Before you toss that steam iron because it refuses to steam and the soleplate is sporting a brown, burned-on, gross mess—you might want to give it a little love with a good cleanup. It’s not difficult to bring a tired steam iron back to working like a dream.
As always, check the owner’s manual before proceeding with any cleaning process so you don’t void an active warranty.
Clean the Soleplate
The soleplate is the iron’s flat surface that has the tiny holes where the steam comes out; it’s the part that gets hot. Over time, it can get dirty with a buildup of scorched, ugly brown stains from various melted-on fabrics and spray starches. A dirty steam iron won’t press fabric properly and will leave streaks of dirt and stain behind on your clothing.
My favorite way to clean the iron’s soleplate is with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Make sure the magic eraser is wet, and then rub the cold soleplate until it comes clean. It will leave no mess, no residue, and no clogged steam holes. It really is like magic.
