Have you gotten into a sticky situation with your iron? At our shop, it is almost guaranteed that we’ll have messy irons. Between ironing on interfacing, ironing lower quality fabric (not purchased at CCF!), and one errant wool mat, there is always a need to clean the irons, and Kim has tested all the tools and has a recommendation for you.
Kim’s choice for the cleanest irons in town? Magic Iron Cleaner! This product is made of Class 55 polishing compound and removes stubborn residues and fusibles from sole plates. The unique formulation doesn’t harm the sole plate, and actually creates a cleaner pressing experience.
The instructions recommend that you place the cream on a towel, and then rub the towel along the surface while the iron is hot.
As you can see, after Kim treated the iron it is as good as new. It is actually so clean that you can see my reflection in the sole plate. Kim notes that she sometimes has to put the cream on a towel and rub it on the iron to get more pressure. In that case, please use a pot holder and take care to not burn yourself. Personally, I recommend following package instructions!
To keep your iron clean, you need to keep your wool mat clean. For that, we use the Wool Mat Cleaning Tool by Gypsy Quilter. This clever tool features a cylindrical cleaning blade, which you can simply drag across the surface of your wool mat to remove stray threads, lint, pet hair, and other debris that may have accumulated over time.
One other tip is to make sure your wool mat is 100% wool. There is a brand on the market that has polyester fibers that can melt under intense heat, creating a sticky residue. The mats we sell at the shop are 100% wool and don’t suffer this problem.
Do you have any tips for cleaning your iron or wool mat? Please let us know!
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