Leaking water out of the iron’s soleplate has always been one of the most critical issues one has to face while ironing. Remember the time when you were almost finished ironing your apparel, but your steam iron started dripping off the water from its tank? It must be so irritating for you in such a situation to see iron leaking water.
Such problems not only ruin your efforts but are the main culprits of ruining your iron as well. Here you would find all the reasons behind why iron leaking water and it’s incredible solutions
Reasons behind the Iron Leaking Water
To find the appropriate solutions of such iron glitches, we must know why this spitting occurs in the first place. Most people are not aware of why their iron leaks water. They started fixing it on their own without knowing the actual reason behind it. There can be myriad reasons behind it so when you experience your iron leaking water, identify the problem out of the following reasons.
Overfilling
Overfilling the iron’s water tank is one of the most common reasons behind the leakage. It is quite obvious that if you overfilled the tank, it would let the water be out somehow.
Low Temperature
Usually, when people are in a hustle, they just start ironing without allowing the iron to heat up for a few minutes. The iron is much likely to drip off the water out of its soleplate or tank at low temperature.
Unsuitable Water
Some people pour distilled water in their iron tanks, while some people pour tap water in their iron tanks. But both of them can be wrong. Most of these people are not aware that different irons have different water requirements.
Lime and Gunk Build-Up
With time, lime and gunk are most likely to build up on the crevices of your iron, like the soleplates, which may lead to iron leaking.
Uneven Surface
Ironing on an uneven surface is another crucial reason behind the leaking of iron. These leakages from the iron water tanks are more likely to occur on a bumpy surface.
Broken Cap or Electric Wire
If the cap of your steam iron’s water tank is broken, then as the water pressure would increase, undoubtedly it would lead to leaks. Also, the damaged electric wires of your iron can cause leakages and would eventually make the iron of no use. You can use cordless iron for preventing this.
Crack in the Water Tank
It is always a possibility that the water tank has cracks or holes in it that are causing leakages from the tank.
Defected Thermostat
The control thermostat that has the role in discharging the steam can also be defective, and defective ones cause metal parts of your steam to leak water from the tank.
Stored Water
Another common blunder that can lead to the iron leakages is people mostly forget to empty the water tank after use or some people do it on purpose as they believe it is right to keep the water stored in it but actually, it is a misconception.
Horizontal Position of Iron
Keeping the iron in a horizontal position, especially when it is not heated up fully, can cause leaking of the water as you have not given it a chance to convert the water into steam.
Misusing the Steam Boost Function
The option of the steam boost buttons is to target some stubborn wrinkles, but people misuse the button by overusing it. This can accumulate the water in the soleplate and can cause leakages.
Effective Ways to Prevent Your Iron Leaking Water
All the reasons mentioned above may lead to complete dysfunction of your iron besides being a frustrating thing for you. But following some tips and techniques would help you avert such leakages and maintain your iron for ages.
Avoid Overfilling the Water Tank
There is a line marked in the water tank of your iron. Whenever you fill the water tank, consider that line and do not exceed it to avoid overfilling.
Tightly Close the Lid or Cap
Make sure that you have tightly shut the lid or cap of your iron’s water tank after the water refills so that the water does not drip out of it.
Heat-Up the steam Iron
It is the most important rule to heat up the iron before you apply it to the fabric. You must allow the water vapors to get warm enough to produce the steam. Otherwise, the steam function of your iron would be useless
Suitable Water
Know your iron’s requirement. Read the manual of your iron as it will guide you if your iron needs distilled water, tap water, or hard water.
Clean the Water Tank and Soleplate Monthly
It is very essential that you get rid of the lime or gunk as it could clog up the soleplate and cause unstoppable leaking, disrupting the normal function of your iron. Clean up all the dirt from your iron by wiping it with things like dish soap, vinegar, and a wet rag every month or bimonthly. Dry it with paper towels.
Set a Leveled Ironing Surface
Ironing on an even surface is better in all ways. It allows smooth ironing and better for your cloth and iron. Ironing on a smooth surface, i.e., the ironing board, reduces the risks of water leaks.
Repair the Damaged Parts
Instead of investing again in an expensive iron like steam generator iron, repair the broken or cracked parts and keep all the precautions in mind for later use.
Empty the Tank After Use
As soon as you are done with ironing your garments or any other item, empty the water tank instantly. This practice would help prevent the leaking of water during storage.
Keep the Iron in Upright Position
Always keep your iron in an upright position and allow it to heat up fully. This way, your iron would convert the water into steam more easily and would also help in smoothing out the stubborn wrinkles out of your fabrics.
Proper Use of Steam Burst Function
Do not overuse the steam boost function as it is not meant to be used continuously. It is only for the most stubborn wrinkles. But if you really want, then do it at least after every ten seconds.
Conclusion:
It is quite frustrating when your iron leaks water, and you do not know why. This article is the complete guide that helps you understand all the reasons behind your iron malfunction and offers the best solutions as well. So, always keep in mind that if you are investing in expensive electric equipment then take proper care of it and fix issues like iron leaking water immediately.
I am a content strategist and the administrator of this website. Professionally, I am an assistant Electronics professor at the University of Chester. I love to read about my profession and have a lot of interest in various home electronics appliances. Freely contact us if you have any queries regarding steam irons and other electronic devices.
