Hi Cloe,
Turn the iron on to the hottest setting, this should melt the polyester.
Take a couple of sheets of kitchen paper towel and lay them over the edge of the ironing board. Hold the iron at an angle to the edge of the ironing board and press it hard against the edge in a downwards movement.
The melted-on polyester will transfer on to the paper. Keep moving the paper and repeating until the base of the iron is clean.
To avoid this happening again use a cotton cloth over the polyester when pressing.
Sue
December 2010