What’s for what? Beginner's guide to clothing care

Garment care is easy when you know the basics. We have put together a basic guide with everything you need to know about caring for the clothes you already own.

A little bit of background history

Garment care has had a reputation of being difficult and boring, and from a historical point of view, it’s actually true. Caring for clothes was a necessity, and in every home, you would find remedies and methods for everything. That was before the time of fast fashion and the growing culture of overconsumption that we are seeing today.

More and more people are starting to appreciate textiles and clothes for the valuable resources they actually are, and that’s why we are seeing an upward trend of interest in garment care. The primary benefit for the environment and the wallet is to make the clothes we already own last longer. But then we need to care for them in the correct manner.

Modern tools for garment care

Steamery has dedicated years to developing modern and easy-to-use products for clothing care. But, what’s for what? In this gentle introduction, we will explain all the products and what they’re used for. It’s up to you to decide which ones you can’t live without.

Getting rid of wrinkles and creases from clothes

Handheld steamers

A steamer uses steam to smooth out wrinkles and creases, and requires no ironing board. The hot steam makes the garment look fresh and unused, while also reducing bacteria and unwanted odors. Steamery offers three handheld steamers: Cirrus 1 Handheld Steamer, Cirrus 2 Handheld Steamer, and Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer.

Works on all kinds of garments (except fabrics that stain from water)
Requires no ironing board and is easy to bring when traveling
Great to refresh clothes that are worn, but not dirty
Practical for steaming home textiles, like curtains and table cloths
The water tank needs a refill approximately every third garment

Steaming a beige button-up shirt with Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer

Upright steamers

If you have a large closet full steam-friendly clothes, or simply want to steam a lot, often prefer our Cumulus Home Steamer. It requires more space than a handheld steamer, and it’s not meant for bringing on travels. But it also has a higher steam capacity, which makes steaming garments made of thicker fabrics, like denim and wool coats, faster and easier.

The water tank won't need a refill for at least an hour of steaming, you will be able to steam the whole family’s newly washed garments using one tank only. Cumulus has two steam modes; one for clothes made of cotton, wool, and linen, and one for delicate garments made of silk and viscose.

Ideal for people with a larger closet
Great for refreshing garments in between washing
Not suitable for travels
Requires more space than a handheld steamer

Removing bad odors from clothes

Fabric Spray

Bad odors are one of the most common reasons why clothes end up in the laundry basket, even if they are not dirty. The unforgiving process of machine washing causes our clothes to age prematurely; the colors fade and the fit may lose its shape. That’s why it’s important to avoid washing our clothes unless there are no other options left. Steamery's Fabric Spray helps disguise bad odors from any type of fabric.

Can be used on all fabrics that don’t stain from water
Garment is instantly refreshed and ready to be worn
Perfect travel companion when you are traveling with a limited wardrobe
With a pleasant and lasting scent of rose and musk
Available in two sizes: 500 ml and 100 ml

Fabric Spray in 500 ml and 100 ml in front of a white garment

Removing pilling from clothes

Fabric shavers

Pilling is a natural phenomenon that will affect even the most exclusive fabrics like cashmere are at risk of becoming bobbly in areas exposed to a lot of friction. It's not necessarily a sign of bad quality, it’s just a sign that your garments need a little care. Read more about pilling here.

Steamery's Pilo 1 Fabric Shaver and Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver will gently shave off pilling and lint and collect the fuzz in a container that you need to empty every now and then. Start with a light hand and gradually increasing the pressure while sweeping the nozzle over the fabric. Always be extra careful with knitted or delicate fabrics.

Stronger but more gentle than other lint removers
More versatile than a cashmere comb
Charged with USB, no batteries needed
Great for garments, home textiles, and furniture

Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver in Charcoal and Sand

Removing dust, lint, and hair from clothes

Lint Brush

Superficial lint can sabotage any flawless outfit. You have probably used a garment roller made of plastic and sticky tape to remove fur and dust from your clothes. Did you know that residue from the glue stick to your clothes and make them attract even more dust and hair?

Our Lint Brush will effectively collect fur, hair and dust from black jeans, and wool coats without leaving any sticky residue on your garments. It’s invaluable to keep a Lint Brush in the hallway and quickly brush off your suit or sweater.

Reusable – better for you, and the environment
Leaves no glue residue on your clothes
Unbeatable at removing white cat hair from black garments

A beige Lint Brush laying on a wool coat

Clothing Brush

Steamery's Clothing Brush will, like the Lint Brush, remove dust and hair from your clothes. With its coarse bristles made of sisal fibers, it is more ideal for removing shallow dirt and mud stains from thicker fabrics like denim, outerwear, and upholstery. Our Lint Brush is a better choice for removing superficial fur and lint from delicate fabrics, when you would usually use a lint roller.

Removes shallow dirt and stains
100% vegan – made from oak and sisal fibers
Brushes off dust and hair from clothes or furniture
Less effective than the Lint Brush for removing fur

A Clothing Brush hanging on a hook in a wardrobe

Pocket Brush

Sometimes you need to spruce up your outfit throughout the day by brushing off hair, dandruff or superficial dirt from your jeans or the shoulder of your coat. Our Pocket Brush is an excellent solution! It’s just like the Clothing Brush, only small enough to fit in your pocket.

Small enough to fit in your pocket
100% vegan – made from oak and sisal fiber
Ideal for brushing off light superficial dirt

A Pocket Brush peeking out of a green duffel bag

Storage

Space Saving Hanger

The combination of a crammed closet and too many garments is a common problem. A simple method to create more space in your closet is to use our Space Saving Hanger. It holds six garments on one single hanger. It's also useful for when you want to plan your outfits a week at a time, or just organize your closet space and pre-combine outfits.