Dirty iron, the laundry method to clean it from top to bottom: it comes back as good as new

Vinegar is another option for cleaning the boiler. Just add half water and half vinegar to fill it up. Next, activate the iron and release the steam to remove any limescale from the boiler.

Helpful hints for ironing properly

Ironing is a messy process, and it’s easy to make errors that don’t seem important at the moment. Ironing synthetic fiber clothing requires special care; first, never iron directly on zippers or buttons; second, always use a cloth to shield the soleplate from synthetic fiber fabric when ironing. Both the clothing and the iron will be destroyed if you do this incorrectly. Hence, to prevent lime buildup, use pure water and be sure to drain the tank entirely after each usage.

You may always get some use out of a well-maintained iron that is a few years old, but don’t expect miracles from one that has seen better days.

Getting a replacement is the last step.