Why didn't anyone ever tell me...

[crunchy_mommy]

...that you can put water in your iron?!??!?!?

My mom gave us my grandma's iron 5 years ago when she passed away (because my aunt noticed our wrinkled clothes at the funeral)... I've used the new iron maybe 3 times ever, mostly for crafting. I purposely avoid any fabric that requires ironing & could not understand why someone would be willing to spend an hour ironing one shirt (because that's how long it took me without water in the iron!) Usually we just wear our clothes wrinkled if it comes down to that.

So today I discovered that you can put water in the iron. I HAD to iron fabric for a sewing project and amazingly -- it took me no time at all!!

I can't believe no one ever showed me this....

Anyone else recently discover how to do something they 'should' have known for years??? What other housekeeping-type things don't I know???

[Juvysen]

Haha! It was a revelation to me a couple years ago that I can toss a plastic shower curtain liner into the washer. funny what we don't get around to learning as children...

[littlehoneybee]

It took me years to realize that you can leave the oven racks in the oven when you run the self cleaning cycle.  I had always followed the instruction manual and taken them out because I was afraid of damaging them.  They do just fine leaving them in and it saves me hours of scrubbing them by hand.

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

...that you can put water in your iron?!??!?!?

  I guess your mom didn't pay you a nickel for every handkerchief you ironed as a kid...

[crunchy_mommy]

LOL no, I don't think anyone in my house ironed except for special occasions when I was growing up!
 

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

Haha! It was a revelation to me a couple years ago that I can toss a plastic shower curtain liner into the washer.

won't it melt????

[goinggreengirl]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

LOL no, I don't think anyone in my house ironed except for special occasions when I was growing up!
 

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

Haha! It was a revelation to me a couple years ago that I can toss a plastic shower curtain liner into the washer.

won't it melt????

Don't put it in the dryer. Just wash and hang it back up!

[youngspiritmom]

Originally Posted by littlehoneybee 

It took me years to realize that you can leave the oven racks in the oven when you run the self cleaning cycle.  I had always followed the instruction manual and taken them out because I was afraid of damaging them.  They do just fine leaving them in and it saves me hours of scrubbing them by hand.

Wait......ovens have self cleaning cycles?????

Just kidding. Hehe.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by goinggreengirl 

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

LOL no, I don't think anyone in my house ironed except for special occasions when I was growing up!
 

" rel="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/bigeyes.gif"> won't it melt????

Don't put it in the dryer. Just wash and hang it back up!

yeah, that!  I wash it on warm, not hot, I think.  I do throw some bleach or oxyclean in with it, though.  Works beautifully :)  Better than scrubbing it by hand, or tossing it when it gets gross!

[Auntie Sapphire]

I wash the shower curtain liner in the machine on cold, with a couple of towels, then hang it right back up in the shower to drip dry. It gets a little wrinkled but I don't care.

[crunchy_mommy]

Wow I'm totally cleaning my shower curtain tomorrow!

[MrsH]

And when your iron starts "spitting" at you when you use the steam, it's time to run some vinegar through to get rid of the mineral deposits...

About the shower curtains, I've done this twice now and they've always come out torn to pieces.  What am I doing wrong?

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by MrsH 

About the shower curtains, I've done this twice now and they've always come out torn to pieces.  What am I doing wrong?

Maybe it's a quality issue if your curtains are on the cheaper/thinner side?  I switched to a nylon liner (I see them at discount stores like Marshalls from time to time) which washes well and presumably doesn't off gas or have PVCs or whatever I was trying to avoid at the time...

[Juvysen]

gentle cycle?

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by MrsH 

And when your iron starts "spitting" at you when you use the steam, it's time to run some vinegar through to get rid of the mineral deposits...

You should really be using distilled water in your iron. It avoids the mineral deposit problem entirely, lengthens the life of the iron and prevents staining.

[goinggreengirl]

Originally Posted by MrsH 

And when your iron starts "spitting" at you when you use the steam, it's time to run some vinegar through to get rid of the mineral deposits...

About the shower curtains, I've done this twice now and they've always come out torn to pieces.  What am I doing wrong?

I actually just bought a cloth shower curtain so I wouldn't have to worry about the curtain ripping in the wash. I love it. Can't believe I haven't always used a cloth one!

[Chamomile Girl]

Well to sort of combine the two lines of thought going on here:

I washed my plastic shower curtain in the washer today and I added lots of vinegar to get off the mineral deposits. Worked pretty darn well! Thanks!

[MrsH]

Originally Posted by cristeen 





You should really be using distilled water in your iron. It avoids the mineral deposit problem entirely, lengthens the life of the iron and prevents staining.

Is that the same as using bottled or filtered water?  If not, where do I get distilled?

[jocelyndale]

Originally Posted by MrsH 

Originally Posted by cristeen 





You should really be using distilled water in your iron. It avoids the mineral deposit problem entirely, lengthens the life of the iron and prevents staining.

Is that the same as using bottled or filtered water?  If not, where do I get distilled?

Supermarket or general merch store.  It's sold in gallon jugs like spring, drinking, etc, water.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by MrsH 

Is that the same as using bottled or filtered water?  If not, where do I get distilled?

Its not the same at all. Distilled water has had the minerals removed, so you avoid the buildup issue. But you'll find it next to the bottled water at the store.

[Mrs-Mama]

I buy the "heavy duty" shower curtains, wash them on warm or hot with towels and then put them in the dryer for 10 minutes with the towels to get the water off of it.  I do always set a timer though :)