Does a Steam Iron Kill Bacteria?

Last Updated On August 22nd, 2018

Steam ironing is the latest, safest and gentlest innovation that provides the best finish for laundry items. It is used to release wrinkles and give fabrics a natural finish. The common risks such as burning and unintended creasing that come about with ironing are reduced when you use a steam iron.

The most important aspect of steam ironing is that it kills most of the bacteria and germs that tend to stick to the surfaces of the clothes and the fabrics; thus eliminating the possibilities of bad odors. It is a great investment to use the steamers in this age since it saves time, energy and expenses incurred in the manual dry cleaners.

Environmental Cleanliness of Steam

The best alternative to chemicals and other industrial disinfectants at home is the use of steam. It has been a common practice for people to rely on harsh chemicals, whose results on the individual health and home safety is evidently negative. These are the advantages:

• With an average of 212º, Steam kills almost all the common bacterial like the e-coli, salmonella and listeria, which remain on the surfaces of clothes and the walls in residential areas.
• By using only clean water, without chemicals and other additives, steam is environmentally clean and friendly.
• It eliminates the possibility of purchasing expensive chemicals, since water is readily available, cost-effective and can be recycled.
• Water once used does not leave behind traceable toxic residues as dies the chemicals, the surfaces at home remain cleans and unaffected.

Advantages of using steam ironing to destroy bacteria

There are so many benefits to be achieved from steam ironing, for the individual, the family and the environment as a whole. They include:

• Steaming helps to kill odor-causing bacteria for the surfaces of the fabric.
• It also alleviates allergies by removing all the possibly present allergens which may tend to attract dust mites. One of the major steps to take to control allergic reaction is to control the dust mite population from all risk areas at home.
• Performing a steam iron not only kills germs and bacteria but it also assist to remove wrinkles and leads to a more relaxed, crisp, casual finish, unlike the traditional ironing.
• It keeps the woolens and dry-clean items fresh between the washing and the dry-cleaning, thus reducing the expenses incurred in dry-cleaning. Cases of wear are also reduced.
• Steaming removes wrinkles and kills germs from home furnishings that do not require laundry, an example being the pillows, upholstery, bed skirts, bedding, carpeting and mattresses.
• Steam ironing helps to keep the air clean, since there are no polluting substance in use; only water and a source of heat are used.

Which fabrics can be steam ironed?

Steam ironing is recommended to make finishes on woolens, delicate items like the bedding and even silk materials. Others include the cottons, synthetic fabrics and linens. To produce a soft and casual finish, woolen materials should be steamed to release wrinkles after washing, as well as fluff the yarns. It is also ideal for silk and synthetic fabrics, which do not withstand high or overly direct heat from the main iron equipment.

How to Undertake Iron Steaming

There are a number of steps to take while performing iron steaming. They are:

• Get hold of the Steamer-nozzle or the head to hang over or hover over the fabric to be ironed.
• Now drag the steamer over the entire surface of the fabric. There is no problem when the nozzle or the head touched the fabric. In most cases it does not damage the items or the fabrics.
• Steam the entire item, from the bottom to the top, as well as along the entire sleeve, waistband and the shoulders.
• Where the item or the cloth to be ironed has a lining, steam the lining first, then you can embark on steaming the outer surface of the item.