How do you descale a steam generator iron?

[GrossePopel]

I've lost the instructions, and any instructions I've found on the Internet just don't seem to make sense.

I put the descaler in the reservoir and then press the steam generator button, but to no avail the steam is not getting out. And by god it stinks!

Does anyone have any advice.

[GrossePopel]

Bumpity bump!

[thenightsky]

Hmmm. I 'd say you did it right. I cannot imagine why it stinks though coz limescale is only calcium so no smell.

I live in a place where the water is so hard it come out of the taps carrying an assault rifle.

I never put water in irons - only ever the ironing 'water' bought from shops.

[GrossePopel]

The descaler stinks... But it's just not coming through.

I'm tempted to try and open it up and start stabbing it with a knife.

I think the problem is its SO scaled up the descaler can't do it's job.

[GrossePopel]

Can you put 'ironing water' in steam generators then? It used to go through water like nobodies business -it'll cost a small fortune to run it only with 'ironing water'.

Ongoing to have to buy another bloody iron aren't I? It's not even6 months old. Ggrrrrr!

[thenightsky]

Oh yes.. the special ironing water would cost a fortune. I was being dozy not noticing it was one of them big steam generator things you've got.

TBH I've always avoided them, purely on the grounds of living in such a hard water area.

[GrossePopel]

I'm going to bump one more time before I buy a new iron. It's only about 6 months old .

Does anyone know how to descale it?

[Hairytoes]

I have a Philips, with mine I unscrew a cap on the side of the generator, fill it up and swill it around before pouring it out, just repeat several times until no more bits come out.
Obviously not much help to you if you don't have a Philips, but might be a similar setup!

[Supersnapper]

Effe-Scoff steam pro spray 3000w . I have used it for about two years with no need to descale. as I live in a hard water area I use water filterd through a Briitta filter jug in my kettle and iron - this week it has scaled up as the instructions say not to use descaler it was a choice of buy a new one or try a gentle method of removing the scale.

Fill the resorvoir with cheap supermarket lemonade - set the iron to steam- when empty fill with whatever water you use and steam that through - ready to use again - it really does clear out the scale