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Post by shabbychic on Aug 28, 2013 16:16:50 GMT -5
I have a problem I hope someone can help me with. My ironing board is stuck in the up position. It's a cheap metal one, and I have had this happen before with another similar board. The lever to release the legs moves, the little metal piece that catches in a hole is out of the hole, and I cannot see what is preventing the legs from folding up. It feels solidly stuck, not like metal to metal friction (although I have not yet tried WD-40, perhaps I should). I threw my last stuck ironing board out, and wasn't that fun getting it into the dumpster! If I lived in a house with a laundry room I would leave it set up, as I am more likely to use it that way (if it doesn't gather too much junk on top as horizontal surfaces are prone to do). But I live in a one bedroom apartment and don't have room to keep the ironing board up. It's in my bedroom now, and I have to dodge it getting in and out of bed. It's starting to collect items that belong on a bedside table, because it's so handy. I want to nip that in the bud! I don't want to keep buying ironing boards and throwing them away when they won't fold up. This one is relatively new (but not new enough to take back to the store, I don't know where I bought it) and I haven't used it that much. Maybe the cheap ones are not meant to be repeatedly set up and taken down. Has anyone else had this problem? Do you have any suggestions for getting it to fold up? or do I just need to chuck it and find a better one? The old wooden one I used to have never had this problem but I don't think they even make them any more.
Shabby Chic
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Post by Ally on Aug 28, 2013 16:43:35 GMT -5
1. Make sure that after you move the lever, you open/raise the ironing board a little bit, before you attempt to close it. I don't know if that will work, but it's worth a try.
2. Try turning the whole thing upside down. You might be able to see what is catching and preventing it from closing that way.
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Post by dairy2mama on Aug 28, 2013 21:24:42 GMT -5
Definately try WD-40 or 3-in-1 oil on all the different parts which move up and down. Sometimes, I find you need to squirt the oil at different angles to get the parts you want lubricated. Put newspapers under it so the oil does not get all over everything. Good Luck.
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Post by seekingpeace on Aug 29, 2013 9:16:50 GMT -5
I got rid of my big ironing board and got one of those little table top models. Easy to set up and take down. And I just stash it next to the tv stand out of the way. Just a thought anyway. Best wishes!
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Post by nifty50 on Aug 29, 2013 14:21:37 GMT -5
I have a fairly old one that makes a hair-raising screeching sound when I close it (not so much when I open it). I second Ally's suggestion about raising the board's height very slightly when you are pushing the lever. Even if the little catch-piece is out of its hole, there might be a tiny part that isn't showing but that's caught on the lip of the hole. I just googled "ironing board stuck open" and I was amazed there were so many results!! The little house next door to mine has an bedroom lined on one side with built-in cabinet doors. One of them opens to a very shallow space out of which drops a small ironing board. When you're done, you just fold it back up into the wall. It's completely adorable.  |
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Post by boyswillbeboys on Aug 29, 2013 18:55:28 GMT -5
I put a towel on the table, on the rare occasion I iron, saves a lot of trouble with an ironing board that doesn't want to work properly.
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Post by shabbychic on Sept 3, 2013 22:27:39 GMT -5
Thank you all. I have been offline due to illness the last few days. I will try the WD-40. It used to make that screech - and yes I used to have to raise it that little bit before I could close it but it doesn't move now. If all that doesn't work, I will look for one of those little ones. My grandmother had one that folded down out of a cabinet in her kitchen wall. Wish I had one of those.
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Post by limegreen on Sept 4, 2013 12:16:14 GMT -5
Does the lever still feel like it has some resitance to it, like it is still sprung? Or can it be flopped about with no effort? If it's floppy, you might be able to make it go back in the hole by bashing it back in with a hammer and a small piece of wood to direct your blows (hard to achieve with a hammer alone, I would think). If it still offers resitance but doesn't shut the board, you can probalby jemmy it with a screwdriver (use one you don't treasure, this will not be good for it) by forcing the small metal plate through which the thin rod runs pushing it towards the non-pointy end of the ironing board. Depending on how easy this is to achieve, you might want to junk it when folded, or use this method to fold it when you use it. Hard work and needs strong hands, I'd probalby fold it once and toss it if this was the case.
Ikea does a nice folding table-top ironing board, I'm seriously considering it for when my own board gives up the ghost.
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