Steam Cleaning and Ironing: Overview of Steam Generators and Steamers

Caring for clothes and preserving their original appearance for a long time concern not only modern housewives, but also representatives of the strong half of humanity. A neat and respectable appearance contributes to the status of a successful person. But an ordinary iron to care for delicate fabrics and things with an abundance of complex parts is not enough, and not everyone is ready to overpay for dry cleaning.

Steam generators and steamers today successfully replace irons with the function of ejecting steam, easily coping with fabrics of any structure and uncomfortable folds. The devices are designed for everyday steaming of clothes and delicate things, for ironing bed linen and shirts. These devices are also great for cleaning and smoothing curtains, bedspreads, carpets and other voluminous home furnishings, making life easier for housewives.

But the main difference between steam generators and ordinary irons is the ability to clean and disinfect hard-to-reach places in the house and the gentle care of the most complex fabrics. These unique household appliances can defeat dirt and destroy bacteria where even chemicals are powerless. They will destroy dust mites in a cashmere coat, defeat moths and save a mink coat from this insidious insect.

Using a steam generator or steamer, you can clean the dirt on children's furniture, eliminate stains on sofas and chairs. Cleaning and smoothing heavy curtains without removing them, sleeves of men's shirts without hateful folds, caring for silk blouses and linen, easy fat destruction in the kitchen with steam - all these incredible opportunities provided by steam units are amazing.

Modern manufacturers of household appliances offer a very wide range of appliances with the function of generating steam. It is difficult for an average person to understand such a rich assortment and choose the best option for personal use.

A device for home tissue care. Externally, it is a construction of a stand with a container for water, an iron and a tube connecting them to each other. The container, most often removable, is made of heat-resistant plastic, which allows you to visually determine the liquid level. Principle of operation: water is heated in the container; under the influence of high temperature, dry steam is formed, which is supplied to the outlet through the tube under high pressure. The owner of the gadget presses a button on the handle, and hot steam comes out of the holes in the sole of the iron, smoothing the fabric. Unlike a classic iron, the sole does not heat up, and ironing is carried out due to the effect of steam on the fabric.

Compared to Iron 4 times more steam is generated in the generator, and clothes are much more efficiently ironed. Due to the high pressure, steam penetrates deeply into any material, smoothing out the densest samples. Thanks to the steam generator, you can independently eliminate wrinkles on a thick coat or winter jacket. Steam generators are used not only in everyday life, but also on an industrial scale. Ateliers, large textile and clothing stores, dry cleaners and hospitality companies purchase professional steam stations with an iron or ironing presses in order to increase productivity and save time on smoothing textiles.

Modern household appliance for vertical ironing and cleaning of clothes, curtains and other textiles. It completely removes unpleasant odors from things, leaves no residue on fabrics, and carefully treats even delicate things. Using this useful appliance, you can also easily and efficiently wash windows and mirrors in a room. By design and purpose, the steamers are divided into manual, vertical with a rack and professional devices.

• Hand steamers They are very popular in the market due to their compact size and light weight. It is convenient to take such a portable wireless device on a trip to tidy up your clothes at any time. The steam steamer looks like an electric kettle with a small capacity, and the most resourceful users use this mini helper to boil water on the go. It should be remembered that, despite its dimensions, this steamer can be operated strictly vertically.

• Vertical steamers with a stand have more impressive dimensions and are used in everyday life for comfortable smoothing of wardrobe items and care for home textiles. The technique is a boiler, a hose with a nozzle and a rack. The set includes a clothes hanger, mittens, brushes for cleaning fabrics, heat-resistant mini-boards for creating arrows on trousers, ironing collars of shirts and other hard-to-reach spots.

• Professional units They are characterized by high power, have a large volume of the water tank and have functional details that increase the efficiency of the device, for example, a convenient frame hanger.

The main differences between the steam generator and the steamer.

• Steam generator is different from its opponent the principle of vaporization. The generator is supplied with dry steam under pressure, and in the steamer wet steam without pressure.
• Another hallmark is steam temperature in devices: in the generator it reaches 160 C, and in the steamer - no more than 99 C.
• The time to prepare for work also varies, the first device needs up to 8 minutes, and the second will last 1 minute.

