Steamer vs. Iron: Which is Better for Your Clothes?

蒸汽熨斗与电熨斗：哪一种更适合你的衣服？

Silk, linen, chiffon, and cotton are some of the most gorgeous fabrics. But unlike synthetics—think polyester, spandex, nylon, and rayon—they are prone to wrinkling. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the fine print on clothing tags, not only the instructions pertaining to how to do laundry but also those that explain how to get wrinkles out of clothes. Then the debate comes down to steamer vs. iron.

丝绸、亚麻、雪纺和棉花是最华丽的面料。它们不像合成纤维，比如聚酯纤维、氨纶、尼龙和人造丝，很容易起皱。这就是为什么看清衣物标签上的每条信息非常重要，不仅是关于如何洗衣服的说明，还有那些解释如何去除衣物褶皱的说明。这就有了关于蒸汽熨斗和电熨斗哪种更好的讨论。

Many clothing items can sustain the heat of an iron, but delicate pieces may require the use of a clothing steamer. The difference has to do with the type of heat and whether there's pressure on the fabric, says Mary Gagliardi, “Dr. Laundry,” Clorox’s in-house scientist and cleaning expert.

许多衣物可以承受电熨斗的热量，但精致的衣物可能需要使用衣物蒸汽熨斗。Clorox公司的“洗衣博士”、驻场科学家兼清洁专家玛丽·加列尔迪（Mary Gagliardi）说，这种差异与热量的类型以及是否对织物施加压力有关。

A steamer is a device that uses heat and moisture (from the hot water vapor) to remove wrinkles and smooth the surface of the fabric. An iron, on the other hand, is a device that uses heat and pressure (from the weight of the iron and applied pressure) to remove wrinkles from fabric. That’s why it’s sometimes called “pressing.” It can also aid in forming sharp fold lines, such as cuffs, pleats, and creases. Here’s where it’s a little confusing: Modern irons include a water reservoir, which allows users to introduce steam to the process. But there’s always pressure involved as well. So, when should you use a steamer vs. iron?

蒸汽熨斗是一种利用热量和水分（来自热水蒸汽）去除褶皱并使织物表面光滑的装置。而电熨斗是一种利用热量和压力（来自熨斗的重量和施加的压力）去除织物褶皱的装置。这就是为什么它有时被称为“压烫”。它还可以帮助形成利落的折线，如袖口、褶皱和折痕。这里有点让人困惑：现代熨斗包含一个水盒，将蒸汽引入熨烫过程。但也总会对衣物产生压力。那么，你应该在什么时候使用蒸汽熨斗，什么时候使用电熨斗呢？

When to use a clothes steamer

何时使用蒸汽熨斗

Generally speaking, fabric type will guide your use of a steamer vs. iron. Gagliardi explains that fabrics with a nap or pile (like corduroy or velvet) have always been tricky to iron because the pressure can crush the pile and distort the fabric’s appearance. A steamer will allow the fabric to fall as intended.

一般来说，使用蒸汽熨斗还是电熨斗取决于织物的种类。 加列尔迪解释说，带有绒毛或绒头的织物（如灯芯绒或天鹅绒）一般无法承受铁的重量，压力会压碎绒头并扭曲织物的外观。蒸汽熨斗则可以还原织物纤维本来的垂顺。

A few other fabrics are prime candidates for steaming as well. “Synthetics respond well to gentle steam and are less likely to melt,” she says. Delicate fabrics, such as silk or chiffon, also are less likely to be damaged with a steamer. And trust us: Once you learn how to wash silk the right way, you’re going to want to remove wrinkles without risking damage.

其他一些织物也主要靠蒸汽熨烫。“合成材料对温和的蒸汽反应良好并且不太可能熔化，”她说。 丝绸或雪纺等精致面料也不太可能被蒸汽损坏。 相信我们：一旦你学会了如何以正确的方式洗涤丝绸，您就会想要在不损坏衣物的情况下去除衣物上的褶皱。

That said, you should always read the tag of your clothing or textile—you know, the place where it explains that you need to hand-wash clothes or avoid bleach—to see if there are any special instructions.

这就是说，你应该有阅读衣服或纺织品的标签的意识，就是说明衣服需要手洗或避免使用漂白剂的那个标签，看看上面是否有任何特殊说明。

Yet, steamers may not be as effective at producing crisp pleats, cuffs, creases, and hems. It takes longer to get wrinkles out of stronger fabrics like cotton when using an iron.

然而，蒸汽机在熨出清晰的褶皱、袖口、折痕和下摆等方面可能效果不佳。 对于更硬的材质（如棉花），蒸汽熨斗需要比电熨斗更长的时间才能去除褶皱。

When to use an iron

何时使用电熨斗

You’ve learned how to wash white clothes to avoid dingy dress shirts and have reached expert level when it comes to removing pilling on clothes. Add in some wrinkle-free garments and you’re good to go, right? It’s true, wrinkle-free items may help you avoid ironing. Technically speaking. But it probably won’t leave your clothes looking crisp and sharp. That’s where ironing (or steaming) comes in.

现在你已经学会了如何洗白衣服才能避免弄脏正装衬衫，在去除衣服上的起球方面也达到了专家水平，加上有一些防皱的衣服，你觉得可以高枕无忧了？ 的确， 从技术上讲，不起皱的衣物可以免熨烫， 但它可能不会看起来干净利落。 这就是电熨斗的（或蒸汽的）用武之地。

The majority of textiles can withstand ironing. “Heavy-duty cottons and linens will respond well to the pressure, high heat, and moisture an iron can provide, especially when the iron can also provide some steam,” says Gagliardi.

大多数纺织面料可以承受熨烫。 加列尔迪解释道：“重型棉和亚麻对熨斗的压力、高温和水分耐受度良好，尤其当电熨斗还可以释放一些蒸汽时，效果更佳。”

Of course, double-check the clothing label first. The laundry symbols will indicate if an item should not be ironed, or if it can be ironed but shouldn’t use the iron’s steam function.

当然，首先还是要仔细检查服装标签。 洗衣符号将指示物品是否适合电熨斗，或者可以用电熨斗但不能用电熨斗的蒸汽功能。

If you select the wrong temperature, you can melt or burn fabric with an iron. An ironing board takes up extra space.

如果你没有调节到合适的温度，电熨斗可能会熔化甚至烧毁坏织物。熨衣板也要占用额外的空间。

【VOCABULARY】

silk n. 丝绸

linen n. 亚麻

gorgeous adj. 华丽的；非常漂亮的

fabrics n. 织物；布料

wrinkle n. 褶皱；皱纹

textile n. 纺织品