_en_place_aus)

Followers showered Birges with praise for the “awesome hack,” with many expressing their gratitude for the invaluable advice she shared.

“Thank you, I was ironing when I had a quick break and came across your hack. It worked 👏👏👏 thank you Anita. Love your work,” one person said.

“Thats magic thank you Anita.”

“My goodness this is an awesome hack. I definitely needed it,” commented another.

“So clever!!! Thank you for sharing.”

Birges isn’t the only one helping people keep irons spotless,  Jacqueline Stein, a professional organiser with a flair for turning homes into havens recently imparted invaluable wisdom on the often-overlooked task of cleaning your trusty iron.

Stein urged her followers not to wait until unsightly marks ruin their clothing before considering a cleanup.

“If you are noticing a residue or calcium build up in your clothing iron’s water tank, or rust/burn marks on your iron, it is probably time to clean it!” Stein said.

Here’s the step-by-step guide Stein shared for a foolproof iron-cleaning process:

• Mixing together the following and pour into the irons reservoir: 1/2 – 3/4 cup distilled water and ¼ – 1/2 cup vinegar.
• Plug in & turn your iron to a steam setting. Hold or press the steam button until you get steam flowing out of it. *This is heating up & removing limescale in the reservoir & pushing out build up in steam vents!
• Before tuning off the iron, use some cotton swabs to remove any mineral deposits or sediment build up from the steam vents.
• Unplug & let cool completely before emptying out remaining solution.
• To clean the bottom (the “Soleplate”), mix together 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water. Spread out the mixture onto soleplate. Let sit for a minute, then wipe off with a clean damp cloth.
• Cover the ironing board with a large thick towel. Then fill the iron’s water chamber with ONLY distilled water, & turn back on.
• Select the steam setting & run it over the thick towel. Releasing steam to push out & remove any baking soda or gunk stuck in the reservoir & steam vents.
• Once clean, turn off and unplug the iron. Letting it cool before dumping out excess water.

Please note: It is essential to exercise caution when attempting any cleaning method involving electrical appliances. Always follow proper safety protocols to minimise any risks.