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Iron. Did you burn something onto your iron?

Submitted by J.M.

A tip I learned from my mom that really works!! If you've burned anything on your iron, you'll need a brown paper bag (like they put your groceries in at the supermarket) and table salt. 

1. Turn your iron to it's hottest setting.
2. Put the brown paper bag on your ironing board and pour a generous amount of salt on the bag.
3. Then rub the iron around on the salt in circular motions. 

If it doesn't all come off the first time, toss out the first bit of salt and re-salt the bag.

Visitors comments

Great tip! Comments By: Anon It worked. Thanks.   This really works! Comments By: Linda Thanks for sharing the tip - I was about to buy a new iron but was able to save it because of this tip.   cleaning iron Comments By: Anon Burned something onto sole plate - stainless steel - the salt works wonders!!!!!   OK result Comments By: Anon of Brum My iron was badly burned - although it's not completely clean, it's much better than it was.   claening iron Comments By: diane this works so well, better then purchased cleaners   Brilliant! Comments By: Julie J Didn't think it would work at first, but kept going. Now clean as new!   Cleaning the Iron Comments By: Angel Dozier I am absolutely thrilled this worked! Will share.   WOW - That really works!! Comments By: Traci Ruined a brand new iron by melting bad synthetic....then I read this tip and 30 seconds later it was brand new again. I am speechless!!   paper Comments By: distressed.over.iron uhm my brother accidentally toppled the iron over and it landed on a piece of paper and the paper melted onto the iron base. would this tip work?   Did not work for my me Comments By: Patrick I am not sure if this is because it is a teflon coated, and not a stainless steel based iron   wow! Comments By: betram It really works!!!! my beautiful Rowenta iron is like new again!   No more goo! Comments By: Christy This worked very well for my iron. Although I had to scrape most of the salt off, it was much cheaper than having to replace the iron. Thanks so much!   Patience is thesecret Comments By: Manuel Briffa This is brilliant.I was very sceptic because the iron was really bad but now its as good as new. The secret is to be patient. Don't expect miracles in 5 minutes, but if you persist and change salt every few minutes, the result is unbelievable. Coarse salt seems to work better.   Textbook Result ! Comments By: Karen Selway. What a fabulous tip! Worked instantly. Salt stuck to burnt and sticky polyester, i was then able to scrape off resulting goo in less than 5 mins. My iron soleplate is teflon coated and now looks like new. Many Many Thanks!   IT WORKS! Comments By: Lynn I am very pleased with the tip! Thanks to the internet for helping us find household hints and more!   Eureka... Comments By: JD Thanks for sharing this tip... works like a charm...   Sorry but it didn't work for me!!! Comments By: Janice My mom tried this tip but it didn't seem to work. It took a tiny bit of gunk off but it didn't really work for her. She said that it took for ever to get some burns off.   Fantastic!! Comments By: Loz One of my teenagers turned the iron on to iron some jeans on while it was face down on the carpet! The encrusted carpet bits on the iron came off in less than two mins using this salt on paper tip (used course salt) - saved me £30 + on a new iron - thanks very much!!   It's a Miracle!!!!! Comments By: Bahama Mama Patty My brand new Rowenta is brand new again! I melted a shoulder pad to it and in about 60 seconds it was clean!!!!   Yippee!! Comments By: Shirley I had fusible all over my iron; this worked in a matter of minutes. Next time, though, I'm going to put the paper bag in a cookie sheet to catch the stray salt. Whoever this tip came from, THANKS!   TOP TIP Comments By: MATT FAIR PLAY DIDNT THINK IT WOULD WORK BUT IT DID GOOD JOB   tip top Comments By: k shillam best tip ever i had my doubts but it really works good one ...   GREAT TIP Comments By: Lucy This saved me from having to replace my new iron!! Worked GREAT! I used the coarse salt and a little patience. THANKS   Amazin' Comments By: Kaz Tried the others and this is the only one that worked. My iron is smoother than it's been for ages. Thanx.   it really works Comments By: anon thank you for whoever that suggested this salt solution. My mum has been nagging about the iron gunk for ages and finally we found a solution :)   WOW!! Comments By: Bex this honestly genuinly does work. BRILLIANT !!!!   Coarse salt trick - worked for me Comments By: Anon in Birmingham, UK Thanks for the tip! I ironed some elastic and it burnt onto the soleplate. Two loads of coarse salt later it was all gone. Yay! The only think I would warn people about is that the shininess of the soleplate is a little less after the salt treatment (it goes a little matt, but hey, that's better than shiny with burnt elastic all over it).   IT WORKS Comments By: Carolyn Fabulous, my new iron plate got some stick on it and it's gone!   Great Tip! Comments By: MaryAnn/Ca Saved my iron! I got fusible on the soleplate and this worked like magic in about 20 seconds.   Awesome! Comments By: Anon It worked wonders, and the best part was that my husband did it for me! What a guy! : )   Dropped iron onto nylon door mat!!! Comments By: Sally.......UK Fantastic tip. I could not find a brown paper bag, so I used a large piece of baking parchment, sprinkled the table salt then some salt from the salt mill. Managed to scrape surplus off and thought I was going to have to throw my new iron away. RESULT.......moved hot iron in circular motion, only for a few minutes and ALL gone. Brilliant, thanks so much for the great tip.   didn't work, iron won't get hot now ;( Comments By: Anon got some off but hard brown area was still on so use flat-top stove cleaner which worked .... except now iron won't get hot at all! although the 'on' light still works. Could the salt crystals have gotten inside the iron thru its small vent holes?