Although ironing with a steam iron seems like a tedious chore, it doesn’t look complicated. You just press the iron into the clothes… right? Well, hate to break the news, but ironing isn’t that simple. Unfortunately, it has a learning curve and you also have to go through the process that we’ve all been through – mastering the skill.
We won’t lie to you – it takes time, patience, and effort. You will be in situations when ironing that shirt will mean removing only half the wrinkles, when you will burn your clothes and even start to doubt your ability to learn a new skill so much you would want to scream “How hard can it be to use an iron???”
But, our friend, the most important thing is not to give up. Remember, “it always seems impossible until it’s done”.
In this article, you’ll find answers to the most common questions on how to use a steam iron so you don’t have a nervous breakdown once you start working on this new skill.
You’ll need:
- Best steam iron on the market
- Best ironing board
- Desire and will to succeed
How to use a steam iron?
Be sure to check the label on the garments to see what temperature settings you will need to choose. You would want to separate clothes into piles according to what temperatures they require for ironing. Also, we suggest you to start ironing garments that require lower heat and then progress to higher heat. This will save you time.
Then, set up an ironing board, add water into the water tank, and turn on your iron. Wait for a couple of minutes until the light on iron indicates it’s ready to use. Turn the steam feature on and start ironing.
When you’re done ironing, shut off the iron and leave it on an ironing board to cool down. Don’t forget to place the cord away from the iron otherwise, it can melt. When the iron is cool to the touch, empty the water tank and store the iron away.
How to put water in an iron?
Don’t plug in your iron before filling it with water. If your iron doesn’t have a removable water tank, look for a hole on top of your steam iron. Put the iron in the upright position. Since it’s easy to spill the water when filling the water tank, you might want to do that above the sink.
Some steam irons come with a small water container designed to fill the water tank. If you have one of these, pour the water in it and then slowly pour it into the iron. If you don’t have one of these, you can buy an iron water fill cup. Just be sure it fits your iron.
IMPORTANT: Don’t pour the water higher than the “max” line.
What is the steam button on iron for?
The steam button serves for releasing steam to soften the fabrics and speed up ironing. Although a steam iron is not as great as a clothes steamer it still does a good job of removing odor from the clothes and freshening them up.
How to remove deep wrinkles from my clothes?
Use a spray function to remove deep wrinkles on the garments. Press the button to spray over the wrinkles and then iron the spot. Keep in mind that this function is not suitable for all fabrics so check the label of the garment.
What kind of water do you use in steam iron?
Distilled water is usually used since it doesn’t contain minerals that can build up on the iron, decreasing its performance. You can mix it with tap water (ratio 50:50). Bottled water, scented water, and vinegar should all be excluded since they can clog steam holes.
Can I use tap water in my iron?
Tap water contains calcium and minerals which is exactly why you should not use only tap water in your steam iron. As mentioned, mix it with distilled water. But, this leads to the question is boiled water OK for steam irons? While boiled water is free of microbes, it will still contain minerals and contaminants. You can opt for a mixture of 50% distilled water and 50% boiled water for your steam iron.
Can I leave water in my iron?
It’s best to empty the water tank after every use, especially if you don’t steam ironing very often.
Can I use steam iron without water?
You can use it without water, just be sure you turn on the “dry” feature on your iron. Otherwise, the iron can get damaged.
My iron does not work as good as before; the soleplate is covered with scale. What do I do?
It’s important to regularly clean iron to keep it good as new. If the soleplate is covered with scale, or your iron has been leaving marks on the clothes, your iron urgently needs Descaling and cleaning. Click on this link here to find out how to do that.
Warning
- Put a hot iron away from your kids.
- Keep the cord away from the hot iron.
- Iron around the buttons and zippers, not directly over them. Otherwise, you may melt the buttons and scratch the soleplate of your iron.
The bottom line
As you learned from this article, there are some tips and tricks on how to use a steam iron the right way. Come back to this article whenever you feel like you forgot some of the “rules” we mentioned.
Good luck mastering the skill of ironing!
You can do it!
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