Iron pencil: what is it and how to use it?

Rarely, what kind of mistress today can do without an iron. And for this irreplaceable and rather expensive assistant to serve faithfully for a long time, timely and careful care is necessary for him.

Modern irons equipped with a non-stick coating and self-cleaning function, with improved gliding on various types of fabric, are very convenient and they get dirty much less often than their outdated, less expensive models. Therefore, it is especially necessary to properly and carefully handle them. But nevertheless, even the most tidy housewives sometimes experience emergency situations such as:

• an error in choosing the temperature regime;
• accidental contact of a hot surface with plastic or polyethylene;
• wrong type of fabric selected.

All this can cause contamination of the ironing surface of the iron and the formation of soot. Yes, and just the prolonged use of the appliance leads to the fact that from constant heating on its surface a plaque forms, even if it is not visible to the eye, but stains the product. The result is the inability to use the iron, and the only way out is to replace or clean it. And the simplest and cheapest way to do this is to use a cleaning pencil for the iron, which can easily cope with this problem.

Basically, all pencils consist of two main components, mixed in certain proportions: urea and organic acid. Some manufacturers may vary the composition by perfumes or dyes.In appearance and consistency, all pencils resemble a paraffin candle or crayon with a length of about 10 cm and a thickness of 2 cm. The weight of different companies can range from 20 to 50 grams. Sealed packaging - foil or polyethylene. In addition, some manufacturers include an additional descaler, brushes or cleaning wipes in the kit with a pencil.

Almost all pencils are universal. They do not include abrasive substances, so the product cannot scratch the sole of the iron and is ideal for cleaning any ironing surfaces: aluminum, Teflon and ceramic coatings. They gently clean any dirt, gently remove scale and carbon deposits. In contact with the hot sole of the iron, the cleaning pencil will begin to melt, interacting with the plaque formed. Under the influence of high temperature and acid pollution dissolves almost instantly and without residue. It is enough to carry out the procedure one or a maximum of two times, and the surface of the iron will shine like brand new.

Buying a pencil for an iron is no problem. This cleaning agent is in the departments of related products of any household appliance store. By the way, you can buy it there for free, for bonuses. And also these funds should be presented in the assortment of each hardware store. Cleaning pencils are also found in household cleaning departments in large supermarkets. You can buy it in an online store, but it’s better not to order it separately, but as part of a large purchase or with some large goods, so that the cost of delivery does not exceed the price of the cleaning product itself.

The assortment of these products is quite wide and diverse. You can choose both domestic and imported in a variety of price categories. The most expensive pencils are imported. These include the following:

• a tool for cleaning irons 50 g HG costs about 500 rubles, it is positioned as a safe product for the environment and for humans; made in the Netherlands;
• a pencil for cleaning the surface of the Prym iron is also quite expensive, its cost starts from 250 rubles; country of origin - France;
• pencil for cleaning the soleplate Topperr 1301 IR1 has a price of 100 rubles; country of origin - Germany;
• domestic pencil for cleaning "Typhoon" from the same price category.

But there are also very inexpensive, but also very effective means, well established among economical housewives, namely:

• Bon iron cleaning pencil, designed for all types - costs a little less, about 80 rubles;
• Snowter cleaning pencil will cost twice as much: 30-40 rubles;
• the iron means “Cinderella” costs only 15 rubles;
• Selena pencil also belongs to the low price category.

Any iron cleaner should have instructions for use with a detailed description of how to use and safety precautions. But still, it is necessary to emphasize such key points as:

1. getting started, it is necessary to provide access to fresh air, since a fairly strong and pungent odor may be released when the pencil comes in contact with a hot surface;
2. you need to prepare a workplace - close the table or ironing board with old newspapers and a layer of thick unnecessary fabric, so as not to spoil the surface;
3. further, we proceed directly to the cleaning process - for this it is necessary to heat the sole of the iron so that it is hot, but not hot, and turn off the device from the mains; do not neglect basic safety measures;
4. Now let's move on to the most crucial stage - you need to "paint over" the contaminated areas of the heated surface of the iron with uniform circular movements of the pencil and press it onto unnecessary fabric with pressure, removing the paste along with soot; in order to avoid burns, it is strictly forbidden to allow melt to enter the skin, if the soleplate is heavily soiled, the procedure can be repeated, after which it is necessary to leave the iron to cool;
5. it remains only to remove the remnants of the dried-up product along with dirt from a natural cotton rag after the iron surface has completely cooled, you can even wipe the sole of the iron with a damp cloth to completely remove the paste residue;
6. clean steam holes with a cotton swab.

That's all. The surface of the iron glistens and shines. And according to some manufacturers, after using the product, the slip on the fabric even improves. In any case, using a cleaning pencil is quite simple and convenient. No difficulties should arise. The tool is very economical. The shelf life declared by the manufacturer is three years, but in fact the product can be used for longer. There is nothing to spoil there. It will not lose its effectiveness over time.

It is worth paying attention to the following effective and Proven ways to clean the iron with folk recipes that the Internet abounds:

• wax candle - suitable only for removing fresh dirt; it is necessary to rub the ironing surface with wax of a candle, and then with an effort to remove it with cotton fabric;
• laundry soap - it must be applied to a hot iron, and removed from a cold surface;
• table salt - to do this, with a hot iron turned on, iron a thin layer of salt poured on paper, making some effort so that the dirt is absorbed into the salt surface; this method is categorically not suitable for Teflon surfaces;

• pulp from soda and a small amount of water - in this case it is not necessary to heat the iron, you need to rub the paste-like mixture into the dirt on the surface of the sole of the iron, and after a while, rinse it well with water and wipe it dry;
• with vinegar, you can get rid of a yellowed coating by rubbing it well with a dampened cotton pad or cloth, and then ironing a piece of old linen cloth;
• matchbox - it turns out there is such a way; you need to rub the sole of the iron with a gray sticker on the box, and then remove the remains with an unnecessary cloth;
• Liquid polish remover cleans perfectly.

A cleaning pencil has earned positive reviews from grateful housewives. It is difficult to single out a specific company. Each of them has won the trust of consumers. The only negative can be considered some toxicity and a pungent odor when the cleaning pencil touches a hot surface while removing carbon deposits. But if you observe safety precautions, work in a well-ventilated area, keep out of the reach of children, then use this tool is practical and convenient. Ease of use, accessibility and cost-effectiveness, fast and high-quality results - all this makes this cleaning product a useful and effective household assistant.

See how to clean the soleplate with a special pencil in the next video.