Clean your iron frequently, as soon as you notice a buildup, to prevent a heavy accumulation of dirt. There's no need to buy commercial iron cleaners. You can make your own with items you probably already have around the house.
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Pour distilled white vinegar onto a soft cloth and rub the soleplate of your iron with the cloth. Sticky messes will come off faster if the iron is slightly warm.
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Mix distilled white vinegar with baking soda to form a paste. Rub the paste onto the warm iron with a soft cloth and scrub it to remove tough, burnt-on stains. Wipe off the iron with a damp towel until it is clean and dry.
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Brush the soleplate of your cool iron with white toothpaste and an old toothbrush to remove tough stains. Wipe off the iron with a damp towel until it is clean and dry.
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Lay an old towel over your ironing board, then lay out a newspaper over the towel. Turn your iron to it's hottest setting and move it over the newspaper, as if you were ironing the paper. The newspaper will absorb any waxy stains from your iron.
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Rub crumpled dryer sheets over the soleplate of a slightly warm iron to remove calcium deposits.
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Mix a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water for cleaning the reservoir of your iron. Fill the reservoir with the solution and let it steam for five to six minutes. Turn the iron off, let it cool, and drain the reservoir. Let the iron stand for at least an hour. Repeat the process with water only before using the iron to avoid making your clothes smell like vinegar.