How To Use a Clothing Steamer
The Prelude
It’s no surprise that clothing steamers are becoming a hot commodity. They make your clothing look amazing in ten minutes or less, they are extremely lightweight, and they are fairly easy to use. I’m sure you saw the phrase “easy to use” and said “if that were true I wouldn’t be reading this article.” You have a point. But if you stick around until the end of the article I’m sure you’ll agree with me and you’ll start telling others how easy it is as well. By the end of this article not only will you walk away knowing how to use a clothing steamer, but you’ll learn a cool steaming technique straight from a garment care pro as well. So if you’re ready to hone your steaming skills then let’s get started!
How To Use a Clothing Steamer
Decide if you will use distilled water or tap water. I highly advise using distilled water for steamers because it will prevent the inside of the steamer from corroding. However, I understand that not everyone has the time to keep replenishing their distilled water so tap water can be used but you must understand the risk that comes with using it. The risk that comes with using tap water is mineral build up and corrosion which can shorten the lifespan of your steamer. I’ve personally been using tap water for years and I’ve never had a problem with my steamer. So if you decide to use tap water my advice would be to make sure to clean it regularly and use descaler packets. Doing these two things will help keep your steamer healthy and get rid of most (if not all) of the mineral build up. I’ll walk you through how to clean it later on in the article.
Hang your garments. For the best results, hang the garments that you want to steam on an over the door hanger or clothing rack. Doing so will prevent wrinkles from reforming and ensure a nice, pressed out look for your steamed garments.
Fill the tank with your water of choice and let the steamer heat up. Make sure you’re filling your steamer tank with cool water (make sure not to overfill the tank as this can prevent your steamer from working properly). Once your tank is filled, turn the switch on and allow the steamer to heat up (depending on the brand it can take any where from 30 seconds to two minutes). Once the steamer is nice and hot allow it to blow steam for a few seconds and then start steaming your garments.
Slowly move the steamer from top to bottom. If your goal is to create a clean pressed out look for your garments then you need to slowly move the steamer across your garments as opposed to quickly running the steamer up and down the garments. You don’t have to move extremely slow, but it’s important to strike a balance between being steady and being swift. As you’re moving the steamer down your garment make sure not to press the whole steamer head directly onto the clothing. Instead, use your non dominant hand to hold the garment by the hem and your dominant hand to press the top of the steamer head on the garment and allow the bottom of the steamer head to be a few inches away from the garment. If you prefer, you can also hold the entire steamer head a few inches away from the garment and steam from top to bottom as well.
Turn the steamer off and empty the tank. Once you’re satisfied with your garments, turn your steamer off and wait for it to cool down. Once it’s cooled down, empty out the leftover water from the tank and store the steamer in a safe place.
Bonus tip: To keep your steamer running smoothly make sure to clean it at least once a month if you use it daily or after each use if you use it occasionally. To clean your steamer make sure that the steamer is unplugged and turned off. Once you’ve done that then fill the tank with distilled white vinegar or cool water and a descaler packet, plug the steamer up and turn it on the highest steam setting, and point the steamer head towards the sink drain (bonus tip: if using distilled white vinegar then keep the bathroom fan running to minimize the fumes). Once the tank has nearly emptied, turn the steamer off and empty the remaining white vinegar or cool water with the descaler in it into the sink. Once the white vinegar or cool water with descaler in it has been completely emptied, refill the tank with distilled water and repeat the process to get all of the white vinegar or descaler residue out of the steamer. Once the tank is nearly emptied, turn the steamer off and empty the remaining distilled water into the sink. Finally, you’ll want to check the steamer head for any white mineral build up that has come to surface as a result of the cleaning. If you spot some, then grab a toothpick and remove any build up that you see and dry the steamer head. You can then store the steamer in a safe place until you’re ready to use it again.
What do you plan on steaming?
Now that you know the in’s and out’s about how to use your clothing steamer, what do you plan on steaming and how often do you plan to steam? Let me know in the comment section below.