Such devices are also widely used for ironing, cleaning and disinfecting clothes. Outwardly, they look like a vacuum cleaner: the standard design is a container with a heater and a hose for supplying steam. The principle of operation: the purifier is connected to the power supply, the water in the container heats up, turning into steam, which accumulates in the hose. When the user presses the gun button, the steam escapes with a powerful stream from the nozzle nozzle, cleaning the object the cleaner is aimed at.

It cleans and disinfects the surface where the steam jet is directed, and is suitable for almost any material - fabric, wood, stone, plastic. A steam jet easily copes with ironing clothes and other textile products on weight, saving them from wrinkles and complex creases.

It is easy to steam clean an artificial or natural coat, a cashmere or wool coat, a down jacket and a sheepskin coat, a hat and a fur hat, clothes made from delicate materials. Steam penetrates into the fibers of the fabric without disturbing their structure and without changing the shape of things. With a steam cleaner things are qualitatively cleaned, disinfected and get rid of stains. Dust mites, moths, germs and bacteria are not afraid of clothes after treatment with a steam cleaner.

Steam cleaners offered by manufacturers can have various designs. For cleaning and disinfecting clothes, the most convenient is a steam cleaner with a hanger.

A steam generator, a steamer and a steam cleaner are completely different devices, therefore the choice of each of them depends on the requirements of the buyer, and the amount of the proposed work.

Pros: perfectly smoothes the most delicate and textured wardrobe items, can be used as a regular iron, gives the clothes a shape, perfect ironing with the ability to make folds and arrows.

Minuses: it is impossible to clean clothes with steam, poor maneuverability.

Pros: convenient device for ironing and cleaning clothes, low price, does not stain the product, ease of use, elimination of odors, disinfection of fabric, suitable for cleaning, you can clean and iron curtains without removing.

Minuses: copes with linen things poorly, it is impossible to use as a regular iron, it is impossible to form folds and arrows.

Pros: disinfects the fabric, eliminates the use of chemicals (especially relevant for allergy sufferers), is optimal for cleaning, neutralizes odors, cleans suede shoes, is simple and safe to use, does not stain the fabric, is capable of caring for fur products and the thinnest materials. Cons: it is impractical to buy a steam cleaner only for cleaning clothes, high cost.

Summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of models, we can say that for a comfortable and quick ironing of clothes, bedding and other textiles in a horizontal position, maintaining shape, creating pleats and arrows, the best choice would be a steam generator. If you need to iron in an upright position, get rid of shirts from wrinkles on the sleeves and eliminate odors, the steamer is an ideal choice. For people who crave sterility in clothing, shoes, and the environment, a steam cleaner is the best choice. It will eliminate germs, dirt, grease and other defects where the owner needs.

A brief overview of the best examples of steam generators, cleaners and steamers will help you make the right decision when buying a gadget for cleaning and ironing clothes at home.

• Tefal gv6733 - A convenient, economical, high-performance device with an auto power-off function and a system of protection against scale will last for many years without complaints. The indicator of water availability and descaling indicates the need for maintenance of the unit. The model has an eco mode and a vertical steaming mode, which allows you to iron even thin curtains without even having to remove them.

• Braun IS 204Z CareStyle - An excellent steam generator from a well-known manufacturer is characterized by efficient and accurate temperature control, allowing you to safely iron the most delicate fabrics. An advanced soleplate with special holes and milking steam technology significantly speeds up ironing.

• Philips GC 87З5 - a stylish device with a power of up to 2600 W is quite convenient for vertical steaming due to the considerable cord length, compact dimensions and high vapor pressure.

• Kitfort KT-907 - A popular modern device with compact dimensions, an ergonomic hanger and a sufficient capacity for water can adequately replace the iron, because it steams almost any material, and in less time. Perfect for delicate fabrics, but also copes with dense materials with dignity - it allows ironing sheets directly on the bed.

• Philips GC514 / 40 EasyTouch Plus - A 1600 W floor steamer is ready for use 60 seconds after being turned on. Even hard tap water can be safely poured into a removable tank, this will not affect the efficiency and durability of the device thanks to the anti-scale system.

• Scarlett SC-GS130S05 / 06 - a device with 10 different modes, the choice of which depends on the type of fabric being processed, will allow you to perfectly iron the ultra-thin, whimsical fabrics and items from fleecy fabrics: velvet sweaters, velor bathrobes, velvet jeans.

