In the small appliances section, the steam generator is a little less common than its iron counterpart. Although less well known, it is nonetheless excellent for removing wrinkles from linen and saving a lot of time to quickly put an end to the chore of ironing. However, to keep your laundry impeccable, you also need to know how to clean and maintain your steam generator without damaging it or leaving scratches on its soleplate. Poorly maintained, this household appliance risks letting you down too quickly… However, we know that you should use demineralized water over tap water to fill the water tank. But what about cleaning the device itself? Here’s how to give it a better lifespan with a few easy steps for many more uses.
We reassure you, it’s as easy as for irons!
Some signs that it’s time to clean your steam generator:
-The device is leaking.
-The heating time is no longer as fast
-The high pressure steam flow is no longer what it was: there is no longer enough or no steam at all due to scale deposits in the device
-The steam iron leaves marks on clothes
-The steamer spits water or limescale
How to clean and descale the inside of the steam generator without damaging it?
To do this, pour your product into the central tank. Using back and forth movements, distribute the product throughout the device. Then leave it to act for a few minutes before triggering a few jets of steam. Turn off and unplug the appliance and allow to cool. Finally, empty the tank by ironing old rags for good descaling of the holes in the soleplate. Rinse the tank several times with clean water.
And to find an impeccable sole?
With holes blocked by scale, the sole can leave stains on clothes et slide less well. To clean it, first turn it off, let it cool and unplug the appliance. Then find a container large enough to accommodate your iron. Then pour a little citric acid or alcohol vinegar diluted in water to immerse the sole. Ensuite, leave for a few hours, or even overnight. All you have to do is wipe the sole carefully with a damp cloth then a soft dry cloth. Following this, do not forget to iron less delicate laundry (tea towels, etc.) first, because limescale residue could be expelled after this cleaning. You can quickly evacuate these deposits by switching on the steam production several times.
Another tip 💡:
In case of heavy soiling, place salt on a strip of waxed paper placed on the ironing board. Turn on the iron and go over the wax paper using broad movements from top to bottom and from left to right. The sole will be impeccable again.
Last tip:
Household appliances often do not tolerate prolonged disuse, especially those that run on water. So, to avoid the risks of oxidation and the formation of limescale and mold, remember to empty the tank before going on vacation or declaring an ironing strike! Leave the tank cap open until ironing resumes, and everything will be fine.
Cleaning video: