When you need a garment steamer

We live in a world that values convenience and time. These two are the top benefits the garment steamer has over the flat iron. With a garment steamer, all you have to do is place your garment on a hunger, run your steamer over it for about one minute and it is crease-free. If you are tired of the whole ironing board and flat iron routine, what you need is a steamer. However, before you make the jump, here are a few things that you need to know to help you make an informed decision.

Types

Upright steamers

These are sometimes also referred to as floor steamers, as their base sits on the floor. These steamers typically include a base where the water tank sits, a hose attached to a nozzle, and a pole with a clothing hanger at the top. These steamers typically sit on wheels so that they can be moved more easily. If you plan on keeping your steamer in one location, upright steamers are the ideal choice. They are larger than other steamers, but are very convenient because of their features (the clothing hanger, nozzle, etc.)

Handheld steamers

These steamers are much smaller than upright steamers, and can be easily packed in luggage or kept in the car. If you tend to need a steamer while traveling, a handheld steamer is your ideal choice.

Why get one

Without a doubt, one of the major reasons you should consider buying a garment steamer is its ease in usage. It does not require an ironing board and it works fast. When using a garment steamer, all you need to do is turn it on, wait for it to warm up in a minute or less, hang your cloth on a hunger, and then press the steamer against your garment to iron, and you are ready to go, without a fuss.            Another advantage garment stemmers have, is that they are safe and gentle on all fabrics. Garment steamers can handle any fabric you throw at them, be they delicate or coarse fabric, without burning them. They work perfectly well with cotton, wool, denim, linen, silk, and batik.

Garment steamers are also very convenient, when it comes to ironing, hard-to-iron clothing. Getting the wrinkles out of pieces of clothing with lace, ruffles, pleats, sequins, peplums, puffs, beads or other embellishments, can be time consuming and tricky, but with a garment steamer, the ironing process becomes quite fast and easy, as it can reach all the unique curves contours on any garment, without worrying about any possibility of damage.   

Garment steamers, can also help your keep the clothes between wearing and washing fresh, especially, dry-clean clothing and light wearing items such as cardigans and jackets. Hot steam can get rid of bacteria and odour causing germs that build up from perspiration, on clothes, therefore leaving your clothes smelling fresher than ever. This also reduces the number of times you wash them and even the number of times you frequent the dry cleaners. Constant exposure to the wear and tear while washing of certain fabrics, can leave them looking worn out, steaming can solve the problem, extending the life of your clothes. 

One advantage garment steamers have over flat irons, is that are great for not only removing creases on clothes, but also are also great for freshening up beddings, curtains/drapes, pillows, carpets and much more depending on how you learn how to maneuverer it. 

 How to use a garment Steamer

Garment steamers work by heating water to produce steam. The steam is then applied to clothing through a nozzle, relaxing the fabric’s fibers and eliminating wrinkles. Since every model is slightly different, you are advised to read the user instructions and safety information before you use the steamer for the first time.

First, pour cool water into the water tank.

Make sure, that all components are connected correctly, then plug the steamer in. Steamers usually heat up fairly quickly (two to three minutes). Allow your steamer to heat until steam begins to form. Be sure to let your steamer warm up all of the way to get the best results.

According to the spruce.com, allowing the water in the steamer to heat completely will help prevent sputtering of the water before the steam appears. Water sputters can leave stains on some fabrics and take longer to dry. Test the steamer on a kitchen towel to be sure there is a full head of steam.

Next, hang the garment you wish to steam. It is easiest to steam a garment when it is hanging. Upright steamers typically have a hanging pole or rack attached all you have to do is hung dress your cloth onto it. If you are using a handheld steamer, put your cloth on a hanger, and hung it on a cloth rack, on your closet, on a hook on the wall, or anything of that sort.

Steam your garment by running the steamer in downward strokes along the fabric to de-wrinkle. You do not need to press hard or push the fabric against anything, the steam will gently remove the wrinkles on its own.

Where can I buy one?

Garment steamers are available in all big super markets close to you. They are available in Capital Shoppers, Game, Carrefour and Quality Supermarket. At Capital Shoppers prices range between Shs360,000 and Shs490,000. Game has garment steamers for as low as Shs200,000 and those that cost as high as Shs759,000. At Carrefour, garment steamers cost between Shs470,000 and Shs500,000.