• Keep your iron clean to prevent damage to your clothing.iron image by Robert Grzywaczewski from Fotolia.com
  
  Proper maintenance and care of your steam iron is essential to ensure the best job of taking wrinkles out of your cloths. A properly maintained steam iron performs better and is less likely to damage clothing during ironing.
  
  

Melted Wax

• Removing hardened wax from the bottom of an iron is easier than getting it on there in the first place. Simply heat up your iron and run it across old newspaper or paper towel until all remnants of the wax have been transferred off the hot plate.
  
  

Oil Residue

• To properly remove an oily residue from the bottom of your iron, start with a sponge and common dish soap designed to remove oil. Finish the job with an ammonia-soaked paper towel to make sure every last bit of oil is gone.
  
  

Cleaning Steam Vents

• Clean steam vents by using a vinegar-soaked cotton swab to clear them out manually. Should the residue look like calcium deposits, you will want to trade the vinegar for a mild bathroom cleaner.
  
  After cleaning the vents, be sure to thoroughly rinse off the bottom of the iron and allow it to dry before using.
  
  

Water Chamber and Vents

• To clean the water chamber and vents of your iron, use a solution of one part vinegar to one part water and allow the mixture to steam through the iron. Once the process is complete, repeat the steaming with plain water to remove all traces of vinegar.