Any woman is constantly looking for an opportunity to alleviate the tedious household chores, for example, with the help of various devices designed to simplify and speed up housework. One of these things was the newfangled curtain steamer. What kind of device is this, and what is it so loved by modern housewives?
What is a steamer?
As the name implies, the steamer is a device that allows you to act on the fabric with a steam jet. In general terms, it can be described as a reservoir of water, to which a small hose is attached with a special nozzle at the end. The latter has several holes through which steam escapes.
The main function of the device is ironing things, but in addition it has a disinfecting effect, helps to remove light impurities and allergens from the material, as well as eliminate extraneous odors. The device is environmentally friendly, because it does not use any chemicals to clean, only water.
Steamers are vertical and horizontal, but for the curtains the former are most often used, since they allow you to process the fabric without removing it from the cornice. This saves time and allows you to better control the ironing process. In addition to curtains and blinds, the machine can iron clothes, sheets and much more.
Steamer Benefits
Some housewives ask themselves: is it really necessary to buy a special device, if you can just buy a high-quality iron with steam function? However, the steamer has several important advantages:
- The ability to iron things on weight. Given the size of the curtains, it can be difficult to iron them in the usual way, so the ability to process the material without removing it from the cornice is an absolute plus.
- Steam power is stronger than that of irons, which allows you to spread the fabric faster and better.
- Ability to handle products with complex areas such as drapery.
- The temperature of the steam reaches 100 degrees, which allows you to quickly get rid of wrinkles, even on dense fabrics.
- The ability to iron the most delicate things that you can accidentally ruin with an iron.
- Removing dust and light impurities. If the textiles are not very dirty, then instead of washing it is better to simply treat the stains with steam.
- Getting rid of bad smells. Steamers can be successfully used in situations where it is necessary to slightly refresh a thing.
- For allergy sufferers, the device’s ability to get rid of various allergens is a huge plus.
- An obvious advantage for pet owners and parents of young children is the removal of contaminants without the use of any chemicals.
- Some models exist automatic descaling function.
Interesting! In some models, it is possible to add detergents to the water, which allows more efficient removal of contaminants.
Differences between steamers and steam cleaners
Now steam is used everywhere, so on the shelves of shops you can find many different devices with similar effects. Steamers have much in common with steam cleaners, which confuses some customers. To understand which device is best to purchase, you need to consider the differences between them.
The first and main difference is the appointment. The main purpose of the steamer is ironing, it is also possible to remove stains from it, to get rid of allergens and unpleasant odors.As for the steam cleaner, its main purpose is precisely the fight against pollution of any complexity. However, its scope is not limited to textiles, on the contrary, it is more suitable for hard surfaces such as floors, tiles and so on.
In addition, the devices are slightly different in design. The steamers have a special nozzle that looks like a vacuum cleaner brush, but with a smooth surface on which several holes for steam exit are located. As for steam cleaners, they can have a whole set of different nozzles, but they all have only one hole. In shape, these nozzles practically do not differ, but they may have bristles. Also, special mounts for terry cloth are often found allowing use the machine as a steam mop.
Another difference between steamers and steam cleaners is the presence of a telescopic rod. Almost all steamers possess it, except for manual models. This bar can be used to hang the brush, but its main purpose is to be a support for the hanger. This design makes it possible to iron clothes on weight.
Another feature is that the steam jet in the steamers does not have much power, and the smoothing of the laundry occurs due to the high temperature. Steam cleaners, on the contrary, are distinguished by a powerful steam pressure, which allows them to quickly cope even with severe contaminants.
Thus, it is better to purchase steamers to smooth textiles, while steam cleaners are more suitable for controlling pollution.
What is better steam generator or steamerYou can find it here.
Using a steamer
How to use a steamer? Before working with the steamer, it is necessary to fill the tank with water. After that, you need to turn it on and wait a while. This is necessary in order for the water to convert to steam. If you do not give the device enough time to heat up, then water will get on the fabric during use, which can lead to the formation of stains. After making sure that the steamer is ready for use, you can proceed to ironing. You just need to bring the nozzle to the fabric and move it at a certain distance, waiting until all the folds on the textile straighten.
Important! In cheap models of steam cleaners, it is permissible to use only distilled or well filtered water. Tap water can cause a quick breakdown of the appliance. However, more expensive models can work on ordinary tap water.
It is worth noting that if the goal is not only to smooth textiles, but also to remove contaminants from its surface, then you will have to additionally use a rag or sponge. Steam acts on the dirt, pushing it to the surface of the fabric, however, it is not able to dissolve it. Therefore, to achieve a good result, it is necessary to remove residual dirt with a cloth.
Types of steamers
All steamers are divided into the following groups:
- hand held;
- stationary;
- professional.
Hand models are the cheapest and least powerful of all. They are no larger than a regular hairdryer or mini kettle in size. Modern models are like a regular brush for clothes, only without fibers. Handheld devices have a small water tank. This allows you to quickly prepare the device for work, but limits the time of its continuous operation. A good option for travel, due to its compact size and ease of use. Suitable for use on small thin curtains and blinds, as well as for ironing clothes, but do not use it for curtains.
Stationary vertical curtain steamers look like a vacuum cleaner with a smooth nozzle.Most models have a telescopic bar, which allows you to iron things on weight, as well as several power modes, which makes it possible to work with various types of fabric. The volume of the water tank is usually not less than one liter, so the device can function without interruptions for a sufficiently long time.
Interesting! The vertical curtain steamer, despite its name, can be easily moved around the apartment. It is called stationary because of the inability to use it when traveling, due to its large size.
Professional steamers are most often used in dry cleaners, shops or hotels. They have a high power, a capacious water tank, which allows you to not interrupt ironing for several hours and special racks suitable for heavy fabrics. Also, on the case there are switches that allow you to control the device by pressing the foot. Professional models differ in impressive dimensions and high price.
Steamer Tips
Which steamer model is better to choose and what characteristics should you pay attention to when buying? First of all, you need to decide how the device will be used, and make a decision based on this. For example, if the device will be used only for light curtains and clothes, then you can purchase a manual model. If you plan to use a steamer to smooth large curtains of dense fabric, then you should buy a stationary model.
When buying, it is important to remember the following characteristics:
- Tank volume and uptime. The larger the volume of the water tank, the longer the device can work. For processing large curtains, it is better to choose a model with a tank of at least a liter.
- Steam power. For processing light curtains and clothes, it is not necessary to buy a powerful device, however, for working with a dense fabric, it is better to use a steamer with a capacity of about 1500 watts.
- Existence of additional functions and nozzles. For example, the ability to change operating modes and add detergents to water.
- Telescopic rod height. If it is too low, it can create inconvenience when processing long curtains.
Thus, knowing how the device will be used, it is easy to find a model that is suitable specifically for this type of activity.
