Is Steaming Better Than Ironing

Is steaming better than ironing? Let’s have a look and compare the two in the sections below.

Pros of Steaming

Let’s start off with the main advantages of steaming your clothes. There are many more advantages to consider (like reducing allergens), but we’ll focus on the main points that you’re going to want to know about.

Versatile Use

Steamers can be used on more than just clothes – they can also be used on furniture and things like curtains. This makes them incredibly versatile, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. You will never run out of ways to use a steamer, from uses inside the house to your car, this is one piece of equipment that can be used almost anywhere.

Suitable for Most Clothing Types

Steamers are gentler than irons and don’t usually have a hot plate (some do), which means that they are better for more fragile garments. That doesn’t mean that they are the solution for everything, though, so just bear that in mind.

Kills Bacteria and Gets Rid of Odour

Thanks to the heat of the steamer and the steam itself, these devices are great for killing off bacteria and making your clothes smell fresh. This easy-to-use device is easily one of the best ways to help remove odours from your clothes.

Cons of Steaming

Below, we’re going to look at the disadvantages of steaming your clothes. You will need to decide for yourself if any of these cons are deal-breakers for you.

Vertical Use is Recommended to Prevent Leaking

Some clothes steamers need to be used vertically so that water doesn’t leak out of the tank. This also means that you need to have a suitable place to do your steaming and not just the back of your wooden door – since steaming will damage the paint and the wood.

An added complication here is that you won’t be able to travel with the tank full, as it can leak over your belongings. This is a smell thing, since you can just keep a bottle of water with you to fill it up when needed, but still worth noting.

You Will Need to Fill the Tank Frequently

Continuing on the problem with tanks, the tanks of steamers are usually small. Because of this, you should expect to need to fill it up frequently.

Again, this isn’t really a big issue. Filling up the tank of a clothes steamer isn’t difficult, and you can have water handy when steaming to save time. 

Stubborn Creases Can be a Problem

Finally, the only other disadvantage of steam ironing is that it won’t be effective on really stubborn creases or wrinkles. As you probably know, even the trusted iron can struggle with decade-old creases that have plagued a garment, and the steamer is also going to struggle here.

Shared Cons of Steamers and Irons

Not Suitable for All Fabrics

Like irons, steamers are not going to be suitable for all fabric types. Waxed jackets, leather, and suede are not suitable for steamer use, just like a regular iron. Other clothes or materials that you should keep away from steamers include anything made of plastic or even with plastic embellishments or buttons.

The steam from these devices is hot, which means that the plastic can be damaged or melt. Overall, the limitations of using a steamer for your clothes are similar to that of an iron, but there is less risk of damage due to there being no hot plate to burn fabrics.

Ironing Advantages and Disadvantages