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I am going to be buying a new iron very soon because the one I have belches out this black powder whenever I use it dry. My question is a simple one...do you still use distilled water in irons or do you use tap water?? I used to use distilled water until about 5 yrs ago when I was told that tap water is fine. I need your input!!
Thank you!
Pam in Vegas
When we lived in Michigan, we had a water softener and I just used tap without any problem. Once we moved to Idaho, and do not have a softener, I had to go back to using distilled because the water is so hard here.
Pam....I have two irons - one needs distilled water and the other says to use spring water in it (which I figure is bottled drinking water). You live in Las Vegas and I know how hard the water is there - I lived there 22 years and battled hard water the whole time. You will need to read the directions for whatever iron you buy. The reason you have black powder coming out of your iron could be from using tap water. Barb
I dont use any water in my iron. Instead I keep a spray bottle at both the ironing board and my pressing station and give it a squirt when needed.... I've read in quite a few places that using water of any type in the iron will make it go bad faster, even with the expensive irons
I do the same as Angela except when I need to steam something. Then I use tap water at home (it's filtered and softened) and bottled water at camp (tap is from the lake, yuck). Otherwise it is the spray bottle for me.
The Rowenta I have now, specifically says not to use distilled water in it. I assume it varies with the brand of iron you use. I'd go buy the instructions.
When I was young and ironed my dad's cotton work shirts, we always sprinkled them.... had a top with little holes and a cork fitting that fit into pop/soda bottles.....anyways, we dampened the shirts and let them "rest" and then ironed Or we ironed them before they were completely dried. That's what i've been doing when I have lots to iron.... Eliminates refilling the iron all the time and I don't have steam billowing out.
Maybe I'm getting that old timers condition... where you remember things working better, but seems like irons used to be hotter and heavier......:)
I've been doing the same with starch, I spritz and let it sit until it is absorbed by the fabric.
SPRINKLING--BRINGS BACK MEMORIES! Did that so much as a newly married lady! And we would sprinkle then run out of time and put the sprinkled clothes in the fridge so they wouldn't mildew! I usually ran out of interest, so my hubby's shirts got very cold from sitting in the fridge for a couple of days!
I remember sprinkling! I also do the same as Angela. Spray and let sit, I'm in the process of washing all the stash fabric so I spray a pile, let sit a few minutes and then iron.
I remember my mother having one of those sprinke bottles! She used a glass 7UP bottle! Wow, what a blast from the past!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Slokarma
My feelings, exactly. But I don't buy expensive irons. My Black & Decker works perfectly well for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelaLashley
I remember my mom using a bottle with a sprinkler top on it :)
I was filling my iron with water but now I use a spray bottle, like Slokarma, it eliminates the need to keep filling the iron I don't have all that steam coming out.
I found my Rowenta for $29 at Ross - it retails for $129, I love it cause it doesn't time out and go cold. I used the Pur filtered water from my faucet as it says not to use distilled water.
I also remember my Mom using a spray bottle and I do also...I have never put water in any of my irons yet...I have read pros and cons about using water in the iron, so I just have never done it yet...notice I said yet because I never say never...I just might someday...I have also heard horror stories about irons "spitting out" more than the water, so I'm kind of afraid of starting to use it...have a great day everyone...I had to laugh at some of the posts...they make my day
Carol
I wondered how many of you ladies remembered SPRINKLING......When I was cleaning out our 85 yr old uncle's home, he still had the old sprinkler top his mother used! Of course I was instantly taken back to summers in the basement sprinkling Dad's shirts. I did find a plastic sprinkler top at Vermont Country Store....ours were metal back then. O, and I found two irons on there, one no steam and one steam. Now if I can find an old TAB bottle to put it in.........LOL
Ohhh, I like the old shaped dry iron and sprinkler top - I have a collection of old green glass bottles - I think once we're in Georgia I will have to do a shopping trip on that site. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Slokarma
I just went to the dollar store and bought a spray bottle..pretty little pink one and use that! Works great. i hadn't thought about letting the starch sit until nearly dry to save residue on the bottom of the iron. I will start doing that. My iron is Black and Decker and about 30 years old! THe spray doesn't work, but it wasn't that great when it did. I prefer the spray bottle...I can get the water to where I want it to go instead of just where the iron wants to spray it!
the price of those sprinklers was really offending me! So I thought of Lehman's, the Amish hardware store in Kidron, Ohio and yes, they have a slightly better price, $1. 95. So while I was there, I found these two irons.......for those who are REALLY SERIOUS about their irons :) here's the address:
http://non-electric.lehmans.com/search#w=irons&asug=
I use tap water in my iron. Our water here is extremely soft. In fact, when you shower, you still feel soapy after rinsing and rinsing. I have had no problems using tap water.