Joy Mangano Steamer

I use distilled water in my steamer and other appliances that heat water.  Distilled water has no minerals to leave deposits.   My original steamer is several years old and still works like a champ.  I purchased another last year for a backup if the old one failed and have not had to use it yet. 

I saved the instructions (my Joy steamer is many years old), and hope this helps. This is the only part of the instructions that addresses something that doesn’t appear normal, but it does say to use plain tap water.

"To remove hard water deposits, we recommend filling the tank with half vinegar and half fresh tap water. Plug in unit and allow to heat for approximately one (1) minute. Do not let the water come to a boil. Let it cool down for at least five (5) minutes. Rinse well with fresh tap water. Do this as necessary."

My steamer when dry also looks like it has an irregular "white" coating on the rubber part, but I figure it’s normal and have ignored it for years (uh oh — hope it’s nothing serious!). I’ve never used a vinegar or other solution in it.

It does have a replacement warranty (one-year) if you think something is going on. Ingenious Designs, 800-248-3002. This is the information on my old instructions so it may have been updated since then.

Hope all is well with your steamer!