My Iron Drips Oil--Help!

Fruitbat

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Stop ironing right away. You are making me feel bad about non-ironing fruitself. :(
 

Orianna2000

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LOL, Fruitbat! Don't worry, I hate ironing. I'd rather stick a blouse in the dryer with a damp washcloth, instead of ironing it! But when I sew, it's very important to press seams after I've sewn them, and to press things that are necessary to shape the garment, like darts. (FYI, pressing is different from ironing. Different purpose, and different motions and techniques involved.)
 

Maryn

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My cheap-ass iron steams so poorly I actually jotted down the brands Consumer Reports just rated as best buys. Maybe some day, mainly for sewing. (I also recently bullied Kid Two, who's teaching herself to sew because she has trouble finding ready-to-wear, into buying an ironing board. She made a coat and planned to press the seams open on a sleeve board, for crying out loud.)

I confess I was disappointed that this thread's new activity didn't include a solution to the mystery of the dripping oil, though.
 

Kylabelle

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Me too! (I came around to see if the mystery had been solved!)
 

Orianna2000

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Sorry! I'm disappointed, too . . . I have a really great iron, plus a rather crappy iron, that are both utterly worthless until this mystery gets solved.

It did occur to me last night to wonder if it could have been something weird with my spray bottle. Except then I remembered, I never spray formal fabrics, since they can waterspot. So that can't be it. I hate unsolved mysteries, so this is very aggravating! I'm just glad the current iron seems to be okay. So far, anyway.
 

Orianna2000

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I may have just solved the mystery! (Everyone who's been waiting for a resolution, tune in!)

It's been months, and the new iron hasn't caused any stains. And the other day I realized, the only thing I did with the old iron that I haven't done with the new iron is starching. Several times, with the old iron, I used spray starch alternative (Mary Ellen's Best Press) to stiffen a piece of voile, which is a very thin, semi-sheer cotton. You spray it until damp, then press with a medium-hot iron until dry. Keep on doing that until the fabric is stiff enough that it won't get pulled into the feed dogs when you sew it. I've done this many times with both of the old irons, but I've never done it with the new iron. I can't imagine how spray starch alternative would cause the iron to drip what looks like oil months after I used it for starching, but it's the only variable. It has to be the key!

I thought of it because I was working with voile the other day, and I was worried it would get chewed up by my sewing machine, so I was going to starch it. Then it occurred to me that I hadn't done any starching with the new iron, just with the old ones. So . . . maybe? Is there any way that could be the culprit? If so, I'll have to use one of the old irons specifically for starching, and reserve the new iron for dry ironing only.

What do y'all think?
 

amergina

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That could very well be it! If the starch-alternative was still hanging out on the iron, it might very well have dripped onto the fresh fabric! Since you do a lot of dry ironing, I'd keep one iron for *only* dry ironing and another for starching.
 

Orianna2000

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I'm still perplexed as to how it could have caused the staining, but it's the only explanation. I suppose the starch alternative vaporized during the pressing and the smoke could have made its way into the iron's steam holes, where it caked up . . . and then when I used the iron later, the caked-on starch liquefied due to the heat and dripped onto the fabric? So bizarre! But at least it's an answer.

I will definitely use one of the old irons solely for starching, and keep the new iron for dry pressing only!
 

amergina

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I found this googling... http://hypernoodle.blogspot.com/2014/05/starch-alternativesyour-fabrics-bff.html

The woman who was testing the starch alternatives said:
Every once in a while, on certain fabrics, BEST PRESS may leave a slight stain. I have not found FLATTER to leave any stains on any fabric--including denims, knits and dark fabrics. I've had to discard several pieces of fabric that BEST PRESS has stained. For some reason, it likes to leave (what looks like) water/grease stains on certain fabrics. This doesn't happen on every fabric, it is sporadic (based on the content of the fabric I imagine)

So it may be something in the product?
 

