Steam and True Steam steam function in a washing machine: Pros and cons of technology and the main differences between steam washing

Many types of clothing require constant ironing to keep the look neat. However, the process is time-consuming, especially in large families. To make life easier for housewives, a special steam function was created in the washing machine. This modern technology helps save time . Most owners are satisfied with this purchase. Experts have very different opinions about the benefits and harms of steam treatment. To understand whether a washing machine with this function is needed, you need to understand the operation of the device.

Features of the technology

Depending on the manufacturer and model, the steam processing function may vary. There are 2 main technologies:

1. Fast processing for a fresh look (no drum rotation required, no loss of efficiency)
2. Complete cleansing of all contaminants (possibly adding washing powder).

Regardless of the method, steam removes germs and unpleasant odors. An internal steam generator converts water into a gaseous state. Steam enters the drum through the holes, processing things. The function in some models replaces a full wash with powder or other cleaning agent.

Steam promotes effective dissolution of detergent

Often after washing we may find that there are residues of powder or detergent on things. The reasons for this are very simple, we can overload the washing machine, which is why the water will not circulate as efficiently and will not have time to dissolve all the powder. We can also simply add more “chemistry” to the detergent cuvette than is necessary, so this same “chemistry” also has every chance of remaining undissolved. In fact, this is not scary at all, you just need to do an additional rinse of things. But these are additional volumes of water (which is not free) and additional costs of our time.

We can forget about this if our washing machine is equipped with a steam function. The thing is that steam tends to penetrate the fabric fibers more easily and deeply and even soften it somewhat. Thanks to this, the powder and other detergents also penetrate deeper into the fibers of the fabric and dissolve more easily in water. And an additional “bonus” of this process is the absence of the smell of powder on our things.

Benefits of technology

• Economical . For steam processing technology, the use of detergents is not necessary. Water costs are much lower than with standard washing. Vaporization occurs faster than heating the liquid, which affects energy consumption.
• Quick results . The technology is especially suitable for people who are constantly late. When you don't have time to wash and dry, steaming is the solution. You can run the fastest mode. Unpleasant odor and significant contamination are removed. Clothes look clean and fresh. After processing, items may be slightly damp. They dry quickly directly on the body.
• Versatility . Steam treatment is suitable for any type of material. The function can be used for wool and silk items. If your washing machine has this technology, dry cleaning services will no longer be needed.
• Allergy to household chemicals . Since steam treatment can be carried out without the use of cleaning chemicals, this function is well suited for allergy sufferers. For young mothers, it is best to buy a washing machine with steam technology so that a small child does not have irritation due to the powder, which can get stuck in the fibers of clothing.
• Deep cleansing . Steam is much hotter than the most powerful water mode. High temperature removes deep stains and unpleasant odors, destroys bacteria and allergens.
• Fluffiness . New terry cloth products have a very fluffy texture. However, after several washing sessions it disappears. Steam technology allows you to restore the texture of the product.
• Delicacy . Some items should not be washed too often. If they can withstand high temperatures, steam processing technology is useful for thin products. The number of washing sessions will be reduced.
• Efficiency . If you steam the items before washing, the next session will be much more effective. The steam will remove major contaminants. You can reduce the time of wet cleaning.
• Ironing . After steam cleaning, some items of clothing do not need ironing at all. If you need a perfect result, using an iron will take a minimum of time.
• Life time . A full-fledged wet wash greatly damages things. After the first sessions there will be no deterioration, but after months abrasions will appear. The main damage to the fabric is caused by the spin mode when the drum rotates quickly. When cleaning with steam, parts of the washing machine may not move at all. Things do not experience a lot of stress that could ruin them. Since the number of wet washes is noticeably reduced, the service life of the device increases. Over time, many parts fail. This is a normal situation, despite careful care. When cleaning with steam, a minimum of elements move, which keeps them intact.

Rating of machines with steam function

Let's look at the best SMA models with a steam function and compare them with each other.

