Over time, I get a gunky glue build-up of glue from fusible web on the sole plate of my Teflon iron. I try hard to use an applique ironing sheet (which prevents LOTS of fusible disasters!), but sometimes the glue is almost invisible and before I know it, it has stuck to the bottom of the iron. I also use distilled water for the steam in my iron. I never use the tap water because of all the chemicals in it. It can clog up your iron something terrible.
Today I had a spare 30 minutes, so it was time to tackle the problem…
Teflon is not stainless steel, so using harsh abrasives and scrubbers is not the answer. Off to the internet, where I didn’t find many answers. However, I found some, so I thought I’d collate them here for future reference for me and anyone else looking for a solution.
I’ll try each option over time and report their effectiveness here. But first, some options using things I already had in the house (Note — except where stated, your iron must be COLD):
- Orange oil-based glue remover (De-Solv-It): Smells great, but required a lot of elbow grease and still didn’t remove it in a timely manner. Perhaps if I had more patience…
- Xylene-based glue remover (Goof Off): Use in a well-ventilated situation with NO possibility of sparks or flames. Highly flammable and toxic to the respiratory system — you’ve been warned! Like De-Solv-It, it worked to a degree, but required a lot of elbow grease and didn’t remove it as quickly as I’d hoped.
- Acetone (cheap nail polish remover): Same as for the xylene-based cleaner — worked to a degree, but required a lot of elbow grease and didn’t remove it as quickly as I’d hoped.
- Damp cloth: I wet an old kitchen sponge with just water and squeezed out the excess, then laid it over the sole plate holding it down with elastic bands (you could put it on the bench and just put the iron on it!). After about 15 minutes, I removed the sponge and used my thumbnail to scrape off the residue. It worked pretty well! If you don’t have longish fingernails, perhaps use a credit card or a piece of thin, hard plastic or wood (like a pop stick, orange stick or clean satay stick) on an angle to gently scrape off the residue.
- Nylon scourer: I took the iron to the kitchen, turned it on to the highest setting, put it on steam, held it over the kitchen sink and pressed the steam button several times. Then I turned off and unplugged the iron. While it was still pretty hot, I used a nylon kitchen scourer to remove the residue (I used a scourer with a sponge back — one of those thin ones would probably let too much heat through and burn your fingers!) I don’t know whether it was all the other things I’d done, but this worked really well. Next time, I’ll just try this without using any of the other techniques first to see how well it really works.
- The winner!!! Cheap, easy, and it works a treat!! This from Zzazz on Etsy: I use a soft brush, like an old toothbrush, and some white vinegar suitable for cleaning. It’s amazing what comes off the bottom. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel. It should be good to go after that.
I found these suggestions on the internet but I haven’t tried any of them yet:
- Baking soda paste: Make a paste of baking soda and water, and scrub with a washcloth. Requires a bit of elbow grease and you have to clean out the steam holes when you’re done. See http://farmgirlheart.wordpress.com/2007/07/17/a-new-purse-and-a-new-tip/
- Bounce dryer sheets: This tip wasn’t specifically for a Teflon sole plate, but I can’t see that a dryer sheet would hurt Teflon. Wet a new dryer sheet (Bounce brand is recommended, though it’s possible other dryer sheets may work as well), wipe it over the iron and you’re done. I suspect this would work very well for a just-created gunk of glue, not for a build-up of some weeks. See http://forums.marthapullen.com/read.php?f=7&i=189779&t=189779
- Use an iron cleaner made specifically for Teflon irons.
- Salt and waxed paper: I think this solution is specifically for irons WITHOUT a Teflon sole plate so read the information on the web forum I’ve linked to BEFORE trying this. I have not tested this and offer no guarantees for its efficacy on a Teflon sole plate. You’ve been warned. See http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090104073641AA6cmjA
- Tin foil (!) and other options: A wide variety of solutions is listed here: http://www.blockcentral.com/tips-pressing.shtml
Of course, avoiding the problem in the first place is the best solution so use an applique ironing sheet (or baking paper if you don’t have one), clean off the sheet between each use with a scrap piece of cloth, and have a scrap piece of cloth an old plastic card (like a credit card) near the iron to scrape it immediately you realise that you’ve got fusible stuck to it.
If only I practiced what I preach! 😉
Rhonda Bracey: At Random 
[…] fusible glue off sewing machine needles 30 07 2009 Following on from my earlier post about cleaning fusible glue off a Teflon-coated iron, here’s the problem I had with gunked up sewing machine needles and how I solved it with the […]
Tried the vinegar, (since I have that lying around) on a cottonball–gunked up worse! Tried it with a cloth + vinegar–didn’t lint up, but didn’t remove it either.
