Hi Mr. Richard,
I found that you are little careless while using Hot Soldering Iron Place near Towel & your clothes. Be careful that may cause fire and take you to in really danger. Another thing is nowadays nobody use wet sponges to wipe Soldering Iron Tip because every time it cools Soldering iron tip and gives more job to heater element. Best way to clean tip is Brass shave. No water of anytime will be required and better clean than sponges without heating losses.

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Hi Richard and my friend Robert, I've read an article given by WELLER, April 23, 2013; and it says the following:

ALWAYS:
Tin the tip – If not done, tip will oxidize (turn brown or black) and loose heat transfer ability
Use distilled water to keep sponge damp (not drenched)
Keep sponge clean
Use the Weller Dry Clean System WDC
Higher Temp = Reduced Tip Life
HOW TO “RENEW” YOUR TIP
Before tip is oxidized, use the Weller WPB1 polishing bar. When tip is cold lightly polish the tip to remove
oxides. Immediately re-tin the tip
In extreme cases of tip oxidation or tip “burnout” use the WPB1 along with tip tinnier. Once tip is renewed,
re-tin immediately.
Use the lowest soldering iron temperature possible
SOLDERS & FLUXES FACTS
The higher tin content in lead free solders attacks the iron plating on soldering tips.
Small diameter wire solder often has Flux voids that cause tip oxidation.
Hard, black smooth coating on tip is burned on flux, not a tip defect.
Water-soluble fluxes are highly corrosive at high temperatures and especially damaging to soldering tips.
Wire solder cored with water-soluble flux used during touch-up and rework procedures result in
accelerated tip failure.
No-clean fluxes are usually insufficient to clean normal oxides off soldering tips.

Have both and everybody a good day, Humberto

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Correct Robert. After getting your sponge wet with water, squeeze the sponge until no more water comes out; now you have a "moist" sponge which will work all of the time and does not affect the tip's heat at all.

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I looked at this site and they are right about tinning your tip after every use. A stainless steel scouring pad is just like using sandpaper and will damage the tip; your rubbing two metals together which is not a good thing to do at all. Using a "moist" sponge will not damage your tip at all. Avoid a wet sponge at all costs, squeeze the sponge until no more water drips from it, now it is a "moist" sponge. Wipe tip and then coat with resin core solder, do not use solder with a resin core. The resin core helps clean the surface that you are going to solder. Sometimes you may have to use Kester soldering paste to help with soldering something. Just trying to help clear up a simple process. If you use Weller soldering products, their soldering tips are designed to last if cleaned properly.

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Correction, no mineral deposits are left on your tip. You are cleaning the oxidation off of the tip and immediately applying some solder to it. I use well water with no problem. As I tried explaining before, where I use to work in production department, I had to once a year take a 3-day soldering class and then a test. I have been cleaning my iron the same way since 1966 with no problem. The big problem is not cleaning your tip and it will destroy it. If there will be some time before using your iron between repairs, clean and apply solder to the tip and turn it off.

I'm just trying to clarify this simple soldering iron requirement.

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