Orianna2000

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Hmm. Very interesting! I may try to contact that blogger and see if she's ever had the Best Press accumulate inside her iron. I looked at the alternative brand she mentions, but according to Amazon's description, it's not a starch alternative, it's just a wrinkle remover. Not sure if it would work to stabilize fine fabrics, but I may give it a try anyway, just to see.
 

Orianna2000

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Okay, I give up! My current iron (which is the third or fourth one) is now dripping tiny drops of oil onto my fabric! I have NOT used it for starching, so that's not the explanation. I'm no longer using the same ironing board, because I made myself a pressing cabinet, which is basically a cabinet with shelves and cubbies, with a giant ironing board mounted on top. It's only a couple months old and isn't dirty at all. I haven't used it for steam ironing or starching, so it can't be the problem.

I'm truly at a loss, here. I can't keep buying irons every six months to avoid the oil-dripping issue! And it ruins my fabrics! I've been working on a special project and I found the PERFECT fabric in my stash, it's a pale gold satin, I only have half a yard, which is exactly the amount I need, and I can't buy more. But when I pressed it before cutting the pattern, it developed oil spots. I tried squirting water on one of the spots, then rubbing it gently, hoping to remove the stain, but it did nothing. I'm going to have to try cutting around the spots, but that's going to be challenging, if not outright impossible. And what happens if I get stains on the fabric when I press the seams while sewing? It could RUIN weeks of hard work.

Sorry, I'm just so frustrated. Truly at my wits' end. Has anyone come up with any other possibilities, or explanations, or fixes?
 

JulianneQJohnson

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I made my living sewing for 30 years. Irons do not have oil in them. Two different brands of iron would not drip oil on the fabric, as neither would have oil in them. It would be a fantastical coincidence if two different brands of iron had the same issue. Therefore I have to believe it's something else in the environment.

I know you say the ironing surface is clean, but I would start fresh, and see if this fixes the issue. I would replace padding and cover, and make sure the surface beneath has no issues. Is it covered wood? Is the wood still in good shape? Is something wicking up from underneath? (Sorry, just read that you did this already.)

Alternate issues can be caused by operator error, which is a possibility with students who are learning. Is anyone ironing something they shouldn't, like vinyl? Is anyone who's watched too much TV reheating a grilled cheese? Are they using wonder under improperly? Are they using iron cleaner and failing to remove all of the residue before using the iron?

I'd say the water was a possibility, but there hasn't been water in the second iron, so that's out.
 
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Orianna2000

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I don't have any students at the moment and they're always supervised in the sewing room. No one's ironing anything weird. The fabric doesn't get stained while sitting on the ironing board, only when I use the iron on it. It's utterly perplexing!

I'm going to try washing the stained satin with dish soap to see if it'll remove the stains. And I've ordered yet another new iron. Ugh.
 

Orianna2000

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Okay, my BRAND NEW iron spat oil (or whatever it is) onto my fabric the very first time I used it. This is beyond ridiculous! I contacted the manufacturer and they forwarded my message to their R&D department, who said they have no clue what the problem is. So they sent me another new iron. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm not feeling optimistic.

I was, at least, able to wash the stains out by soaking the fabric in the sink with a bit of dish soap.
 

mccardey

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This is becoming engrossing. I'm voting that the culprit is the board - or, yanno, poltergeists.
 

Orianna2000

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Since I replaced my ironing board with a brand-new setup just a couple months ago, it can't possibly be that. But, then again, it can't possibly be any of the other explanations that I've come up with!
 

mccardey

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Storage, then. Where do you store your fabrics? Are they all kept together? Is there any chance of something dripping from above, onto them?

ETA: If you do store them all together, perhaps folded and in a pile like my stash, I'd be going through them now to see if something has (ugh) died and seeped through.
 
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Old Hack

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My best guess is that you have a build-up of something on the sole of the iron which is leaving the marks.

I've seen spray starch look like it's dripping from the steam-holes on the bottom of the iron, because the holes provide a nice place for the evaporating starch to collect while ironing.

I've seen fabrics leave a deposit on the bottom of the iron: many cottons come with a sizing on, similar to starch; washing fabrics with lots of fabric conditioners can do the same.