What worked like a charm was a lone, used dryer sheet that I found near my sewing table–a new use for something I have been throwing away! It got the iron free of the sticky with no residue and very little work. BONUS: it left my iron free of the vinegar smell from the first two attempts. 😀
Thanks for the post!
This is great…. BUT, how did you use it? Iron hot or cold? rub on or iron? Etc. MORE INFO PLEASE.
I used it on a cold iron.
[…] Cleaning fusible glue off a Teflon coated iron July 2009 1 comment […]
Use Cerapol which you use to clean ceramic stove top. Rub in to the base of the iron and then remove it with the scraper tool used also on the hot plates. Works like a charm.
Sunbeam specifically states in their online manuals NOT to use vinegar on the bottom of the non-stick soleplate because it can damage it.
Vinegar worked great!!! I accidentally had the wrong side up, and put the iron-on on my iron. Whoops! Vinegar and a plastic dish scrubber took it all right off, and my iron looks shiny and new. Using any form of cloth (paper towel, tissue, cotton ball) will stick to the glue, so make sure what you’re using has a non-abrasive solidity. Also, my iron was still slightly warm.
Thanks for writing these details on your website.
Thank you for taking the time to put this together. The vinegar didn’t work on my particular gunk (hemming tape residue), but the Bounce sheet worked immediately, with very little elbow grease.
I used a generic dryer sheet and it worked pretty well, although it did require a little elbow grease and since the adhesive was a day old, I had to rub it in littlecircles repeatedly, which worked, but then it made the dryer sheet sort of soap up, and since this was a steam iron, I had to take a Q-tip to the steam holes to get all the soapy residue out of the holes! LOL Then too, it left little microfibers on the bottom (soleplate i guess? Im a rookie) that i thinkwere stuck on some invisible remaining adhesive layer, so then i took a soft cloth and vinegar and just wiped it down. And that worked, although I was already 99% of the way there anyway. And HINT: dont use Balsamic vinegar! I think they were referring to generic white vinegar! ROFL This is why Im not allowed to iron things in my household! Thanks everyone! You all saved me!!! It wasnt even MY iron! 🙂
I’ve changed the instructions to ‘white vinegar suitable for cleaning’. No, Balsamic would NOT be a good choice 😉
Bounce and clean rag worked a miracle! Thanks!
Awesome! Thank you so much for your help! I used 2 new Bounce sheets (in succession) and then finished up with running the iron over a clean damp washcloth. Worked wonders!
I used s
Skin so Soft from Avon.Works great.I sprayed it on cold iron,then turned it on to cotton setting,heated up, rub the iron across an old clean towel.Came off in seconds.
Then I unplugged iron, let cool and then wiped it with a clean cloth.Try it.
wow!!! forgot I had that here I must try that sometime if and no doubt I will have that encounter again with the glue. thanks for the ideas.
In the battle between iron-on interfacing glue and vinegar, vinegar won. Thank you!
Now, what to do about my sudden fish and chips craving …
Baking Soda is what I used.I find that works for me. shake some on a wet cloth . it loosens it great and you can scratch it off.
i tried vinegar .. seems like it might work eventually. So i got out a “mr clean magic eraser” and this worked in a flash!
On a cold iron I used white vinegar in a small bowl cleaning with a soft toothbrush which removed some of glue,then I added bicarbonate to the vinegar to form a past patting it onto iron plate and brushing again with toothbrush,Then wipe plate clean holes with clean warm wet cloth heat iron on high hold over sink and allow steam to clean iron.
It worked for me!!!! Aileen
Using acetone is new for me. I have some doubts but I have tried it. My iron was the same. It helped a lot. Thank you for sharing your article. Best regards!
I did the nylon scourer technique like 3 times and it finally worked, thank you!
Rubbed it with a Bounce sheet and it came off the entire sole plate in less than 30 seconds. A miracle!!
I cleaned the residue from the soleplate of my iron using a sponge with the nylon scrubbing side. I dampened the sponge, dipped it in baking soda and scrubbed while the arm was warm. I then used a wet cloth to wipe the soleplate then used the self-clean feature until the steam vents were clean. This worked very well and did not require a great deal of scrubbing.
Thanks. I will try the vinegar first
Dryer sheet worked wonders!!!!!
Tried the dry sheet didn’t work, didn’t want to put any effort into scrubbing. Tried one drop of dish soap, didn’t work. Ha,ha took out my wooden spoon and rubbeed the burnt spot. Gone with in 20 seconds.
Used the Dollar store spray vinegar cleaner (Awesome Brand) with a lite scouring pad on a cool iron worked like a charm!!
Thanks! I assume this advice is for US readers? We don’t have that store or that brand in Australia, as far as I know.
–Rhonda
I used aluminum foil. I moved the hot iron back and forth over the foil several times and the adhesive came off.