Once again I am subjecting myself to humiliation for the sake of homemaking science by showing you another nasty appliance in my house. This time I need to clean a flat iron. Why is this flat iron so gross you ask? Well, let me tell you. I suffer from a serious condition called “poufy bangs” – combined with a wicked cowlick. Unless I straighten them every day…(sometimes twice a day)…they just look ridiculous.
Problem is…I also use a fair amount of HAIRSPRAY on them and when I use the flat iron on my hairsprayed hair…this is what ends up happening.
A serious case of “gunk build-up”. The things we do for vanity. :-)
In the past, I would wait until it got REALLY, REALLY bad and then throw it away and get a new one….because I couldn’t find anything that would take it off. One day I was whining about my flat iron follies to my friend Danielle and she suggested I use the edge of a pair of scissors to scrape the gunk off. After all, the straightener is made out of CERAMIC. It worked quite well and didn’t do TOO much damage to the iron. The slight scarring it did was worth it though, because I didn’t have to buy a new one! An expensive proposition.
As you can see from the pictures…the “gunk build-up” was approaching a serious level of gross and I was about to attack it with the scissors again when I decided to give my “miracle cleaner” a try.
Turns out this was hardly even a challenge for the “miracle cleaner”. :-) I made my usual paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and started rubbing it in with my fingers. It immediately took all but the thickest parts of gunk off with hardly any effort at all.
This is what it looked like “AFTER”.
The main difference in cleaning this small appliance vs. other things I’ve cleaned with the “miracle cleaner” was making sure I didn’t get any cleaner or water inside the iron that would mess up the electrical stuff.
So I was careful to keep the cleaning mixture just on the plates themselves and then I used a wet rag to wipe it all off when I was done instead of rinsing it. It’s still working like a champ at taming my unruly poufy bangs, so I must have done OK.
My flat iron looks and feels like new!
How do you clean your flat iron?
I have been using the same Chi, for a little over 2 years and I have never had any “Gunk” on my straightener. Though I do have a different hair styler I use and I will try the dryer sheet trick.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This did not really work for me. I got a very minimal amount of gunk off. I am going to try the dryer sheet or rubbing alochol trick.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can just use a medium steel wool pad to remove the gunk. No chemicals, no liquids, no mess!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for all these wonderful tips. I have a flat iron that has build up and have been trying to figure out how to get it cleaned. I have used the wet wash cloth and the baby wipe, but still ended up with build up! Cant wait to go and try these tips now. Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The easiest way I have found to clean my flat iron was to pour a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe everything clean- handle, plates, cord all of it!! Give it a try. No elbow grease required ;)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.mine does the same thing, but alcohol takes it right off too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hey Jill – I had some leftover peroxide/baking soda solution after trying this on my flat iron. I put the solution in the sink with warm water and dropped in my hair product-covered round brush and comb and gunk floated to the top of the water almost immediately. I’ve never seen that brush clean up so quickly and easily. Thanks for the “miracle cleaner.” :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have always just heated up my iron…then when hot, I unplug it, then I carefully put a wet washcloth between the two sides hold it a few seconds then rub the irons down with it and the gunk comes off. No cost, just an old wash cloth and water.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best way I have found to clean hair spray build up from my curling iron is oven cleaner. Just spray on, let sit for awhile, and the gunk wipes right off like magic! Haven’t tried it on a flat iron, but I suppose it would work the same.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nome of this stuff worked
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a chi flat iron that also contained build up and I tried rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball which didn’t work so I was desperate and used a brillo pad cleaning lightly and it worked removing all the build up and leaving no scratches on the plates just a tip!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use nail polish remover on mine! It works wonders when I don’t have any alcohol on hand, and it’s quicker.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just use a bounce sheet… I heat the iron and just pull the sheet back and forth.. no scrubbing uless it is really bad.. works for you clothes iron too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m a stylist and all my appliances, including my flat iron, get a ton of gunk build up. The best, and least harmful, way to clean a flat iron is to use a soft steel wool and some alcohol. It won’t leave any scaring and all of the gunk will come off. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My flat iron look the same, scissor nicks and all! I ran across your blog from pintrest.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Heading to the store after work to pick up some “supplies”. I think I have found 101 uses for baking soda and vinager!
Also, it isn’t advised to use a sharp straight edge on the ceramic because it can scrape it!! like you said. I though using a razor blade (think: used for cleaning ceramic cook top0 but after I realized it was taking off finish I stopped doing that.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used rubbing alcohol to get my gunk off, it worked wonderfully. Mine wasn’t nearly as caked on as that because I rarely use it, but it was still disturbingly dirty to a clean freak. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am trying this as soon as I get home! Thanks for the tip!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just use a tissue when the iron is warm, and everything comes right off. I have never used any cleaning products and my iron comes out spotless every time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Plain old alcohol on a cotton swab when the iron is warm (not hot) works perfectly fine; I’ve been doin it for years!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yep thats what I have always done and it was perfect and so easy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Alcohol on a cotton ball works well also! It’s clean in no time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.as soon as I start to get this on the edges, I turn my flat iron on and immediately use a baby wipe to get it off. just be careful you don't burn yourself. the heat helps to soften the 'gunk.'
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am an educator for farouk systems the company that makes chi and its a wonderful iron but just to add to the cleanliness of the iron if you use the chi products u will rarely have the gross hair spray build up .
Please log in or create a free account to comment.thanks for sharing
I've used magic erasers in the past and they've worked great, but we usually don't keep them around unless it's spring cleaning time…These are all great tips for when I desperately need to clean my flat iron and can't run to the store, and so much more cost-effective! Thanks so much for sharing!:)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.using simple nail polish remove works way better than this… and take about 20 seconds to do… i do it every month
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