Purchasing An Iron: Our Guide
To make your clothing and bedding look fresh, wrinkle-free, and look new again, you’ll need an iron. Purchasing an iron? While it may be a common assumption to think that all irons are pretty much the same, you’ll need to think again, as the reality is they come in all different sizes and shapes, and have a range of varying features that you’ll probably be blissfully unaware of!
The modern-day iron is an essential electronic appliance that can be found in almost every household on the land to undertake our ironing tasks.
Below we list 6 benefits of ironing clothing at regular intervals:
1) Ironing clothing/ bedding kills bacteria and germs.
2) Ironing ‘unshrinks’ clothing/ bedding.
3) Ironing gives clothing/ bedding a fresh and better appearance.
4) Ironing protects clothing/ bedding.
5) Ironing removes bad smells and odours.
6) Ironing clothing impacts how we may feel, and how others may perceive us.
TYPES OF IRONS
i) DRY IRON
A dry iron doesn’t produce any steam of its own. It basically relies on the cloth underneath being damp enough to produce steam. That means you must hold the iron in place for longer to achieve your ironing outcomes.
This type of iron has a flat metal contact surface and uses high temperatures to force clothes to be flattened.
Nowadays, the dry iron is becoming a rare item, largely because of advancements in technology, which have given way to far superior iron designs with more functions than ever to choose from. Yet the dry iron should never be ruled out as an important appliance, as it is still required when doing the right ironing task. You can expect to see a dry iron in action in professional or industrial settings.
BENEFITS OF USING A DRY IRON:
As professional ironing services work with a wider range of fabrics than in domestic settings, the use of dry irons is invaluable as steam irons can be the wrong method to use on some fabrics. For example, dry irons don’t leave unsightly watermarks that may be left behind from the soleplate of a steam iron, nor do they leave unnecessary impressions on clothing. The temperature of this type of iron can be adjusted making it easier to control. They are also easy to clean as they have no soleplate. And, they are considered by some to be a relatively cheaper way to iron when compared to steam ironing.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING A DRY IRON:
Dry irons, however, are limited by the lack of functions they offer when compared to steam irons. As dry irons are heavier in weight than modern steam irons, this means they are less portable.
HOW TO CLEAN A DRY IRON:
Before attempting to clean your dry iron make sure it is safe to do so by unplugging it and giving it time to completely cool down after ironing.
Prepare a clean damp cloth and add some baking soda to it, and then wipe away any dirt, residue, or build up upon the surface of the iron plate. Be careful not to scour tOo much as this can damage any protective material later on the iron plate. Finally, clean away any of the remaining baking soda with a damp cloth or sponge.
ii) STEAM IRON
According to the Collins English Dictionary, a steam iron is defined as: “an electric iron that emits steam from channels in the iron face to facilitate the pressing and ironing of clothes, the steam being produced from water contained within the iron”.
A steam iron has an in-built water tank to store water for heating and steaming. The water tank is usually large enough to produce enough steam and sprinkle to breeze through creased clothing and bedding to achieve wrinkle free results. A steam iron has a unique spaying function which allows it to spray steam or mist on clothes and bedding whilst ironing.
BENEFITS OF USING A REGULAR STEAM IRON:
A regular steam iron is a great way of giving you a professional pressed appearance to your clothing and other items, achieved from within your own home. The steam produced from within the iron moistens the fibres of clothes and makes them easier to iron, and it also helps to keep the fibres in place and set for longer.
Given every fabric is different and has different requirements, a steam iron is a handy appliance to have around when ironing a lot of different household garments and items. Steam irons are also a relatively safe appliance to use with more models now including a ‘shut off” option when the iron is not in use.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING A REGULAR STEAM IRON:
A regular steam iron isn’t as quick as a steam generator iron in getting the ironing task done. However, the main downside to this type of iron is that it is not suitable for certain types of delicate fabrics that are sensitive to water. For example, stream irons can easily leave watermarks on garments and other items if the iron is tilted at too far an angle.
HOW TO CLEAN A REGULAR STEAM IRON:
Make sure to unplug your iron and make sure it has completely cooled down before laying the iron flat. Next, press the de-calc button to release the container. Empty out the contents, and rinse the container well under a tap before drying it thoroughly. Next, wipe away any remaining scale and residue around the iron. When complete, replace the clean container and lock as per instructions. The cleaning process should be carried out monthly to ensure your iron is kept in top condition.
iii) STEAM GENERATOR IRON
Steam generator irons are excellent and very efficient when it comes to ironing items like bed linen, tablecloths, curtains etc. They are even better for ironing everyday items such as clothing in a speedy time. They do this by using high pressure steam that permeates layers of fabric to remove creases on not just one side but both sides of the fabric at once.
BENEFITS OF USING A STEAM GENERATOR IRON:
This highly efficient and high temperature iron speeds up the ironing process cutting the ironing time by half. This is achieved with technology that provides a high pressure boiler and a separate water tank that emits a powerful and continuous steam output to smooth creases and wrinkles out of clothes with minimal effort. This type of iron is lightweight when compared to dry or regular steam iron largely because of the separate water tank. This lightness makes it super easy for it to glide over fabrics. A further advantage of this type of iron is that it doesn’t need constant refilling as the water tank has the capacity to hold over a litre of water on average.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF USING A STEAM GENERATOR IRON:
Steam generator irons can be expensive to purchase when compared to other types of irons on the market. They are bulky and can be difficult to carry around freely. They need to be descaled regularly to keep them in tip-top condition.
HOW TO CLEAN A STEAM GENERATOR IRON:
It’s not uncommon for limescale to build up on a steam generator iron, leading to problems, such as rust, poor performance, and even breakage. A build up of limescale can also obstruct the water flow in the iron leading to brown water marks depositing on clothing.
To prevent this from occurring, there are a few tried and tested methods to help prevent limescale build up taking hold in the first place.
Descaling your iron should be carried out at least every three months. If possible, it’s recommended that distilled water be used to fill the water tank. It is further advisable to remove all the water from the water tank when the ironing task is complete to minimise mineral deposits from the water leading to limescale building up.
To keep your iron in the best possible condition, it’s important and necessary to clean the soleplate. But every precaution must be taken to avoid scratching it with overly abrasive cleaning products and techniques.
Make sure the reservoir on your iron is kept very clean. For this, you’ll need a solution of a tablespoon of white vinegar and two tablespoons of distilled water. Adding the solution, fill the reservoir with water and set your iron to its highest temperature. Allow the iron to produce steam from the vents for around 5 minutes, to allow the solution to get to work on the inside components.
CONCLUSION:
An iron is generally considered to be a necessary and essential household appliance to purchase but the question is: “Which iron should you purchase?”
When it comes to deciding on which iron is best, it’s advisable to assess the pros and cons of each iron and match these to your ironing needs, requirements, and budget.
A dry Iron works best on fabrics such as wool, polyester, silk, and satin. This iron doesn’t leave watermarks or impressions of clothing. On the other hand, a regular steam iron works best on fabrics such as cotton, linen, muslin, and denim but can leave watermarks and impressions on clothing. A steam generator iron is the most technologically advanced of them all and can cope with a range of fabrics and clothing with no issues. It is a very effective and speedy way to iron but can be on the bulky side. The only real downside for some is the price tag, as these irons tend to be expensive.
