Steamer spitting hot water droplets onto your clothes instead of clean steam? Spitting usually means water is reaching the head before it fully turns to steam, and a few habits fix it.
Here is why a steamer spits and how to get dry steam.
This article will teach you:
- Why the steamer spits water
- How angle and heat-up matter
- What to check first
- When a part has failed
Why the Steamer Spits
- Not enough heat-up time before steaming.
- Holding the head at a low angle so water runs out.
- Overfilling the tank.
- Scale disrupting steam flow.
What You’ll Need
- Distilled water
- White vinegar
- Your owner’s manual
How to Stop a Steamer Spitting
- Wait longer. Give it the full heat-up time so all water becomes steam.
- Keep the head up. Hold the steamer more upright with the hose not kinked.
- Do not overfill. Fill only to the marked line.
- Descale. Clear scale that causes sputtering.
Pro Tip: Keep the steamer head and hose pointed upward while you work. Tilting the head down or letting the hose sag lets condensed water run out as spitting instead of steam.
When to Look a Little Deeper
Because spitting ties to flow and scale, it helps to check those, and reviewing low steam output, a clogged nozzle, or an overheating steamer can reveal the cause.
When to Call a Pro
If it still spits with full heat-up, an upright head, and after descaling, the internal steam chamber may be faulty, which usually means replacing the unit.
Wrapping Up
Spitting is usually heat-up or angle. Here’s the recap:
- Allow full heat-up time.
- Keep the head and hose up.
- Do not overfill.
- Descale the steamer.
Wait for full heat and keep the head up, and the spitting stops. You’ve got this.