• KARCHER SC 5 EasyFix - A powerful and effective device with many functions and an extensive set of accessories can not only provide perfect care for your wardrobe, but also bring cleanliness throughout the house. He copes with any work, but the price of the device will not please the average person.

• KARCHER SC 2 Deluxe EasyFix Premium - Half the price of its predecessor by rating, but not worse in operation. A reliable unit with a safety valve, overheat protection, child protection, with LED handle illumination, which serves as a heating indicator, is quite compact and maneuverable.

• Grand Master GM VSC38 - A small, cheap and fairly powerful handheld steam cleaner is great for home use. It is economical in power consumption, has indicators for network connectivity and operational readiness.

When choosing a device for caring for things in the store with steam, you should consider your own needs and the purpose of its use. The main criteria for comparing devices and setting customer priorities.

• Power. Steam generators are energy-intensive devices, much more powerful than irons, their characteristics vary between 1300-2600 watts. The higher the power, the faster the device will heat up, and the higher its performance will be, but at the same time, energy consumption will increase. Low-power steam stations are more economical, but are unlikely to cope with steaming thick drap or a folded duvet cover. For domestic use, the best choice would be a 2000W appliance.
• Steam boiler volume. The value of this characteristic ranges from 0.5 to several liters. The larger the volume, the less often you will have to fill the water. In this case, you should focus on the planned amount of work. For example, a volume of 1 liter will be enough for 30-40 minutes of uninterrupted ironing.
• Components and their purpose. When buying an expensive steam engine, examine what is included in the kit and what functions each nozzle or fixture performs.
• Cord length. The longer it is, the more comfortable it is to use the equipment.
• Flexible hose length. Here the situation is the opposite. Do not try to buy a device with an excessively long hose in order to avoid cooling the steam and reducing the outlet pressure.
• Dimensions and maneuverability of the gadget.

The steam cleaner allows you to clean at home any thing from the wardrobe, furniture, flooring, plumbing and much more. To start working with a steam cleaner, just follow these steps.

• Assemble the device according to the instructions.
• Mount the nozzle necessary for a specific operation.
• Fill the container with water.
• Connect the appliance to the network.
• Wait for the indicator light to show water heating.
• Point the nozzle at the object to be cleaned. Press the start button.

Any steam generator can qualitatively iron pleated skirts, pants with arrows and other things with folds and arrows. The operating instructions for this appliance include the following steps.

• Disconnect the device from the mains, fill with water to the mark and close the lid.
• Connect the device to the power supply and wait for heating.
• Press the steam button and iron the necessary thing.
• At the end of the work, you need to turn off the device from the network and wait for the equipment to cool. If the unit is not planned to be used for a long time, water is drained from it and cleaned in a dry place.

Steam cleaning curtains on weight is the prerogative of the steamer, because with it you can do it quickly and easily. The basic rules are as follows.

• Pre-select the operating mode suitable for the curtain material. The denser the fabric, the more powerful the feed should be and the higher the steam temperature.
• It is recommended to drive with an iron in the vertical and horizontal direction so that the vapor penetrates better into the fabric.
• It is better to keep the device a short distance from the material so as not to damage it.
• Using mini-boards made of heat-resistant plastic will help to cope with deep creases.

After analyzing the reviews of real customers, we can say that most of them were very pleased with the choice made. The main advantages of the steamers that users indicate are the simplicity and ease of use of the device. Owners actively iron clothes, even without removing them from the hanger, and spend much less time on the process than with an iron.

Many consumers purchase a steam generator as a replacement for a conventional iron and after several months of use no longer want to return to the past. The speed and quality of ironing delight users, and the manufacturability and practicality of the equipment greatly simplify the process. The owners called the main advantages that the water is poured into a separate container, and the iron itself remains light and maneuverable, the hand does not experience excessive tension. Ironing process thanks to a spacious water container does not have to be interrupted oftenthat allows housewives to iron clothes for the whole family in one step.

This unit is chosen by buyers who seek using one household appliance to do a lot of homework. The abundance of nozzles and accessories allows you to be creative in cleaning the house and caring for clothes. In general, this is a great helper for the hostess, as evidenced by the countless praise. The process of using a steam cleaner turns everyday household chores into an exciting game that results in clean clothes without odors and disinfected surfaces in every room.

In the next video, you can take a look at the garment steamer in action.