The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
You’ve done laundry for years so you just ignore the labels.
Have you ever had a T-shirt shrink so small it fits the dog?
Have you ever had asilky blousecome out looking dull and covered with balls of fuzz?
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
It might be time to take a few seconds and look at the care symbols.
Laundry symbols on clothes labels are there to help you.
Every circle, triangle, and square has a meaning.
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
you might become alaundry expertonce you master the five basic symbols.
Most clothing manufacturers recommend the most conservative cleaning method to ensure the best results for the consumer.
For instance, some fabrics that are labeled as dry clean can be hand washed.
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
Manufacturers also want to limit their legal liability.
Familiarize yourself with the following laundry symbols to best care for your clothes.
The labels were developed as part of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
Symbols, rather than words, were chosen to better convey information around the world.
While there are variations in Europe and Asia, the basic shapes transcend continent borders.
The international community uses five basic symbols for washing, drying, bleaching, ironing, and dry cleaning.
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
Once you learn the basic shapes, interpreting the rest is pretty simple.
An “x” through any symbol means “Don’t do this!”
How to Wash Clothes Symbols
The washtub shape indicates washing instructions.
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
If there is an “x” over the tub symbol, do not wash the item.
If the washtub has a hand reaching into the water, the garment should be hand washed.
Often a label may have no triangular symbol, but instead, states “No Chlorine Bleach.”
International drying symbolshelp you select a dryer cycle and a temperature.
The square drying symbol also helps you know how to dry clothes naturally or with a tumble dryer.
An “x” through the steam coming from the bottom of the iron means use no steam.
The dots in the iron indicate temperature.
Unless you are an expert at clothing care, always trust the dry clean only symbol.
If you decide to use ahome dry cleaning kit, don’t worry about the choice of chemicals.
The kits use universal stain remover that works for all fabrics.
