Sewing Tip for the week: Proper care and use of your iron when sewing
If you sew, you likely know that without a nice iron, your items won't have that professional look. Sewing and ironing go hand in hand, as pressing your item while sewing is essential at almost every step along the way. A steam press is a wonderful item and I love using one, but let us not forget the vital importance of a hand iron. Most people who have been sewing for very long have learned tips along the way for choosing the best iron and about caring for an iron so as to keep it running smoothly. It is also important to keep your iron clean, otherwise, your iron is likely to leave that tell tale sign of sediment left on your fabric. I am going to discuss a few of these things here today so that those of you who sew might learn something about iron care, if you don't already know about it.
*I suggest you purchase the nicest iron you can afford.
To save yourself the trouble of routine maintenance, invest in a self-cleaning iron.
*Use distilled water in your iron especially if your local tap water is heavy with minerals and other impurities which can clog the ducts.
Now, lets say you have an iron and you need to know how to clean it.
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Well, first things first...for those of you who don't already know it, (though I believe most people know this one) NEVER SUBMERGE YOUR IRON IN WATER. If you submerge the iron when it is not plugged in, it will still most certainly render your iron unusable. If the iron is plugged in to an electrical source and you submerge the iron, it will likely render you unusable. Either option comes to no good end.
Your iron needs to be kept clean in order to keep it safe and running well. The faceplate and ducts need frequent care in order for buildup not to occur. I am going to give you some of my tried and true tips for care here.
*If you want to properly clean your iron, make sure your iron is UNPLUGGED.
*If your iron is warm, allow it to cool completely before you attempt to clean either the faceplate or reservoir.
*Make sure to thoroughly empty any water that might be inside the iron.
*To clean the face plate of your iron, make a paste with 2 tablespoons baking soda and water. (Several companies make commercial cleaning solutions with which to clean your iron. If you choose to use one of these instead, you need to follow manufacturers directions.) Apply the paste to the faceplate of the iron and rub with a clean cloth. When this is done, wipe the area clean with a clean damp cloth.
*Steam ducts on an iron sometimes get clogged and need to be cleaned regularly so as not to leave any residue on clothing. I have found that you can best clean them with a pipe cleaner inserted into each hole and twisting back and forth.
~When this is done, fill the reservoir at least half way with water.
~Fill the reservoir the rest of the way full with white vinegar.
~Plug the iron in, turn it to high setting and leave it on for 15 minutes. Some irons have a high steam setting. If yours does, you can set your iron to this setting for the 15 minutes.
~When this is done, unplug the iron and let it cool completely.
~Dump out the remaining water.
~Now refill the reservoir again with water and white vinegar just as you did and repeat the 15 minute steam period.
~When this is done, unplug the iron and let it cool completely.
~Dump out the remaining water.
~At this point, I usually wipe the face plate off with a clean, damp cloth just to make certain there is no residue left on the bottom of the iron.
**This next step is optional. I find it works quite well so I thought I would share it here with you.
After you clean the bottom, or sole, of the iron, keep it from dragging on clothes or fabric by first ironing a few pieces of wax paper.
**Here is another tip for you:
I suggest using spray sizing on your items whenever possible. It doesn't build up on the faceplate of your iron or cause flaking the way heavy starch does.
*I suggest becoming familiar with your iron and the settings it has. Pressing cloths often come in handy. I suggest paying close attention to care recommendations for garments or fabrics when ironing so as not to damage either your item or melting something on your iron.
