how do i descale steam generator iron

MoneySavingUser

I have this Kenwood Iron: http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/ke/kenwood-st706.jpg

no longer under warranty - IIRC it was a cheap iron but would like to know if it can be fixed

It was working fine - but then one day it wasn't giving out steam by itself - I pressed the manual steam button and it was very hard to press down whilst usually it is easy to press

I have to press it down now with a lot of force and steam doesn't actually come out

I think it might be blocked/need cleaning

The manual had instructions for cleaning: filling it up with water, letting it warm up and holding it over the sink - this didn't seem to have any effect

does anyone have any suggestions?

BitterAndTwisted

Yep, chuck some vinegar in it and iron something not precious, like a tea-towel using the steambutton until the reservoir is empty. Then flush with clean water

fiscalfreckles

you could try descaling it?

Do what you did (ie fill, heat up and empty over sink) but with descaler added to the water - or I believe you can also use vinegar, though I haven't tried that myself as I was worried it would make the iron smell!

BitterAndTwisted

All steam irons will give up the ghost eventually if you don't either used distilled water or descale it regularly

LJM

i use vinegar in mine all the time same as in my washing machine as long as you rinse through ive never had a problem with smell and it is suprising just how much gunk comes out.

cyclingyorkie

Indeed - regular desacaling is necessary - at least it is here! Is your water hard or soft?

Pink.

Hi MoneySavingUser,

I've added your thread to the existing one which has advice on descaling an iron.

Pink

map11

Hi Guys - I have researched this and spoken to manufacturers and NONE of them we say that you can . My Phillips steam generator iron was not producing steam and instead blowing dirty water and lots of very WET steam infact puddles of water !!!. It is 4 years old and out of warranty so what the heck and in went OUST water descaler. I left it for 10 mins and then washed it thorugh 4 or 5 times and ran several tanks of steam through. For the first few uses it did smell of Oust BUT after 2 weeks it now works fine and my iron no longer spits out water all the time !! I do live in Norfolk (UK) and we do have really hard water but this really did work - I hope this helps !!
Mark :-)

bovario

trying-very-trying wrote: »

I've got one of these steam generator irons, but it has stopped giving out steam altogether although the soleplate still heats up. Do you think descaling it might help, or does it need repairing?

Not always blockage cause problem. I fixed many steam generator irons.
Make sure that you still hear pump as used to do.
If hose from base to iron is cold water pump need to replaced, if hose is hot - blocked pipe in the iron "elbow" feeding steam to the soleplate.

Pump can buy here:
bargains-zone.co.uk/en/small-electricals-spares/10-steam-generator-iron-water-pump-replacement.html

Carole_Hatwell

My almost new steam generator spits dirty water over my clothes, especially when it is on a low heat, unless I clean it out ( a big job), EVERY time I use it - AND I use water from the hot tap, so I know that it has been through our water softener.
This is my third steam generator.
The first, a different Bosch, stopped steaming after I cleaned it for the first time, after 2 weeks.
I took it back and got a Philips. This lasted about two and a half months until water started to come out of the side of the iron (no, it hadn't been dropped).
I am fed up with steam generators, frankly. They cost an absolute fortune and although it's true that they do iron well, they are so much trouble that when I finally get rid of this one I shall buy a CHEAP steam iron and a plant mister to dampen the clothes - the way my mum and grandma did it!!!!!