All of us can agree that wrinkled clothes don’t look good on us. We can also agree that it’s very annoying to find wrinkled clothes when we unpack our stuff. Regular irons sometimes don’t do the job – either the fabric isn’t well suited for them, or they don’t really make the clothes as smooth as it can be.
Steam irons aren’t hard to use at all. So today, we will answer the question of how to use a steam iron. We promise you will learn to iron your clothes with a steam iron a just a couple of steps!
Let’s begin!
How to use a steam iron
First of all, understand the dangerous part of the iron – the lower iron part. It releases steam, and if you touch it, even to the sides, it will burn you. Be careful where you put your fingers while you’re ironing clothes. Don’t risk putting them close to the sides and getting burnt.
Step 1 – The where
When you want to iron your clothes, first decide where’s the best place to do it. Some people do it in their bathroom, some in the kitchen and some in the living room. Whatever works for you is fine. The only necessity is that you have a power outlet nearby.
Step 2 – The ironing board
The ironing board is something you should get if you don’t have one already. Most of them come with hangers for your steam iron, where you can place it when you’re not using it. If you don’t have a hanger, you can just buy one separately. Once you’ve decided where you’ll be doing your ironing, you can spread out the ironing board.
Step 3 – Pour distilled water in the water tank and plug the iron in
It’s recommended that you use distilled water rather than tap water since distilled water won’t leave any minerals in the steam holes after a while. After you’ve put the filled-up water tank into the iron, plug the iron in a power outlet. (keep in mind that some steam irons don’t have a removable water tank). This is the part where you start to be careful since the steam iron will begin to heat itself up.
Step 4 – Set the desired heat level and wait for the iron to warm up
Depending on the types of fabric you’re about to iron, the level you select on the steam iron will be different. It’s best to check the label on your clothes and see which temperature is best for that fabric. After you’ve selected it, leave the iron to heat up. A nice feature some steam irons have is that they have a light which turns on once they reach the desired temperature. Turn on the steam feature when the iron is hot.
Step 5 – Iron the clothes
When you are ready, and the iron is hot, put your clothes on the ironing board. Stretch the part you’ll iron first, so there aren’t any wrinkles on it. When you’ve done so, simply press the bottom of the iron on the clothes and drag the iron to smooth out the wrinkles. Since the iron emits steam, you should notice how that helps the clothes become softer and easier to smooth out.
If you find some parts where the wrinkles won’t go away, use the spray function of the iron to spray some hot water on it. Do this only if the water won’t damage the fabric. Avoid doing this with very delicate fabric like silk.
Step 6 – Put the iron away
When you’re done, unplug the steam iron and carefully pour water out of the water tank, if there is any left. Keep in mind that the water is still hot and you should avoid getting in contact with it. Leave the unplugged iron on its heel somewhere safe and let it cool down.
There you go – you’ve learned how to use a steam iron!
Care for your steam iron
Even though you now know how to use the steam iron, here are some tips to help you take better care of it and prolong its usability:
• Most steam irons have holes at the bottom through which the steam comes out. These holes can get clogged if you’re not using clear water. If you use filtered or distilled water, you don’t have to worry, but if your holes do get clogged just use a little bit of white vinegar to clean them.
• Avoid ironing directly over zippers since they can scratch the iron plate.
• If you’re ironing clothes which have coloured prints, turn them upside down and then iron it. This way, you’re preventing the iron from colouring itself and the colours from smearing all over the clothes.
Final thoughts
There’s only one way you can really learn how to use steam iron – by ironing! So, follow these simple steps and get to practising. We know that over time, you will see progress in your ironing!
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