Garment steamer vs dry cleaning: which pays off
We compare the cost of dry cleaning with steaming at home: which jobs a garment steamer handles at home in minutes, and when you still can't do without a dry…
Average dry cleaning cost per item
- Coat — 8,500–11,000 ₸
- Suit — 5,000–7,500 ₸
- Curtain — 2,800–3,800 ₸/kg
- Total: ~27,500 ₸
- Often we pay the dry cleaner simply for freshness and a neat look (switching to a new season's wardrobe, refreshing clothes after storage, getting curtains ready for spring) — not for removing tough stains.
What a steamer can handle at home
- Suits and blazers: smooths the fabric and restores the shape in a couple of minutes.
- Curtains: steam them right on the rail — no lengthy washing and ironing.
- Upholstered furniture: hot steam disinfects and refreshes the upholstery.
- Outerwear: removes creases and unpleasant odors.
Time saved
- Dry cleaner: 30–60 minutes there and back, 3–5 days of waiting, plus another trip to pick the item up.
- At home: 45 seconds for the steamer to heat up, 3–5 minutes to treat a coat or suit, and it's ready to wear right away.
When you do need a dry cleaner
- Tough stains: old oil stains, set-in wine, paint or chemical marks require special solvents.
- Delicate materials: natural fur, fine suede and leather don't tolerate moist steam well and need professional dry cleaning.
- Restoring shape: if the filling of a down jacket has completely clumped after washing, or the lining structure needs to be thoroughly restored.
HGS-8060 Garment Steamer
HGS-8070 Garment SteamerMore tips
5 things you should steam, not iron
Which items are safer and easier to treat with a garment steamer than with an iron: delicate fabrics, embellished pieces, outerwear, intricate cuts and chunky knits. Plus a quick hack for getting creases out faster.
What not to steam
A garment steamer is versatile, but not all-powerful: corduroy and velvet, items with grease stains, leather and suede all need a different approach. Cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, synthetics and knitwear, on the other hand, can always be steamed.
Garment steamer myths
We bust four common myths about garment steamers: how well they handle heavy fabrics, how safe they are for delicate materials, how fast they are and how easy they are to use.