Quick! Help! How do I get *this* off my iron?

[Sparkly77]

Ok, so I have a situation here at home with my iron. We own a Laurastar steam iron, it cost AUD$1600 approx. and today I got a cloth napkin label stuck to it (so, DH will be so mad if I can't get it off, he's really particular about our 'things' since he paid for it all ). I think it happened because the iron was hot, and although the napkin is 100% cotton and quite able to cope with the heat, the label immediately stuck to it (I shouldn't have put the iron anywhere near the label in the first place of course). So what's now on the iron is a smear of melted black plastic (not sure what the label is made out of, but it's obviously synthetic plastic thread, woven into a label.

I have tried eucalyptus oil, then when that didn't work, I tried baking soda and cleaning vinegar....but that didn't work either .

Help...what can I do??? I *need* to fix it by the time DH gets home from work, because if he suddenly decides to iron his shirts and sees what I've done, well, he really won't be happy at all.

 

[kitchenelf]

I think if you get the iron hot and keep "wiping" it on maybe an old towel it will all come off. Hopefully?!!! Once the iron has cooked you might try something called Goo Gone, if you have it. Or just hot soap and water.

 

[Sparkly77]

Thanks kitchenelf, I'll try those options and see how I go. Can't do it right now as the iron is in DS's room and he's asleep right now.

 

[GB]

If that doesn't work, get it hot and try a razor blade. Goo Gone is a great product though so if you have that there then it should work like a charm.

 

[Sparkly77]

Thanks GB, that sounds good too. I'm in Australia, and I haven't heard of Goo Gone...but that doesn't necessarily mean that we don't have it (I hope), but I've never seen it. I might have to see if there's an equivalent if we don't have it here.

 

[kitchenelf]

Just be very careful with that razor blade Sparkly - you don't want to scratch the finish.

I really think heating the iron and rubbing it on a rough old towel will do the trick. Don't just "iron" and rub all around and smear in areas that are already clean - more or less "wipe" it away from the glued on mess to the nearest side of your iron (did that make ANY sense?) Then some hot soapy water should do the trick. Also, Windex might work.

 

[babetoo]

try the cig. lighter fuel. if not then fingernail polish remover . i would't use anything that might scratch it. don't do either of the things i suggested while iron is hot. good luck.

 

[Sparkly77]

Okey dokey, so whilst it's still cold I'll try nailpolish remover (don't smoke, so can't try the cig. lighter fuel), then if that doesn't work I'll heat it up and try a towel. Or soapy water or Windex.

Thanks so much for the suggestions, keep 'em coming

 

[attie]

try the cig. lighter fuel. if not then fingernail polish remover . i would't use anything that might scratch it. don't do either of the things i suggested while iron is hot. good luck.

Perhaps mineral turps if the above doesn't work

 

[Sparkly77]

Perhaps mineral turps if the above doesn't work

If everything else fails, then I could try that too, but we don't have any here so I'd just have to go get some at the hardware store down the street.

Thanks

 

[Sparkly77]

Woohoo! I got it off!!!

Thank you kitchenelf for the suggestion to try an old towel: it worked! Phew!

Now I just have to figure out how to get the baking soda residue off . The towel got rid of the plastic stuff brilliantly, but it left the residue there from the baking soda/cleaning vinegar, so I'll wait until it's cool again and just try water on a cotton bud.

Thanks again for your help

 

[Adillo303]

I do not know the exchange rate for AUD, however, $1600 seems like a lot for an iron. This makes me curious, is the bottom of the iron metal, or is it coated with some kind of non stick or something? If so, then you need to be cateful that you do not damage any coating.

Is it possible to contact the manufacturer?

AC

 

[buckytom]

lol, adillo.

you're a lot like me. you have to be told when to stop fixing or re-engineering stuff.
i was wondering the same, about the surface: wheter it was ss or non-stick.

 

[justplainbill]

Aussie dollar is about 68 cents. Back in May & June it was about 95 cents.

 

[Sparkly77]

I do not know the exchange rate for AUD, however, $1600 seems like a lot for an iron. This makes me curious, is the bottom of the iron metal, or is it coated with some kind of non stick or something? If so, then you need to be cateful that you do not damage any coating.

Is it possible to contact the manufacturer?

AC

Yeah, it is pretty expensive. I think DH even got a discount, so it was originally even more expensive. This is what they look like, I found this website LAURASTAR - system with active table, steam iron, high quality ironing

You may have noticed that I did manage to get the stuff off the iron with an old towel (phew!). I also got the baking soda residue off with a damp cotton bud, so it's all clean again.

 

[justplainbill]

Pretty fancy. Leave it to the Swiss to come up with a $1,200 solution to wrinkle removal. The dry cleaner that I worked for when I was 14 years old had a steam press. Wasn't something I wanted to get close to. I felt sorry for the guy who spent most of his day operating that machine.

 

[Sparkly77]

Pretty fancy. Leave it to the Swiss to come up with a $1,200 solution to wrinkle removal. The dry cleaner that I worked for when I was 14 years old had a steam press. Wasn't something I wanted to get close to. I felt sorry for the guy who spent most of his day operating that machine.

Yes, 'tis rather fancy. DH saw it being demonstrated at an expo and just *had* to have one . If it had been my money I don't think we would have one, but if that's what he wants to spend his cash on and it happens to make ironing a bit easier, then who am I to complain