It is important to learn how to use a clothes steamer. This is because clothes wrinkle easily, whether they are coming fresh from the dryer, crammed into a cabinet, or pulled out of a pile lying on your couch. Continue reading below to learn more about how to use a clothes steamer for crease-free clothing the easiest way.
How to Use A Clothes Steamer Tutorial
The Basics of Clothes Steamers
Clothes steamers are an efficient and reliable way to remove wrinkles from apparel, furniture covers, and curtains. As the name implies, the equipment uses steam to loosen up fabric fibers rather than the flattening processes implemented by ironing devices.
When you learn how to use a clothes steamer, you will see how it can be a great alternative to a regular iron. When compared to conventional irons, the steaming method is generally viewed as gentler and more practical, especially for delicates.
A garment steamer, in general, works by converting water into steam. The steam is then blasted on the fabric to loosen the fibers and, as a result, erase the fine lines and wrinkles.
When it comes to garment steamers, it is wise to note that they are available in a range of sizes based on their intended usage. A small or medium steamer would do for residential use.
Learning how to use a clothes steamer is not difficult. In fact, even if you only know the basic components of a steamer and how they function, you will still be OK.
What Fabrics Can Be Steamed?
The fabrics that can be steamed are similar to those that can be ironed. Always check the care label of the item to see if it can be ironed and if there is a temperature suggestion. The best fabrics to steam are cotton, linens, and some synthetic fabrics such as polyester.
Proceed with caution when steaming wool, silk, chiffon, and velvet. Check the care instructions and consider steaming on the wrong side of the fabric. Do not steam suede, leather, or items that need dry cleaning.
A clothes steamer can be hard to get stiff creases in cuffs and collars. For intricate details, an iron is usually better.
Types of Clothes Steamers
Clothes steamers normally fall into 2 categories - handheld garment steamers and upright steamers. If you will be steaming your clothes regularly, an upright steamer has a larger tank and can steam more items at one time. Handheld steamers are great for traveling.
Parts of a Clothes Steamer
Water Tank
When it comes to assessing a clothes steamer's capabilities, the tank is perhaps the most essential factor. As a result, while choosing a clothes steamer, it is critical to choose one with a large enough water tank to meet your demands.
Handheld steamers are wonderful for their compact size, but they can be troublesome if you ever need to steam a lot of garments. Clothes steamers with separate tanks often have larger water tanks, which means you will not have to refill them as frequently.
Heating Element and Temperature Control
When learning how to use a clothes steamer, it is also crucial to understand the type of heating element that your steamer uses. You can discover the heating type, wattage, and energy consumption of a steamer by reading the fine print on the packaging or machine.
A clothes steamer, like traditional ironing devices, should also have temperature control for choosing the proper heat range. To cope with heavier textiles, a more advanced steamer will have a broader temperature range.
Hose Pipe and Steam Nozzle
Although not all steamers have a hosepipe, bigger steamers often have one to allow steam to travel from the water reservoir to the nozzle. If your steamer has a hose pipe, make sure the pipe is constantly straight to prevent increasing the steam pressure.
Finally, we arrive at the most critical component. The steam nozzle is responsible for distributing the high-pressure vapor to your fabric. The steamer usually comes with gentle brushes and attachments for removing hair or other debris.
How to Use A Clothes Steamer – Step by Step
Learning how to use a clothes steamer effectively guarantees that you do not harm your clothing or cause electrical issues in your house. The first step is to read the guidelines that came with your steamer to see how much water to use and specific things to avoid steaming.
Step 1 - Fill the Steamer Tank
Fill your steamer with water, and be sure to stick to the maximum limit on your steamer. Having too much water in these devices can lead to dangerous water leakage.
While you can use tap water, your steamer will last longer using distilled water. Tap water contains minerals and debris that may clog and shorten the life of the steamer.
Step 2 - Turn the Steamer On
Insert the plug into an electrical socket. You must first turn on the steamer for several minutes before you can start using the steam nozzle.
