Dirty iron, the laundromat method to clean it from top to bottom: it comes back like new

Tips for using the iron correctly
When you iron, mistakes are often made that may seem trivial at the time, but they are not at all.

Firstly, avoid going over zippers and buttons, then when ironing synthetic fibre garments you should place a cloth between the iron and the fabric, to prevent it from sticking to the soleplate. If you make this mistake you will not just ruin the garment, but the iron. Therefore, it is advisable to use distilled water to avoid lime build-up and to completely empty the tank every time you use it.

If you have an old iron, maintenance can always be useful, but you cannot expect miracles, because an iron that has had its time cannot have much left to give . All that remains is to buy a new one.