Do you like ironing your clothes? No? We didn’t think so.
Let’s face it: this is one of the harder household chores. Getting around cuffs and collars on button up shirts should already be considered a skill, and what about fabrics such as silk and chiffon and some polyester blends where each move you make with your steam iron leaves a mark?
Sounds like it’s time for a new tool in your belt. Something that:
- Makes ironing easier (and also quite different than classic ironing)
- Is safe for you and your clothes
- Is versatile enough it can be used even on sensitive fabrics
- To top it all off, doesn’t require much storage room, an ironing board and additional free space while you’re using it
Lucky for you, that something exists and it’s called the garment steamer.
What are garment steamers?
Garment steamers are household items similar in their function to classic steam irons, but the way you use them is different. Rather than applying pressure directly to a garment and evening it out by sliding the hot iron plate over it, you turn on the garment steamer, wait for it to heat up (usually in less than a minute and hold it in front of the piece of clothing you want to steam. This process of emitting high-temperature steam is what rids the fabric of any unwanted creases.
In what cases does steaming your clothes work better than traditional ironing?
When dealing with sensitive fabrics: you don’t want to accidentally damage silk or chiffon by choosing the wrong setting on your steam iron or because you applied too much pressure. You don’t have to worry about this when you use a garment steamer because you won’t actually be putting any pressure directly on your clothes.
If you don’t have much time: in a rush and have to spruce up your favorite button up shirt? Use a garment steamer for it. If you have a standing steamer, the piece of clothing you are steaming will be hanging vertically and you won’t need to constantly flatten and reposition it.
When you’re traveling: handheld steamers are perfect to carry in your luggage because they don’t take up much space. When you reach your destination, you’ll refresh your clothes in no time, but you can also use your steamer to sanitize your mattress and safeguard against bed bugs.
If you’re looking for something that most closely resembles the look of a classic steam iron and the way it is used, the handheld steamer is the ideal choice for you. It is small enough to fit into your travel suitcase, can be used with or without an ironing board and can work for up to 15 minutes.
Find portable handheld ones here:
- Queenwill Garment Steamer: suitable for vertical and horizontal ironing, intuitive design
- Magitec Portable Travel Garment Steamer: unique design featuring a nozzle for high-precision steaming, automatic shut down saffety feature, multipurpose
- Homelle Travel Steamer: multifunctional, lightweight, with Steam Lock option (provides continuous steam flow)