A picture of an Iron

A sketch of an iron with inside parts shown.

Parts of an Iron and How It Works

Ever seen your mom or grandmother use an iron to get wrinkles out of clothes?

An iron is a machine that does that. It has a flat metal base. You can use an iron for small or large pieces of clothes or material. The iron is run by electricity. Some irons use steam. The outside of the iron only gets hot on the base at the bottom.

You set the temperature on the control after it is plugged in. The electricity heats up a (metal) bimetallic strip making it expand and hit the fixed contact, that does not move. This makes the heat.

The iron will get very hot. It is important not to ever touch the base of the iron when it is on or right after using it.

By pressing the iron on the clothes or material and moving it back and forth slowly, wrinkles will go away.

If your iron has a steam setting, add water before plugging it in. Then press the steam button when heated and steam will flow out to reduce wrinkles faster.

An iron runs by electricity, heats up and helps get wrinkles out of clothes or material.