Every home should have a clothes steamer. My Jiffy J-200 garment steamer is one of the best things I have ever bought. It has more than saved many expensive trips dry cleaning. If you hate irony, you’ll love steaming wrinkles out of clothes.
Clothes steamers are much faster than ironing and much easier to use. Garment steamers won’t burn, scorch, or leave the dreaded “light” marks on your clothes and are safe for all materials. I have used the Jiffy steamer safely on all my clothing from cotton to silk and cashmere. Even prolonged contact with the steamer will no longer burn or damage the clothes. No dye was ever to be run, or any color bled on any garment, with which to use a garment steamer.
Jiffy garment steamers can also be used on furniture such as drapes. A clothes steamer can also be used for dry cleaning for some items. There are also some household uses for clothes steamers such as wall stripping and steam cleaning tiles or other hard surfaces.
I don’t know about you, but I hate irony. I’m incredibly bad at it and I accidentally end up ironing the wrinkles out of my face. Ironing actually gave. I ended up sending the clothes to dry cleaners to be pressed. I used the old trick in the clothes dryer to put it with the wet wash for ten to fifteen minutes to get the wrinkles out. Also buy clothes in fabrics that are too wrinkled.
Once I was in my favorite clothing and the sales lady was using a steam machine to shake the wrinkles out of the clothes on sale. I watched as the wrinkles seemed to magically disappear before my eyes as she simply pulled the nozzle of the steamer over her head.
I asked the sales lady some questions about the steamer and in a few minutes I knew I could simply find one for myself. I wrote down the name of his steamer, made by Jiffy, and started to search the Internet to find a deal on steamer clothes.
Now I know what you’re thinking. You are probably used to hand held garment steamers of the past that require a salt water steamer. These did not work well because they did not consume enough steam. Also, how much salt to put in the steamer, even the steam is not difficult.
Forget about bad experiences with these clothes steamers. The type of garment steamer I call Jiffy is nothing like these. It really works and does not require the addition of salt or any other compliment to the steamer water.
SAFETY NOTES:
Before I give you a virtual lesson and tips on steaming clothes using the Jiffy Steamer, it’s time to make some safety notes. First of all, be sure to read the owner’s manual completely and follow all the instructions it gives for proper use. A clothes steamer should never be used by children.
Like iron, clothes steamers can burn. A steamer can actually burn clothes more easily than a traditional clothes iron. The steam from the clothes steamer is very hot. Never, ever put your hand in front of the steam to test the steamer.
Most burns from a garment steamer are very minor, plus a reminder to move your hand quickly. But it would be entirely possible for the garment to be heavily steamed with steam. For seven years, even with much practice keeping his hands from the steam, he was still sometimes set on fire. But again, the warning usually burns more, because it only hurts in the short term.
Certain areas of clothing that you are more likely to burn are the cuffs and hems. The reason is that sometimes you have to grasp their cuffs and pull down on it, as you steam with some fabrics, carefully avoiding the steam near your fingers.
Another area of caution to be sure of is that when you put the clothes rack head on the rack, make sure it’s facing away from you, so the steam doesn’t come back over your face. It must never be mentioned even from this, but for the sake of salvation.
Also, never leave a garment unaccompanied by a steamer. I went from my clothes to the clothes, until three minutes or so. But I do not think that I should be left unattended for more than a moment or two, if at all. It’s also probably best not to use an extension cord with your clothes steamer, since they draw some power.
Use STEAM CLOTHES:
Now that we have learned our safety, let’s learn how to use a clothes steamer. Most garment steamers work very similarly to the Jiffy brand of steamers. It is a shame that it boils and is often on wheels. On the inverted base is a water container with a special lid. These water containers often look a lot like a large bottle. You simply lift the container, twist the lid, and fill the container with water.
Most steamers have two lines of water containing clothes. One line indicates the total amount of water to fill the water container. The second line indicates a level that water level never falls below. It is important that the water level is below this line, or you could damage the steam or even cause a fire.
Always make sure that the special lid is properly and tightly closed on the water container. It is a good idea to empty the container between uses, i.e. air drying. He made me make the mistake of leaving the water in the water container and in the bottle which was very difficult to remove completely and caused a foul smell. It should be noted that while the old water has been removed and fresh water has been injected, the clothes themselves surprisingly do not smell rotten even if your bottle does.
I always tell people to never leave water sitting in the steamer for more than a few days. Someone suggested using bleach or an additive that they do as a moisturizer to clean the bottle. But I think it’s best to avoid this because the bleached clothing will get in the steamer and get infected.
After you fill the garment steamer with water, put the cap back on properly and place it properly on the base to allow time to steam. Make sure you place your garment steamer in a suitable location. Do not use your clothes steamer near a smoke alarm when you steam it.
