How to use a clothes steamer
While the exact instructions may vary from one brand to the next, using a clothes steamer generally involves the following steps:
Remove and fill the water tank: Taking care not to overfill. Most clothes steamers have a clearly marked ‘max’ line.
Plug in and heat up: This can take between 15 seconds and a minute, depending on the product)
Hang your clothes: Using a sturdy coat hanger to enable upright steaming (some offer horizontal steaming too)
Start steaming: Position the steamer around 3-5cm away from the fabric and work from top to bottom, gently pulling the fabric taut with your other hand.
Stubborn areas: For more significant creases, designs with a steamer plate can be gently pressed against the fabric to smooth them out.
Let your clothes dry: Steamers can leave your fabrics feeling slightly damp; leave the items hanging to air dry for a few minutes after use.
Unplug and empty the water tank: Never leave any water sitting in the tank, as this can lead to limescale and bacteria.
Wipe down and store: Once cooled, return the steamer to a carry case (if applicable).
We spoke to cleaning expert Mariya Gurkova from Fantastic Services and dress technologist Tim Balfour from Freemans, who shared their top tips to make the most of your clothes steamer:
“Put the wrinkled item in the dryer with a damp towel or a few ice cubes and run it on medium heat for about 15 minutes" says Mariya, "Steam will be generated inside the dryer by the moisture from the towel or ice cubes, which will help loosen the wrinkles and smooth out the fabric. When dried, fold immediately to avoid ironing."
"Take items out of the washing machine or dryer as soon as the cycle is finished and shake any creasing out," Tim recommends. "Doing this can reduce the amount of ironing or remove the need for ironing altogether.”
What size water tank do I need in a clothes steamer?
A small tank keeps a handheld steamer lighter and easier to manoeuvre, making it better for travel or quickly refreshing one or two garments. A larger tank is more useful for bedding, several outfits or a full laundry session because you won’t need to stop and refill it as often.
As Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips, explains: “For short sessions, you should prioritise lightness, whereas for longer sessions, you should look for enough tank capacity without compromising handling comfort.”
Are clothes steamers any good?
Clothes steamers are useful for quickly making everyday clothes look neat and wearable. They’re particularly convenient for travel, delicate fabrics and last-minute touch-ups because they heat up quickly and don’t require an ironing board.
“Steaming is particularly effective on everyday materials such as cotton, silk, denim and linen because it relaxes fibres without applying direct pressure,” says Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips. She adds that this makes steamers useful for knitwear, embellished clothing and other garments that can be awkward to iron.
There are limits. Steamers generally don’t produce the crisp finish you get from an iron, particularly on collars, cuffs and tailored clothing. “Cotton and linen respond well to steam for removing creases and wrinkles out of clothing, but often require ironing if a crisp, pressed finish is the goal,” Basak explains.
Clothes steamers are designed to relax creases in fabric, rather than remove dirt from floors and household surfaces. If cleaning tiles, grout, carpets or hard floors is your priority, you’ll need one of the best steam cleaners instead.