The Difference Between Steam & Water for Laundry

Normal Wash

• In a normal washing machine, water combines with soap in order to submerge and saturate the clothing with the cleaning mixture. The clothes are then agitated extensively, rinsed with clean water in order to remove soap residue from the clothing and then spun dry. This is the process used by both top-loading and bottom-loading washing machines that use water.

Steam Wash

• A steam wash is done using a special steam-based washing machine. Some steam washing machines use steam to assist with a regular wash, while others have completely separate cycles that steam wash only. The steam is created and mixed into the machine in order to clean deeply into the clothes. The overall temperature of a steam wash is hotter than most water washes. This makes a cycle that cleans clothes better than most regular washes.

Cost

• The cost of steam laundry machines is something that needs to be considered over the long term. Steam washing machines cost more up front than regular washing machines. Similar models with steam settings probably cost at least $200 more than the water-only equivalents (as of July 2011). However, steam machines use less water than old-style machines. Over time, the savings on the water bill also needs to be accounted for in the long-term cost of ownership.

Greener Machines

• Along with costing less money through minimized water consumption, steam-based laundry machines are also better for the environment. The amount of water consumed in a load is typically less than that consumed by other types of washing machines. Steam cleaning also allows people to clean clothes that typically require dry cleaning. Dry cleaning requires the use of several extremely toxic chemicals, which can be avoided through steam cleaning.