Iron puts out water which stains clothes. Steam is not dependable

To descale make a solution of 3 parts distilled water to one part white vinegar, about a teacup full and pour into the irons water reservoir. Switch the iron on and set it on to the highest steam setting. Place a clean tea towel or similar on the ironing board and steam-clean it with the iron for a few minutes. The vinegar/distilled water solution will break down and expel the lime scale. Turn off the iron (unplug). Pour out the water and vinegar solution. Pour clean distilled water into the iron reservoir and steam-clean a new clean cloth for a few minutes. this will remove any residual vinegar etc. Turn off and unplug the iron and pour out the remaining water. Descale completed.
To clean the base (soleplate) first, make sure your iron is completely cool before cleaning.
There are a number of things to remove various stains. For general stains rub the bottom of the iron with table salt and a soft damp cloth. For marks left by limescale (a powderey white) use undiluted white vinegar on a soft cloth. Some stubborn stains can be removed with a paste made from baking soda and water. What ever you use make sure you rinse and wipe the soleplate dry before using again. Never under any circumstances use a metal scouring pad or wire wool type cleaner, this will scratch, mark, and probably damage the soleplate beyond repair.

To descale make a solution of 3 parts distilled water to one part white vinegar, about a teacup full and pour into the irons water reservoir. Switch the iron on and set it on to the highest steam setting. Place a clean tea towel or similar on the ironing board and steam-clean it with the iron for a few minutes. The vinegar/distilled water solution will break down and expel the lime scale. Turn off the iron (unplug). Pour out the water and vinegar solution. Pour clean distilled water into the iron reservoir and steam-clean a new clean cloth for a few minutes. this will remove any residual vinegar etc. Turn off and unplug the iron and pour out the remaining water.
To clean the base (soleplate) first, make sure your iron is completely cool before cleaning.
There are a number of things to remove various stains. For general stains rub the bottom of the iron with table salt and a soft damp cloth. For marks left by limescale (a powderey white) use undiluted white vinegar on a soft cloth. Some stubborn stains can be removed with a paste made from baking soda and water. What ever you use make sure you rinse and wipe the soleplate dry before using again. Never under any circumstances use a metal scouring pad or wire wool type cleaner, this will scratch, mark, and probably damage the soleplate beyond repair.

hi! Long time listner, first time caller.

Iron not steaming AT ALL.

I have a tefal gv 7096

It turned on, all lights working and i can hear it heating up and when opening the calcium deposit i can see steam.

When i pressed the button - nothing. The iron it's self is hot (the plate) the lights on and but no steam.

The cord connecting the iron to the steam was also cold, so i could tell no steam was getting to the iron at all.

I wasn't sure if it was the button not working or something clogging the cord to the iron.

I did the vinegar thing. Let it sit for sometime (40 mins) and still nothing.
I did a weird thing of very carefully putting water on the plate while hot and it created steam from the plate. i think some backflowed and it started steaming, within seconds. might have happened with a bit more time anyway, but it def helped. All wokring fine now :)

Straight from the manual:
http://www.applianceinsider.com/storage/user-manuals/rowenta/user-manual/DX8000.pdf

Fill the iron with tap water to the max mark on the water tank.
Be sure that variable steam lever is set to minimum.
Stand iron on heel and plug in. • Set thermostat to ••• setting.
Once heated, unplug iron.
Hold iron horizontally over the sink with the soleplate pointing away from body.
Move the variable steam lever completely to the right and hold in the self clean position for one minute.



Warning: Doing this will cause steam and hot water to be ejected from the soleplate. Take all proper precautions and hold iron away from body.
• Move the iron gently back and forth and side to side until all water has run through plate.
• Carefully wipe all water and material from the soleplate with an old towel, as the water and minerals can stain the soleplate (although this has no effect on glide or performance.)
Warning: Iron and soleplate may still be very hot. Exercise care while wiping.
• Place iron on heel and leave to cool. Before using iron after self cleaning, test steam and burst
of steam on an old towel or cloth than can be discarded.

No need to dismantle the iron. Just fill it with a 50/50 white vinegar/distilled water solution and allow the iron to expel all of it as steam. Rinse with distilled water and allow to pass as steam. If you use distilled water from now on, you should no longer have staining problems. Hope this helps!

Hi,

If the iron doesn't heat, make sure power is on to the outlet, check the electrical chord, and check the thermostat and replace if necessary.

If the iron heats but steams improperly, inspect the soleplate and clean the vents and flush sediment out of the steam chamber .
If the iron produces too much or too little heat, test the electrical chord . Also test and, if needed, adjust calibration of the thermostat.
If the iron does not spray properly, inspect and clean the nozzle.
If the iron leaks or spits, clean the steam vents, nozzle, and tank.
If the iron sticks to fabric, clean or repair the sole plate. If the iron stains fabric, clean the sole plate, clean the tank with a commercial cleaner, and use distilled or filtered water.

The tools you will need are

• Screwdrivers
• Toothpicks or pipe cleaners
• Sewing needle
• Commercial electric iron cleaning solution or vinegar and water
• Commercial sole plate cleaner or baking soda and water
• Steel wool
• Emery cloth

Please rate my solution.

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you with that problem...

Cleaning a Steam Iron Soleplate
http://www.fixya.com/support/r5301167-cleaning_steam_iron_soleplate

heatman101

Hello :

1:Clean your steam iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. Your iron is more likely to leak when it has not been cleaned properly. Plus, the water that leaks from a steam iron that hasn't been cleaned will likely be dirty and stain your fabric. Every steam iron brand is different, so be sure to check the manual that came with your iron or browse the manufacturer's website for instructions on keeping your steam iron in good working order.

2:Use your steam iron on a rigid surface like an ironing board. In a rush, you might be tempted to quickly iron a blouse or pants on the nearest available surface like a bed, carpet or even on a table with a towel draped over it. However, these surfaces may not provide the proper amount of level padding for successful steam ironing, and leaks are more likely to occur. Take the time to set up your ironing board for smooth steam ironing to reduce water leaks on a bumpy surface.

3:Allow your steam iron to heat fully in the upright position before ironing. Because your steam iron is designed to convert water into steam that will easily smooth out wrinkles on bulky fabrics, you can avoid leaks by ensuring your iron has time to get the water to the correct temperature. If you lay your steam iron in the horizontal position too quickly, water that is not hot enough to convert to steam will leak. Give the iron a chance to heat up, and then test your steam function on your ironing board cover or spare fabric swatch before tacking your favorite blouse.

4:Turn off the steam function on your iron when ironing at lower temperatures. Since your iron's steam function is designed to convert the water in your iron to steam at the right temperature, lower iron temperatures can cause water to leak if your steam setting is still activated. For ironing more delicate fabrics, turn off the steam to avoid water leaks.

PLEASE RATE !

If steam iron clogs from minerals in water, follow use-guide directions for cleaning, or use a commercial iron cleaner. A fine needle in the nozzle hole may open it again. Sometimes "steaming" will remove lint clogging the iron; fill with at least 1/4 cup water, set it to "steam", and hold in the air or set flat on wire rack over heat and moisture resistant surface like counter protective mat. Let steam until empty. Using only distilled water in steam irons helps avoid mineral buildup. Or if you have burned stains or darkness on the bottom you can Heat equal parts of vinegar and salt in small pan rub solution on cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains