Cleaning with steam – how to freshen up your clothes
October 22nd, 2014
Many of us only use the most basic functions of our washing machine and dryer. Even though many modern laundry appliances incorporate a wide range of special features and unique washing and drying modes, why mess around with what works?
But perhaps one day it’s worth taking the gamble and trying out that unusual wash setting or drying mode that’s been sitting unused on your appliance’s control panel. You may discover a more effective way to clean and dry your clothes that’s been lurking under your nose this whole time!
Today, we’ll be taking some of the mystery out of the steam settings found in selected laundry appliances, showing you how they can help freshen up your clothes, remove odours and reduce the need for ironing.
Washing with steam
The steam setting on selected washing machines is intended for those occasions when your clothes have been worn once and are still superficially clean, but require a bit of freshening up before they can be worn again.
While you could run these clothes through the full wash cycle, this can be a bit of overkill, using far more water, energy and time than really necessary.
By selecting a steam setting instead of a wash setting, your clothes will be cleaned by jets of soothing steam rather than blasts of soaking water. This can help to gently soften and aerate their fibres, releasing trapped odours and providing the lightest of cleans – perfect for delicates.
Electrolux Washer Dryer Combo EWW14912 with Vapour Action
What’s more, the gentle treatment of the steam will often help to keep your clothes from creasing during your wash, reducing the need to iron afterwards.
Remember though, steam is still hot, so don’t risk your Cold Wash Only items.
Drying with steam
It may sound a bit counterintuitive to dry with steam. After all, steam is simply the gaseous form of water, and your clothes are already wet when they go in the dryer, with the expectation that they’re going to come out dry.
As such, you most often find steam cycles and settings on washer dryer combos rather than dedicated dryers, with these steam cycles appearing as part of the “washer” half’s features.
9kg Condenser LG Dryer TDC901H
However, there are exceptions, such as LG’s 9kg Eco Hybrid Condenser Dryer. Thanks to its heat pump, it’s remarkably energy-efficient, with a 6-star energy rating. And as a condenser dryer, the moisture from your clothes goes down the drain rather than being vented into your laundry room as hot water vapour.
But we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to talk about this appliance’s Truesteam technology, which can be used in three different ways:
- Steam Hygiene – This option helps to sanitise your clothes of germs and bugs, as well as cleaning items that aren’t suitable for laundering in the washing machine.
- Steam Refresh – Similar to the steam setting of a washing machine, this mode helps to remove odours from your clothes so they can be worn again, and reduce their creasing for easier ironing.
- Steam Option – This extra cycle can be added to any drying mode, helping to soften the fibres in your clothes for reduced creasing and easier ironing. Remember that your clothes will come out of the machine damp rather than dry, so be sure to hang up or iron them straight away.
So if you want to quickly get a smoky smell out of a few dress shirts, or to spend less time ironing after the drying cycle is complete, the steam modes of this LG condenser dryer may be just what you need.
Let Appliances Online deliver steam into your laundry
Laundry appliances with steam cycles are available now at Appliances Online. If you find an appliance cheaper elsewhere, contact our legendary team for a price match.
Delivery, installation and removal services are also available in many areas around Australia.
Contact the team at Appliances Online on 1300 000 500 to learn more about steam laundry appliances, and to experience our Legendary Service!
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