Urgent! What does it mean when your iron is chucking out grainy water?

[BumperliciousNeedsToSleep]

I never iron, and now I remember why. My iron, new and barely used, is chucking out grainy water. Why is it doing this, and more to the point how can I stop it?!

[OsmosisBanana]

stop immediately. Put iron back in cupboard and sit down. Make cup of tea / glass of wine and thank your lucky stars you had such a narrow escape.

Ironing is for fools.

[K999]

It means that you need a new one...eithher that or your iron is having a 'dirty protest' at the fact that it is never used!!

[nell12]

set the steamer on full, hold it over the sink and rinse through the steam vents with the steam.

Refill with clean water and try again

[Mercy]

Do you live in a hard water area?

I do and use something or other to alleviate the problem (wracks brains to remember the product)

[BumperliciousNeedsToSleep]

LOL at OB! Fricking summer clothes made of linen!

Don't think it is hard water, but even if it was why would it make it leak? Will try nell's solution.

[dylsmum1998]

is it leaking whilst you iron?
mine does this sometimes if i have it set to no steam with water in it. don't know why i just whack the steam up and it stops
(althoug it has done this when i plugged iron in and forgot to switch the wall switch, so it wasnt even on and i trying to make it work

[nannyL]

u need to use de-ionised water in your iron rather than tap water.

its like the scale on the kettle but in the iron

my iron has never had a drip of tap water in it, has been used regularly for 2 years and is perfectly scale free as a result!

[Miggsie]

it needs cleaning. you can buy iron "insides" cleaner to remove limescale from household shops.
It will need to be done every so often if you live in a hard water area