hive mind: cleaning a steam iron?

[anotheranon]

Does anyone have any good tips for cleaning a steam iron?

I've not cleaned mine in... awhile, and the steam no longer comes out. Speculating that this is due to mineral deposits gained through frequent use, I put a water/vinegar solution in the reservoir and cranked it up to high, with still no steam (though it heats up fine).

Do I need more 1) vinegar, 2) patience, or something else? Failing this, does anyone have reliable suggestions re: steam-ironing with a non steaming iron (spritz fabric with water, iron as usual?)

Anecdotes welcome.

Comments

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

I'd say try straight vinegar in it, and let it sit for a few hours before heating it up ... I've observed that cooking reduces the mineral-dissolving power of the vinegar. If that doesn't work, you might have to break down and go commercial ... while I generally use vinegar against mineral build-up, I also have a bottle of something called Dscale-it (southern Alberta water is so hard that sometimes it defeats vinegar) which is for use in coffeemakers, kettles and humidifiers, so should be okay in irons (this is a Canadian product, but you should be able to find an equivalent where you are).

Showing My Age Dept.: Once upon a time one used to be able to buy a product called TreatWater that was specifically for irons ... a squeeze bottle containing rust-coloured crystals (which also were available in separate refill packets). One filled the bottle with tap water (it held enough to fill a standard iron's reservoir at least twice), let it sit for a couple of hours, and the water was demineralized and safe for irons (usual practice was to keep the bottle filled, so you always had water ready for the iron). The crystals were long-lasting ... you only had to replace them once a year (or at even longer intervals, depending on your ironing frequency). Haven't been able to find the stuff for close to twenty years, but it DID work; my mother still uses the same steam iron she had when I was a kid (the only one she's ever owned) and it never ever clogged ... she always used TreatWater in it 'cause our well was drilled into limestone and was hard enough to nail to a wall. :p