So, you’ve heard of steamers, but don’t know what the fuss about them is. You don’t know why people turn away from irons and buy steamers instead. Well, consider yourself lucky as you are in the right place.
Here we will explain how steamers work, the benefits of using a steamer, the various types of steamers, and pretty much anything in between.
Clothes Steamers 101
The typical steamer is made of a water tank, a heating element, and a metal rod. Plus, there is a rubber nose to remove hair and lint. Before you can start using one, you need to add water to its tank.
Once the water is transformed into steam, it is applied to the clothes using soft motions. Best results are achieved when the clothes are hung on a standard clothes hanger.
The clothes steamers de-wrinkle your clothes with their hot steam. The hot steam can loosen up the bonds between the molecules in the fabrics. That’s what makes the wrinkles disappear.
Types of Steamers
There are three types of steamers:
- Standing clothes steamers
- Travel clothes steamers
- Handheld clothes steamers
Standing cloth steamers are quite robust and more expensive than the other two. They are very popular and feature all sorts of settings and modes.
Travel steamers, as the name suggests, are designed for frequent travelers. They can be easily fitted in any overnight bag or suitcase, even in a backpack. But because of obvious reasons, it is not easy to smuggle an iron steamer in a backpack.
The handheld steamers are very similar to travel steamers. The main differences are that they are somewhat more powerful, and their water tanks are bigger. They are best suitable for people that live in small apartments or with roommates.
Top Benefits of Using a Steamer
There are quite a few reasons why so many people switch to cloth steamers instead of ironing. Here are some of the most common advantages that steaming has over ironing.
Efficiency
Ironing can be quite challenging, especially with shirts and certain other materials. There is a lot to consider, and the entire process can be very time-consuming. On the other hand, steaming clothes is a straightforward process. There is no need for watching tutorials nor a learning curve. It’s fast, and easy, and anyone can do it.
Reduced Tear & Wear
Constantly washing and ironing can significantly reduce the life of the fabrics. Then there is the risk of accidentally burning your favorite piece of clothing. Not to mention the fact that you need to set different temperatures for different types of materials.
Many of those risks are mitigated when using a steamer. Plus, it is recommended to use a steamer right before washing the clothes as it is believed that it can help clothes last longer.
Save Money
Steamers can effectively refresh your clothes, remove odors, and prolong the life of your clothes. That way, you don’t need to send your clothes for dry cleaning, or at the very least, not as frequently as before.
Restore Certain Fabrics
The hot steam can loosen fibers, which effectively restores the shape of sweaters, vests, and other types of clothes.
Alleviates Allergens
Many people with allergens find this very helpful since steaming doesn’t use any chemicals, steaming is a 100% natural process.
Therefore, you preserve the environment and don’t create any waste.
Top Tricks for Successful Steaming
- Fabrics that can most benefit from steaming are wool, cashmere, wool blends, synthetic fabrics (wool alike), silk, and silk blends.
- Fabrics that need to be avoided are waxed jackets, suede, and anything with plastics.
- Don’t steam any clothes while someone is wearing them, even if that someone is you.
- Always start steaming from the top and work your way to the bottom.
In Conclusion
We hope that our mini-guide has given you enough information about steamers and steaming in general. Unlike ironing, it doesn’t take too long to master clothes steaming. The learning curve is almost non-existent. All it takes is some practice and patience. If you have someone with more experience to help you, then it’s done even better.
But once you get the hang of it, you will wonder how you can go through life without one.