DIY Network

when using my iron after about two minutes or so, the stupid thing starts spitting out water from the steam holes leaving a terrible looking mess on my project. Does anyone know what I can do to make this stop? I want to use steam but I am half afraid to because of the mess. The instructions call for using "tap water" and not distilled water. Its driving me crazy! Help!!

It sounds as though you have mineral deposits from your tap water that have built up in the steam chamber. Does your iron have a burst of steam button on it? If so, fill it full of water and turn the iron on as hot as it will go. Then repeatedly use the burst of steam button to shoot as much steam through the vent holes as you can. This will help remove a lot of the build up. You can then go by the manufacturer's instructions to see if there other recommendations for removing the deposits. Some iron manufacturers say that you can use vinegar and water, some say use nothing other than the burst of steam button, some say use spring water only, distilled water only and the list goes on and on.

I use spring water in mine and still have a slight problem but just constantly use the burst button on my iron. I have used my Brita water filter pitcher to filter the water before adding it to the iron, with some good results.

Hope this helps.

ToolQueen

Mine does this if I try to iron on the steam setting before it is fully heated. I have to be patient and wait for the beep!

Yes, Yes, Yes... I had the same problem. It does not matter the type of water you use. I found to let the water heat up and you will not have this problem. Patience is the answer. Take care.

Same here! I finally gave up years ago, drained all the water out of my iron, got a spray bottle and just mist my fabric before ironing.