Steamers

Your Guide To Fabric Steaming

You may have used a steamer in the past to clear your floors or maybe your bathroom tiles, but there is another application for a steamer, more specifically the fabric steamer. Yes, fabric steamers can remove wrinkles and bacteria for your clothing, making them highly effective. But how do you steam fabrics? And are there certain fabrics you cannot touch with a steamer? Find out with this comprehensive Spotlight guide.

Which Fabrics Can Be Steamed?

Most fabrics can be steamed - this includes most types of cotton, wool and polyester. Of course, some materials are quite sensitive to a combination of water and heat, in which case a fabric steamer should not be used. Great examples of such materials are suede or leather. To ensure your fabric can withstand steaming, it is a good idea to check the care label of your chosen fabric.

Can I Steam Delicate Fabrics?

Some delicate fabrics can be steamed with a fabric steamer. However, you should always be extra careful when it comes to delicate fabrics. Never place the fabric steamer directly on the fabric. You should not hold the steamer in the same place for too long either, as this could damage the delicate material.

Fabrics that contain prints must be treated in the same manner as if you would iron them. Instead of steaming directly on the print, turn the garment inside out and steam the back of the fabric instead.

What Is The Benefit Of A Fabric Steamer Over A Clothes Iron?

You may wonder why you will need a fabric steamer if you have a perfectly good clothes iron in your home. The answer is versatility. A clothes iron is brilliant for fabrics that are quite durable such as cotton and jeans, but it is not as good for more delicate materials. Nevertheless, you may want to get wrinkles out of those delicate materials!

Using a fabric steamer allows you to de-wrinkle more delicate fabrics without having to worry about premature damage. While you still must be careful with delicate fabrics, you would never be able to use an iron on them. In other words, a fabric steamer is a great all-round choice for getting wrinkles out of fabric, while the clothes iron is a little limited in terms of applications.

How Do I Steam Clothes?

Most fabric steamers work on the same principle, although there can be some variations on this guide depending on the manufacturer of your fabric steamer. To ensure you are using the proper method, always check your steam cleaner's manual for a full overview of its operation and functionality.

Before you start steaming, add the right amount of cold water to the water tank. There should be a dedicated area where you can easily pour water into the tank, although some steamers come with their own funnel to make pouring easier.

Once the water is added to the water tank, plug the steamer in the plug socket. It is important to leave the water to heat up, as using it too early will cause water to leak all over your clothing. The time needed for the water to heat up properly can vary according to the brand of fabric steamer you have. However, most steamers heat up quickly. In most cases, you will not need more than two or three minutes. When you believe the steamer has heated up sufficiently, make sure you test it before applying it to a garment.

When you tested your steamer and are happy with its inner workings, it is time to start steaming. To steam your clothing easily and efficiently, it is recommended to hang your clothing up. You can do this by leaving your clothing on a hanger. Once you are happy with your garments positioning, start steaming by making downwards strokes on the fabric.

Please note that there can be some exceptions to the basic method, especially when your clothes are extremely wrinkled. When you have clothing that is very wrinkly, always start steaming at the bottom of your garment. The weight of the lower part of the garment will pull the fabric downwards and help straighten out those other wrinkles. It is as simple as that.

Choose Your Fabric Steamer At Spotlight

Do you already own a steamer to clean your home, but do not have a dedicated fabric steamer to treat your clothing? No need to worry, as you can choose a brand-new steamer for an affordable price at Spotlight.

Spotlight provides an outstanding collection of fabric steamers, suitable for all budgets and requirements. You can also count on Spotlight for other common household items and cleaning products, which are bound to save you heaps of time. So, if you want to benefit from great deals and make your everyday household cleaning a little easier, why not check out the rest of the Spotlight catalogue too?