Do not use your clothes steamer next to wall pictures, paintings, art prints, wooden furniture or anything that can be damaged. produces steam or moisture. Remember that within a few feet the steamer could pick up some moisture from the steam. A bathroom with a vent is probably the best choice.
Now that you know your garment steamer is properly filled and securely placed, plug in the garment steamer and turn it on. You have to wait about two minutes for the right level of steam to be produced. Most garment steamers are a garment rack on which you hang your garment on regular clothes hangers. The ironing board does not need to steam the clothes using a steamer.
It is important to correctly place your item of clothing on the hanger. Shirts must have at least one button out of the buttons. Bras, briefs, and bras should be hung on safety pins or hangers that hang naturally, as you would wear them. Pants can’t be steamed properly if they’re rolled up. Clothes and shirts are normally hung and probably have at least one button. The whole point is that your clothes hang naturally as they want to be worn.
Place the garment on a rack in the garment steamer. Make sure the rack is properly attached. It usually tightens if needed by simply turning it clockwise. Take a garment steamer with a neck holding handle, which is usually above or part of the rack. Do not take hold of anything other than the handle or the proper handle, or you will burn yourself. Also, be careful not to allow the steamer to burn against you.
When you start smoking a garment, it is best to start from the front of the garment and at the very top of it. Start with the belt or collar respectively, then the sleeves, and then the rest of the garment. When you have finished steaming the front of your garment, steam the back in the same way. Sometimes in some very wrinkled garments it will be necessary to touch the front briefly in one place or another behind the back of the garment.
There is a slight learning curve in using a garment steamer correctly. For some garments, just running the steamer head directly over the fabric (touching the fabric) is all that is needed. But in many clothes, you need to figure out which one to start on.
There are two ways to smoke clothes either vertically, always starting from the top. Horizontal usually works best by working your way across from top to bottom. Vertical steam works better on other clothes. To smoke perpendicularly, start from the top to make the length of your dress, repeating this throughout the dress.
Likewise, it is necessary to use the hands and fingers, safe from the steam, to smooth the garment, or to hold back the edges, so that something is flattened. But be sure to keep your hands and fingers away from the steam or clothes steamer head. Do not allow the garment steamer head or steam to come closer than 4-6 inches from your hand.
Remember that it is good to leave the steamer at some point for a few seconds, because the steamer will not burn your clothes. It breathes from China from cotton with badly wrinkled spots for up to fifteen seconds. The soil infuses the area with gentle warmth and moisture.
I would never buy an iron after a clothes steamer. But there are a few things that are still better than iron, because you can add starch. Some cotton shirts and pants may be better ironed. But the same clothes with steam clothes are still weak, they are not the same.
After smoking your clothes, be sure to allow sufficient time for them to dry first before putting them on or putting them in your closets or closets. The steamer soaks different fabrics differently. Some fabrics do not feel even the slightest moisture after smoking, others feel slightly damp, some fabrics feel quite damp after smoking.
A good rule of thumb is to not put on steamy clothes at all, or put them on for about an hour or so. If you put on a garment that is still wet or loose, it will wrinkle badly, often bleeding worse than before. Once the garment is dry, it is not as prone to wrinkling as it is when it is wet. Not that the steamer makes more wrinkles, but it simply dries the clothes properly.
HOW TO CHOOSE CLOTHING AND WHERE TO BUY:
Now you want to know when to buy a clothes steamer to choose one. The main difference between models designed for home use and those designed for commercial use is the water they hold. Commercial steamers do not necessarily produce more steam, but they do require a rarer filling.
Amazon.com sells Jiffy brand steamers starting at $129.00 http://www.amazon.com/Originial-Jiffy-Steamer-Model-J-200/dp/B000I01IJ4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_12/104-8593815-7635160?ie=UTF8& &tag=einfovn-20 s;=hpc&qid;=1175715783&sr;=8-12
I bought this model, a J-CC, a few years ago. Jiffy offers many other models that are more expensive and just as good. I personally don’t think you should spend more money on a better clothes steamer. This is one of their earlier models, and I can’t imagine how they could improve this one on the newer models. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect steamer.
Cheaper Jiffy Brand steamers, and other brands of steamers, can be found on sale. But make sure to compare their wattage to a standard Jiffy brand steamer. If the wattage is less than 1300 watts, it cannot produce enough steam.
Product reviews from sites like www.Amazon.com and www.Epinions.com can help you narrow down your specific choices. Be sure to use www.google.com to search for a bargain price. And don’t forget to go to sites like www.fatwallet.com or www.slickdeals.com to find great deals for online stores. You can also use www.fatwallet.com or www.ebates.com to get a portion of your purchase price as it is later reduced.
Happy Steaming!
