How does a steam iron work?

           A hot iron smooths out creases in cloth. Most irons are powered by electricity. Inside the iron is an electric heater. A steam iron provides heat and steam at the same time for ironing many different fabrics. Steam makes the cloth slightly damp which helps to remove creases, and wrinkles because moisture softens the fibres in the material and makes them flexible.

          A steam iron contains a water tank in which water is boiled by the heating element to make steam. A push-button on top of the iron opens a valve to let the steam through the holes on the cloth being ironed. With the button up, no steam gets through to the cloth and the iron works like an ordinary iron.