How to Clean an Iron: Tips and Techniques

Cleaning your sewing machine and sharpening your scissors and snips may be the most common cleaning or maintenance items you address in your sewing room, but cleaning your iron is also important. Learn how to clean an iron, including what kind of product you should use to clean it and whether the iron should be on or off.

How to Clean an Iron Properly

ZJ Humbach shows you how to clean an iron by first talking about the types of products you can use to clean an iron and also how an iron gets dirty. Even if you are only pressing clean fabric and you don’t work with a lot of fusible webs or other ‘sticky’ fabrics or adhesives, build up can still occur on your iron. This can be due to the combination of using steam and/or lint that naturally comes off of fabric. Either way, it’s important to know how to clean an iron.

ZJ shares what her favorite iron cleaning product is and shows how it is one that is best used while the iron is on. While there are cleaners that can be used on cool irons, ZJ explains why she likes to use hot iron cleaners. She demonstrates how to use the cleaner by simply applying it to a hot iron, rubbing it in and buffing it off.

She shows how she uses multiple towels and many thicknesses of towels to both ensure that all of the cleaning product is wiped from the iron and to protect her hand. If you are worried about bringing your hand that close to a hot iron, ZJ shows another technique that can be used. Once you’ve learned how to clean an iron, learn about other iron related improvements you can make, including ironing board improvements, then watch more tutorials for additional helpful sewing tips and techniques.