How To Use Steam Iron For Clothes

A major difference between steaming and ironing clothes is how you prepare your garments. A garment steamer works best when you hang up your delicate fabric. Therefore, the first step is to properly hang up your smooth fabrics on a coat hanger.

The majority of handheld garment steamers heat up and generate steam within a few minutes. Steamers should always be heated properly for 1-2 minutes up before being used on clothing.

In addition to removing wrinkles quickly, the steam stream is steady enough to prevent the steamer from spitting on your clothes if there’s still some water left in the nozzle.

It is advisable to use distilled water with garment steamers to avoid harming both the steamer and your clothes.

You should avoid using tap water because steamers can also become clogged with minerals, requiring more frequent deep cleanings that can reduce their lifespan.

While steaming and removing wrinkles from a shirt or a dress, people usually let it hang loosely, which is a huge mistake. The primary operation of a garment steamer is to relax the fabric fibers, but if you allow it to hang up there, the fibers may return to their original wrinkled state.

Be sure to remove wrinkles as much as possible and place the garment steady and straight. Start steaming the garment from the top and come down slowly. For better results, make sure to pull and stretch the garment from the bottom. By following this practice, you will notice that the surface is smooth and wrinkle-free when it dries.

Pay attention to where the hose is, and make sure that it doesn’t get folded or double-crossed unnecessarily. We would normally use a steam iron with a flat head pressed directly onto the garment, but it doesn’t work with a clothes steamer because there is no space for all the heat and steam to escape.

Instead of pressing the clothes steamer head right up against the fabric, lean it towards the front from a slight distance so that only the top curve touches the clothes with your other hand make sure the material is stretched and stroke the clothes up and down with the clothes steamer head.^[1]

To put it simply, both steamers and steam irons use heat for getting rid of wrinkles from clothing, though an iron uses pressure, whereas a steamer also relies on moisture to get rid of wrinkles. To utilize this steam, a majority of dry iron also known as steam iron comes with steaming capabilities.

In addition to steaming functions, many modern irons have moisture-capable technology.

When it comes to getting the perfect crisp press, steam ironing is the best method. Steam irons operate with only electricity. By passing electricity through a special coil, the steam iron is heated, and all the heat is transferred to the soleplate. As soon as the iron plate becomes completely hot, the water from the water tank drips into it, causing steam to be produced. During this process, the steam is projected outwards, which softens the garment fibers for a perfect finish.

• You can remove burnt materials from your iron’s soleplate by heating it to its hottest temperature. Spread a brown bag or newspaper over the surface and sprinkle abundantly with salt. Heat the iron and rub it on the paper to remove the burned material.
• Make sure your garment is getting the right amount of heat by checking your temperature settings in the steam option.
• Always be careful not to directly iron wool or any other kind of soft and thin fabrics like silk or velvet. If you are ironing any of these materials, always spray water before you start to iron your garments.
• In general, irons can easily glide on smooth fabrics like a linen garment, but you will always face some difficulties while ironing cuffs, sleeves, pleats, and ruffles. Also, remember that fabrics that are heavier in weight like twill or Pima cotton can be ironed smoothly with an iron’s hot plate.

If you are going on a date night or have an important interview coming up, steaming your clothes with the best garment steamer is an easy and cost-effective way to get them looking neat and wrinkle-free. Also, garment steamers offer various uses other than ironing clothes. We hope that you found this step-by-step guide on how to use steamer iron for clothes helpful. If you face any difficulties or have any suggestions, please let us know in the comment section below.