Hi Belle
I know you aren’t running a lifestyle blog, but do you have any knowledge on choosing a good clothing steamer? I don’t have any experience steaming clothes other than with an iron, but I think I would get a lot of use out of a steamer.
Thank you!! Jenna
A steamer is a great purchase. Owning a steamer will save you money on dry cleaning. Skipping a few trips to the dry cleaner will help your clothing last longer.
The first thing you need to decide is if you want a handheld steamer or an upright one. If you’re looking for a professional-quality steaming, I recommend an upright steamer. I owned this upright Conair steamer for awhile, and it is a good choice for under-$75. For a steamer that replicates commercial quality, don’t miss the Rowenta master steamer for $150.
Prefer something hand held, the Jiffy Esteam is a great option. It’s also small enough to fit into a medium-size suitcase on work trips.
For tips on using a steamer, try this tutorial video from About.com.
7 comments
KC says:
Does anyone have experienced with cleaning a steamer after you’ve used tap water instead of distilled water? I have one that I used until it clogged (it didn’t take that long to clog either), but haven’t been motivated enough to try to unclog it. On a related note, make sure you heed the advice to use distilled water.
Belle says:
I’ll run hot water and CLR through mine from time to time, even though I use water from my Brita.
Sonia says:
I used mine for four years with tap water and had no problems. Then it started clogging up and I ran a white vinegar solution through it like others have already mentioned and it was back to working fine.
Rebecca says:
Last year for my birthday, my brother bought me the Rowenta steamer referenced in this post. I almost sent it back. After all, who needs a giant professional steamer taking up space in the bedroom?
As it turns out, I DO. I haven’t turned on my iron in 12 months. That steamer would be the first thing I’d save if my apartment were on fire. I highly recommend you check it out.
KC–I clean mine with a white vinegar solution.
Shana says:
The My Little Steamer (https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/my-little-steamer-reg-go-mini-hand-steamer/1017180746) is the best! It uses tap water and is extremely powerful. I have this size that I use for travel and the slight larger size that I use at home. Have never had an issue with this product.
Addie says:
I have this steamer and I love it! It’s small enough to fit in my very crowded closet but I still don’t have to fill it up super often. It heats up very fast as well and works perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BQRD0I/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1407178859&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
Trace says:
I love that little Jiffy steamer! I don’t steam clothes very often so that size is perfect for me. As for cleaning a steamer, mine cleaned up well with an overnight white vinegar soak. I was going to buy the Jiffy cleaning solution but I was happy enough with what plain old vinegar did.