Can you make your own "ironing water"?

[BertieBotts]

I used to really love the scented ironing water you can get in the UK but you can't buy it in Germany where I live now.

Do you think it would be possible to make some? I tried dissolving the leftover bits of fabric softener in some plain water but it ended up really scummy and musty. It sort of worked - but I probably wouldn't do it again.

You can buy distilled water for irons here, perhaps that plus some essential oils or something? But I don't know whether oils would be a bad idea, leave greasy marks on clothes etc.

Has anyone done it, what would you recommend?

[Footle]

Distilled water plus a bit of emulsified essential oil, but I don't know how to emulsify it. Just an idea... You could try contacting Amphora Aromatics in Bristol to ask them. A knowledgeable small company.

[TollgateDebs]

I cut the fragrance ironing water down with non frangranced and it works. Depends on the brand, but you can add very little to keep a nice fragrance.

[BertieBotts]

I don't have access to any to start with though! :) It's difficult to import liquids because you can't take them on a plane and they are heavy.

[TollgateDebs]

You can make your own - www.ehow.co.uk/how_8679405_make-scented-ironing-water.html

or

You can get in Germany
kammaeleon-shop.de/Buegelwasser-Lavendel

[anzu66]

I'm in Germany too. You can also buy it online from millefiori

[BertieBotts]

Jesus that's expensive. Thanks for the tutorial link! I'll have a go :)

[PigletJohn]

oils would leave a greasy deposit inside the iron, and burn, I think.

[PigletJohn]

p.s.

I don't know the German term, but you can buy de-ionised water, usually in 5-litre flagons, at places that sell motor oil, windscreen wipers etc. It is purified and all mineral content removed, and used for vehicle battery topups. It is cheaper at Motor Factors than in chemists or supermarkets.

Store it in the dark.

[NapQueen]

Doesn't the fabric softener during washing make them smell nice though? Why would you then need more scent?

[takingsmallsteps]

I mix distilled water with a hydrosol (the water that is a by-product when distilling essential oils). I buy from Amazon. No stains and smell also makes living room smell lovely.

[PrincessHairyMclary]

If you have a tumble dryer the water that comes from that is distilled so you can use that, I use it as I live in a hard water area and it stops my ironing getting filled with lime scale.

[avocadosweet]

You can get it in Aldi in UK so maybe the German ones do it?

[Footle]

PigletJ, someone said to spray it on rather than put it in the iron. Sounds like a good idea.

[MashaMisha]

You can buy it in Germany!

Have a look in Rossmann or DM, they both do their own brands. It is a tall, clear plastic bottle, about 1 litre, just called Buegelwasser.

Mueller also do one but (imo) that one doesn't smell as nice.

[MashaMisha]

taa daa Here is the Rossmann one, only 85 cents.

[MashaMisha]

And just for the sake of even-handedness, here is the DM version.
I live in the UK now and miss German laundry products [saddo emoticon]

[kalinkafoxtrot45]

I've always been able to get it in Rossman, DM and Müller. Our local supermarket also has distilliertes Wasser which you could use as a base - perhaps dissolve a very small amount of essential oil in vodka and add to the distilled water?

[OnlyTheDepthVaries]

I'm nearly 50 years old - ironing water has completely passed me by!! How did that happen?
Why do you use it? Do I need it? Will it enhance my life?
Do tell!!!

[PrincessHairyMclary]

It's scented so smells nice but most importantly is also distilled so your iron doesn't fill with lime scale

[BertieBotts]

Ooh thanks Masha! Much less faffy. I'd been looking in supermarkets and the very small DM near my house but there's a bigger one and a Rossman in town, I will look there next time I go.

I know MNers are famed for not liking extra scents and such added to things, but I've just always liked it. It makes ironing into a pleasant chore for me. I actually prefer it to fabric softener, because I find fabric softener leaves a weird residue on clothes.

Only You put it into the iron instead of normal water. It's distilled so it doesn't go limescaley or mildewy. It surrounds you with a lovely scented mist as you iron, and possibly it imbues some kind of scent in the clothing, other than that, it just works the same as normal water in a steam iron.

[JennyBunn]

Only the house smells lovely after you've used it. Poundland sell the Comfort ones. I love scented ironing water but can't use it any more because I have a steam generator iron now and the instructions say it can't be used in it .

[rhuhbarb4]

I make my own by using the water out of my tumble dryer. I have one that you have to empty the water from and it always smells lovely so I started using it in my iron works a treat.

[supercaliforniasurfer]

Jennybunn I've been using ironing water in our steam generator iron for years never knew you weren't supposed to, doesn't seem to have done it any harm!

[OnlyTheDepthVaries]

Thank you all for the explanation....I'm off to Poundland!!!

[JennyBunn]

Have you, super? I might give it a go then. Ironing with tap water really is boring

I may need to get out more.