Most clothes steamers require around 3 minutes to create steam. When you believe your steamer is ready, carefully test it by pulling the trigger on the nozzle. It may have an indicator light to show it is ready.
Step 3 - Put Your Garment on A Hanger
People often don't realize when they learn how to use a clothes steamer that, unlike ironing, steaming is done with the assistance of gravity. As a result, it requires hanging your garments on a clothing hanger. This principle also applies when steaming draperies or other fabrics.
Hanging your garments will make it easier to remove creases. Hang your garments in such a way that you can reach all sections, especially the ones that are heavily creased.
Step 4 - Run the Nozzle Over Your Garments
How to Use a Clothes Steamer:
- Pull the trigger on your steamer if it has one. Other types just have a continuous stream of steam.
- Move the steamer's nozzle gradually over your garment to avoid accumulating extra moisture in one spot. Keep moving at all times.
- Don't touch the nozzle directly on the fabric. It should be at least a few inches from the fabric.
- When steaming wrinkles out of your clothing, apply a downward motion to remove the creases gently. Because gravity works for you, you don't have to go over the same spot many times to get your garments to look good. Just remember that pushing down on the fabric will not help remove creases.
- Turn the clothes hanger around to steam the other side of the garment.
Use particular caution when using your steamer on clothing with many colors since excessive heat and water can sometimes harm these textiles.
When learning how to use a clothes steamer, you may be surprised at how much faster it is than irons at making your clothing wrinkle-free. However, the length of time required to steam your garments will vary depending on the type of clothing.
Step 5 - Let The Garments Dry Properly
This is an often overlooked step when learning how to use a clothes steamer. Wet spots on the different areas steamed are very common. As a result, you will need to give your clothing sufficient time to dry up completely before hanging it back in your cupboard.
Step 6 - Clean and Store The Steamer
When you have finished steaming all of your clothes, unplug and let it cool down. Once cooled, unhook the steamer and drain any left water. This keeps gunk and particles from accumulating in the tank and the hose pipe and steam nozzle.
How to Use a Clothes Steamer Tips
- Keep the steamer's nozzle moving rather than keeping it in one place. This is especially important for delicate fabrics.
- Never touch the fabric with the nozzle.
- Always use distilled water to ensure buildup debris and minerals from tap water do not go through your steamer.
Alternative Uses of Clothes Steamers
The usage of clothes steamers extends beyond simply removing creases from your garments. If you are learning how to use a clothes steamer, you should be aware that it has other possibilities.
- Sanitizing Surfaces - Steamers create steam at high temperatures. When applied on surfaces, this makes it easy for them to kill bacteria and germs.
- Light Stain Cleaning - It is also a chemical-free solution to clean your home's furnishings and carpets. Just check in a small unnoticeable spot first that the stain doesn't get worse.
How to Use a Clothes Steamer FAQs
Is steaming clothes better than ironing?
Most users find that clothes steamers are reliable, lightweight, and far more practical than ironing devices at keeping their clothes wrinkle-free. Furthermore, the steamer may have accessories such as a fabric brush to assist with different types of garments.
Use your clothes steamer slowly and adjust the hose and nozzle to reach different sections of the clothing that you need to steam.
Can a steamer ruin clothes?
Yes, a steamer can certainly ruin clothes if they are not suitable for ironing. Always check the care label to see if the item can be ironed. Never steam delicate fabrics intended for dry cleaning.
Can silk be steamed?
Certain types of silk can be steamed. Check the care instructions to see whether the silk item can be ironed. If it is ironable, turn the item inside out and carefully steam, ensuring that the nozzle does not touch the fabric.
Is steaming clothes better than washing?
While steaming clothes is not really an alternative to washing, it can help sanitize and remove odors.
Should you steam clothes wet or dry?
Like ironing, clothes are best steamed when they are dry. Steaming will remove wrinkles and relax the fabrics.
How to Use A Clothes Steamer – In Conclusion
You will never have to stress over wrinkles again now that you know all about how to use a clothes steamer. However, to avoid injury or causing damage to your clothing, make sure to use a clothes steamer properly and with caution.
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