LG F14B3PDS7

The model has high washing and energy efficiency classes. Convenient electronic control with LCD display. There are 14 programs, as well as a steam refreshment mode. The design received complete protection against leaks.

A powerful spin of 1400 rpm allows you to remove almost dry laundry from the tank. You can wash 8 kg of laundry at a time.

LG F-12U2HCS2 – with mobile diagnostics

The front-mounted free-standing machine from the Korean manufacturer is equipped with touch controls and a display. There is no dryer in this model, but there are many other useful features.

Options:

• Spin speed: up to 1200 rpm.
• Energy efficiency class: A+.
• Washing/spin class: A/B.
• Maximum load: up to 7 kg.
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 60x45x85 cm.
• Number of programs: 14 (Sportswear, Down, Super Rinse and others).
• Noise: up to 72 dB.
• Additionally: drum cleaning, hypoallergenic, my program.

Pros:

• Steam function.
• Beautiful design.
• High quality wash.
• Clear controls.
• There is additional loading.
• There is a half load.
• Many programs and modes for different fabrics.
• Large hatch.

Minuses:

• It drains the water loudly.
• The “My Program” mode is configured through a phone with an NFC function, which not every smartphone has.

The Korean manufacturer LG remains true to itself - this model is full of innovative technologies that cannot be found in many competitors.

Electrolux PerfectCare 600 EW6S4R06BX – in black housing

Stylish ultra-narrow front-loading device. The device is free-standing, on the control panel there is a display, a rotary switch and touch buttons.

Options:

• Spin speed: up to 1000 rpm.
• Energy efficiency class: A+++.
• Washing/spin class: A/C.
• Maximum load: up to 6 kg.
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 60x38x85 cm.
• Number of programs: 16 (Washing jeans, Anti-crease, Super rinse and others).
• Noise: up to 76 dB.
• Additionally: steam supply, anti-allergy.

Pros:

• Stylish design.
• Compact, narrow, saves space.
• Economical even for small loads.

Minuses:

• It is a bit noisy during the spin cycle.

This device will appeal to lovers of stylish and original designs. The black device will fit perfectly into the modern interior of a kitchen or bathroom.

Disadvantages of modern function

• Poor odor removal . Steam may not remove some types of odors. It depends on the source and material of the clothing. The smell of fire smoke is difficult to remove from woolen products. Some stains can be completely removed only with a full wet wash.
• Organic stains . Stains from berries, plants and some food are difficult to remove with steam. He will not be able to remove such stains. There is no guarantee that wet cleaning will completely remove dirt. To do this, you need to use professional chemistry.
• Light effect . Using steam can only remove new stains. For items that were worn for 2-3 hours, this is a great option. However, for heavily soiled items, wet cleaning is necessary. The steam function is pointless for clothes that have been worn for several days. The technology will not be able to remove stains and the smell of sweat, dirt that is deeply absorbed into the structure of the product.
• Price . The steam processing function is built into only some models of washing machines. It is possible to find such a device, but the cost will be very high, since the technology is not used by most consumers. Cheap models can only slightly refresh clothes, and not carry out a full cleaning.
• Limited choice . Since the technology has only recently appeared, it is difficult to find such an appliance that is suitable for the consumer’s everyday life. Only large manufacturers produce washing machines with a steam generator.

Refresh things with steam

One of the most popular and popular modes in washing machines with steam is the “Refresh” mode, which, for example, in LG washing machines lasts only 20 minutes. Unlike the previous mode, during such a short-term refreshment of our things, only steam takes part without the use of any detergents or powder (the so-called “chemistry”), and water is also not used. Of course, the “Refresh” program is by no means suitable for heavily soiled areas, but if you need to give freshness to things that, for example, have been in the closet for a long time and have acquired a specific smell, or to refresh a T-shirt after a walk, then this function will come in handy.

