Understanding laundry symbols on your clothing tags can make a huge difference in prolonging the life of your clothes. From washing, bleaching, drying, ironing to dry cleaning, each symbol guides you on how best to care for your garments.
Decoding the Laundry Symbols
The washing symbol, represented by a tub, guides you on how and at what temperature a piece of clothing should be washed. The bleaching symbol, depicted as a triangle, indicates if your garment can be bleached and if so, whether with oxygenated or chlorinated agents.
The drying symbol, a square, communicates whether a clothing item should be air-dried or tumble dried. The ironing symbol, resembling an iron, suggests the suitable temperature range for ironing your clothes. Lastly, the dry cleaning symbol, a circle, specifies the professional cleaning process your garment requires.
Symbol Variations
Laundry symbols can have variations to provide more specific care instructions. For instance, washing symbols may include hands or temperatures, signifying if a garment should be hand-washed or the maximum temperature it can tolerate.
With bleaching symbols, an empty triangle implies that bleach can be used. If the triangle has two diagonal lines, only oxygenated agents are permitted. A crossed-out triangle means no bleach should be applied.
For drying symbols, a square with a line through it means the garment should not be tumble-dried, whereas a square with a circle inside indicates tumble drying is possible. Symbols for ironing, dry cleaning, spinning and using fabric softeners also vary depending on the fabric's material.
Laundry Care Tips
- Always retain garment labels, especially for sensitive textiles, to prevent washing mishaps.
- If you happen to lose the label, exercise caution. Wash gently with similar colors at a low temperature and air dry, if possible.
- When in doubt, it never hurts to consult a professional for advice on clothing care.