None of this, however, explains why you've had the problem with a brand new iron. But as you've had the problem with several different irons it has to be something other than the iron, I think.
 

Orianna2000

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Most of my fabrics are kept together, in one of several dressers. No chance of anything dripping on them. I regularly go through the drawers, so there's nothing that could've died in there.

Since the problem started, I've not used any water in the irons, nor starch. I thought the problem was spray starch, but since I haven't used it, that can't be it.

I always wash my fabrics, unless they're dry clean only. So, there shouldn't be any sizing left. I don't use fabric softeners or anything like that. Just a minimum of detergent. I don't even use dryer sheets, because I've had them leave greasy stains on fabric. (Similar to what I'm experiencing now, but not identical, and the stains were all over the fabric, not just in isolated spots.)

I agree that it seems likely it's not the irons, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it could be! I've checked the ceiling, no damp spots or discoloration. My ironing board is brand-new, with a brand-new pad and cover. The stains happen most often with a lightweight satin I use for doll-sized eveningwear, but it's also happened with a knit jersey and a piece of silk, so it's not just that fabric. It doesn't seem to happen with cottons, but it could just be that it's being absorbed better, so it's not as visible.

I have new students starting soon, so I HAVE to solve this mystery! I can't risk their projects getting ruined.
 

ajaye

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This is an enthralling and baffling thread.

So it's not the iron or the board. Is it happening only on materials you have washed? Could anything in this mystery stains conversation maybe help or spark new thoughts? (A number of problems and culprits are discussed/discovered.)
 
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Orianna2000

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I found stains on a piece of silk, which I'm pretty sure I never washed.

The stains appear as I'm ironing, and at first they smear a little, like they're still fresh and on the surface of the fabric, but then they sink in and dry. The way it behaves, it's like it's dripping from the iron. Which makes no sense, since I've been told that irons have no oil in them.

I may write that mystery stains website. I know it says they answer questions about removing stains, but perhaps they'll have some ideas for my problem.
 

Orianna2000

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Just a quick update. I now know conclusively that the stains are not coming from my ironing board. At the suggestion of someone at a sewing forum, I put a sheet of aluminum foil beneath a half-yard of satin I needed to iron. It still ended up with a couple of spots, which means they are coming from above, not below, the fabric. Either the iron is to blame, or else a mysterious invisible ceiling drip.

Also, I inserted a pipe cleaner into the steam holes of an unplugged iron, just to see if it would come out damp or stained. It didn't. Not sure if that proves anything or not, but at least I tried it.
 

harmonyisarine

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Can you video while you're ironing to see if you can capture the spots while they're happening? I have no idea if this will be possible or if it will help, but maybe someone will recognize something visually that's not clicking via words...

This sounds so frustrating. I wish I had suggestions. I have an iron I use for ironing off batiking wax and other messy things and this sounds similar to that but impossible since the iron hasn't touched any wax. If it's a dry iron can you carefully wrap the plate of the iron with foil and try to iron that way? (VERY carefully... one iron I did this with melted because I left the excess foil flap around the plastic part and the heat chimneyed up... the rest have been fine.)
 

Orianna2000

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I don't think I'm coordinated enough to hold a camera while ironing! LOL! Plus, sometimes it takes a long time for the stains to appear. When I did the aluminum foil experiment, I ironed the same piece of fabric for probably a half hour before it finally got stained.

Now, it occurred to me that I do, on occasion, press waxed thread. You pull the thread through a cake of beeswax, then fold it inside a scrap of muslin and press for about 12 seconds. This melts the wax, fusing it with the thread, so it doesn't knot or tangle while you're hand sewing. I don't do it often, because I don't hand sew frequently, so I didn't think of it before. But it can be eliminated as the cause, since we ruled out anything from the ironing board causing the issue, and because it happened with a brand-new iron that hadn't pressed any waxed thread yet.

My iron isn't a dry iron, it's a steam iron. I just don't use the steam function since I thought that was causing the stains. I am fairly sure the stains are originating from the steam holes, but I can't prove it.