Meanwhile, the “Refresh” mode helps us significantly save our time and some resources. The thing is that earlier, in order to refresh our things, we used quick wash programs. But after that we had to wait for our thing to dry. And doing even a quick wash without some kind of detergent is not at all advisable. But if our washing machine is equipped with steam technology, and we can refresh things with its help, then we will no longer need to use a large amount of water, “chemicals”, and even more so, we will not need to waste time waiting for the item to arrive. will dry completely.

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Now let's look at gasoline car engines. As with diesel, it is quite normal to see white steam in cold and wet weather. The engine warms up, sometimes even water drips from the pipe. But as soon as the motor reaches its operating temperature, this phenomenon should disappear.

If this does not happen, there are problems. You need to look for them.

Gasoline engines are characterized by the following problems in the presence of white smoke:

• coolant enters the cylinders;
• the injector has failed;
• low quality fuel;
• gasoline contains impurities;
• The rings are stuck and the oil is burning out.

The latter option will be accompanied by the appearance of smoke with a slight tint, that is, it will not be completely white.

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To check you need to do this:

• open the cap on the expansion tank;
• or open the cap on the radiator;
• see if there is an oil film there;
• smell the liquid in the tank for signs of exhaust;
• check for bubbles in the tank;
• observe whether the coolant level increases when starting the engine;
• and does it decrease after turning off the internal combustion engine;
• check the pressure build-up in the cooling system.

If you find traces of antifreeze in the engine, you should not continue using the diesel engine. Otherwise, the situation can worsen.

Possible reasons

You should not think that this problem is relevant only for owners of cars such as VAZ 2115, VAZ 2105 and old foreign cars.

In fact, this can happen to any motorist who has white smoke constantly pouring out of the muffler. And not only at startup and gradual warm-up, but also at high speeds.

Most often this is due to:

• presence of moisture in the exhaust;
• presence of water in fuel;
• malfunction of the injection system;
• incomplete combustion of fuel;
• penetration of coolant into the engine;
• natural wear and tear of some components;
• untimely replacement of parts and consumables;
• low quality components, etc.

Some people notice that the smoke is quite smelly, sometimes with the smell of gasoline. For others, the coolant is suspected, although the antifreeze does not go away.

To better understand the issue, you should take a separate look at diesel and gasoline internal combustion engines, since certain reasons for them have slightly different origins.

To be afraid or not

To begin with, I propose to understand the main points. Here it is important to distinguish when steam really poses a potential threat, that is, it indicates a malfunction, and when there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

If we are talking about absolutely safe and harmless smoke, then it should be white, have no odor and no traces of impurities. When the situation develops this way, we are talking about water vapor. Condensation has formed in the exhaust system, that is, a fairly large amount of moisture has accumulated. Now this water begins to actively evaporate due to gradual heating. It all turns into steam. It is in steam that this is important to remember. Because there is another concept. I'm talking about white smoke.

If we see such a picture when white smoke comes out of the exhaust, then it makes sense to suspect the engine or cooling system of some kind of malfunction.

During normal engine operation, the smoke coming out of the chimney should be transparent or close to it. However, on older cars and rather worn-out engines, the smoke becomes more toxic and dirtier.

What's the result?

Do not forget that some cars do not have a catalyst, and this entails additional pollution, since the exhaust gases skip the pre-treatment stage before exiting.

If this element is present, then checking the catalyst for clogging will be your first priority.

Let's sum up the intermediate results. If white smoke is coming out of your car's exhaust pipe, this indicates high levels of moisture inside the exhaust system. It is important to pay close attention to this nuance. When the engine warms up, all the water should evaporate. Therefore, steam and condensate no longer come out of the pipe. But if the engine has warmed up and smoke continues to pour out, then this is an obvious sign of a problem. Something needs to be done. First, find out the reasons.

There are several possible reasons for this situation.

Let's look at them, and take a separate look at the features of diesel and gasoline internal combustion engines.