How to make clean a heat press or iron

Oops- did you lot just accidentally fe a decal upside down on your oestrus press and now there'southward a melting mess on your platen? Or did you become to create a project with your rut press or atomic number 26 and realize there'due south grime and messy muck caked on to it? In this post we'll prove you how to clean a rut printing or iron whether yous fabricated a mistake or if you're but trying to clean off build up.

how to clean heat press

what you'll need:

  • a rag
  • EZ-off hot iron cleaner
  • a bit piece of fabric
  • a teflon canvass or protective paper
  • heat protective gloves
  • tweezers
  • ventilated area

Footstep 1

Whether you just made a mistake and your heat printing is nonetheless hot or you decided to give your oestrus press a periodic cleaning, it will be easiest to get the muck off of your heat printing if your heat printing is still hot and unplugged. Brand sure your heat printing is at to the lowest degree 300°F and unplugged earlier you move on to the next step!

Step 2

Fold your rag and squeeze a generous corporeality of EZ-off hot fe cleaner onto it. Put a teflon canvass or some protective paper onto the bottom foam office of your heat printing to protect it from the muck you're almost to scrape from the platen. If you meet any vinyl hanging off your platen, peel information technology off with tweezers.

Stride 3

In one case your machine is nice and hot, rub the rag onto the top platen. You lot might hear the cream sizzling which is a good sign. You will also observe fumes- don't breath them in! Continue scrubbing the platen with your rag, adding more cream if necessary. You will notice the muck start to autumn off your platen. Fold your rag so that a make clean side is exposed and continue to clean until your platen looks similar new. Be careful not to burn yourself!

Pace 4

When your platen looks clean, fold your rag again so a make clean, dry side is exposed and wipe whatsoever excess cream or htv off of the platen. The last step is to turn your oestrus press on and do a test press. Use a scrap t-shirt or piece of fabric for this examination then if any muck is left behind it won't ruin your adjacent projection. By doing this exam, you're just making sure that any leftover htv or cream won't stain any hereafter projects because all that mess volition end up on your scrap t-shirt.

Tips for cleaning a oestrus press:

  • always turn off the estrus press earlier attempting to clean it
  • speed is primal- try and clean upwards the mess before it gets caked on, while the heat press is still hot
  • if you don't have EZ-off, I would recommend any fe cleaner from your local craft store, simply make sure to society some for adjacent time!

What you shouldn't try:

  • don't printing anything you lot think could melt in your heat press even if you're using a teflon sheet
  • don't try and clean your heat press with a solvent- heat + solvent = burn!
  • don't clean a teflon coated rut press with anything abrasive like Comet- it could scrape the teflon off
  • don't use a scraper, because again, the teflon could be scraped off

I simply looked at the bottom of my atomic number 26 and information technology'southward a mess! How did this happen?

  • t-shirts can exist coated in starch and can over time go out a mess on your atomic number 26 or platen
  • a simple mistake like pressing some htv upside down tin leave you with a huge mess on your hands
  • a too-hot rut press can melt textile onto your platen or atomic number 26 then exist conscientious!

craftables glitter htv

Melting points of textile

it is imperative that y'all know the material content of your projection before you fifty-fifty start! Some fabrics are synthetic and have a very low melting point. If you're non using a teflon canvass and you end upwardly melting your project, y'all could take a huge mess on your hands! Here's some information on common fabrications and their melting points in case you had a project in heed involving any of the following fabrications:

polypropylene-
melting indicate: 320°F
mutual products: drawstring bags and some clothing
*low melting point, beware when ironing!

polyester-
melting point: 482°F
common products: t-shirts, jackets, tote bags, home textiles
Ideal fabric for heat transfer vinyl

acrylic-
melting point: 482°F
mutual products: scarves, knit sweaters, some t-shirts, jackets

cotton-
melting point: 475°F
common products: hoodies, t-shirts, tote numberless
Ideal fabric for heat transfer vinyl

rayon-
melting signal: 302°F
common products: annihilation that feels silky that isn't silk similar scarves, dress shirts, and sweaters
*low melting point, beware when ironing!

nylon-
melting point:428°F
common products: undergarments, able-bodied wear, bags and backpacks

*the ideal fabrications for Craftables HTV products are cotton, polyester and cotton/poly blends. Y'all can find HTV application information here.

Tips for cleaning an fe

The aforementioned exact steps above can also exist used when cleaning an iron but sometimes an fe tin exist a bit tougher to clean due to the steam holes in the atomic number 26. Here are some tips for cleaning your iron with household supplies:

  • Use EZ-off or iron cleaner with a q-tip to make clean out the steam holes
  • If you don't have a q-tip, a pipecleaner besides works well to de-gunk steam holes
  • Fill up your water reservoir with a water/vinegar mix and steam it out to make clean out the steam holes
  • If you lot don't have iron cleaner,acetaminophen (Tylenol) tin can work to make clean the bottom of your iron- simply oestrus upwards your iron, unplug and carefully rub the pill on the lesser of your atomic number 26 and watch the gunk autumn off!
  • Later yous've cleaned your atomic number 26, brand sure to steam out all cleaning materials on scrap fabric before ironing a terminal project
  • Going forward, distilled water is the best water to use in your atomic number 26. Tap water often is hard water and could clog your steam holes with solidified minerals. Difficult water can also stain lighter fabrics, distilled water is your safest choice!

Preventative measures

  • Always employ teflon canvass
  • Even t shirts can leave starch so it's better to clean estrus press sporadically
  • Wash any fabric projects before pressing to reduce residuum
  • Even fabric can melt on heat press then always beware of material content
  • Make clean rut printing sporadically with fe cleaner or ez-off to prevent residue build upward
  • Proceed tweezers, a rag and atomic number 26 cleaner most your heat press in case y'all brand a mistake again