All the clothes that you wear have a care label attached to them. This label serves as a piece of information on how to take care of your clothes with respect to washing, drying, ironing, and storing. Popular as a wash care label, one who adheres to it is the one who enjoys long use of their favorite apparel. For instance, the use of bleach for colored clothes can completely ruin them, or washing silk in hot water can damage the fabric. The instructions on these labels are easy to understand if you concentrate and pay attention to all the symbols minutely. Remember, the first thing you must do when buying clothes and getting them home is to check out this wash care instructions label and also use mild detergent when washing them. In this article, all the symbols and what they stand for have been elaborated in detail for your better understanding.
Washing symbols
An idea about the wash care label will help you to set the cycle on your washing machine and the water temperature properly. It is important to set the temperature of the water neither too cold nor too hot as that can end up damaging the fabric as well as the shape of your clothes. In order to ensure a good life for your clothes, it is also important to make use of a good detergent powder / liquid. Washing clothes in a good washing machine with the right temperature of water and quality enriched detergent powder can save your clothes from the washing stress.
Some basic washing symbols and their meaning:
- Bucked fully loaded with water- It signifies that the garment can be either washed in a normal machine or using hand with water at any temperature and any soap or detergent.
- Bucket with one dot- It stands for washing without exceeding the temperature specified.
- Symbol of hand in a bucket- It signifies that the garment can be hand washed.
Ironing Symbols
You have got a new shirt or dress that you have planned to wear at the event tonight, but the garment has ended up with a crease! To make the situation worse, you have no idea how to iron it and fix the mess. What you would think of doing next is calling your mom or checking out youtube for a solution. To your surprise, you have the solution right there in your hand. All you need to do is check out the wash care label and find the ironing symbol on it. It is essential to keep in mind the manufacturer's instructions and follow the same minutely. Accidental use of a very hot iron can damage the delicate fabric. Also, there are some garments that do not need ironing. Simply running the steam is more than enough to get rid of the crease marks on it.
Here are a few basic ironing symbols and their meaning:
- Iron symbol- A simple iron symbol on the washing instructions label signify that the garment can be ironed without any specified temperature setting.
- Iron symbol with one dot- This signifies that the garment is subject to steam and iron only at a low setting, i.e., 200F or 110C.
- Iron symbol with two dots- This signifies that the garment can be ironed at a medium temperature setting, i.e., 300F or 150C.
- Iron symbol with three dots- This signifies that the garment can be dried or steamed or ironed at a high-temperature setting of 350F or 200C.
- A Iron symbol crossed out- This means the garment is not subject to ironing or drying, or steaming.
Drying Symbols
Have you ever heard of or faced a laundry disaster like where a cashmere sweater just came out all shrunk? Or a silk fabric all wrinkled? Probably you would not like to encounter such an experience all over again! The best way to avoid this is to take a look at the wash care label and only put those garments into the dryer that are suitable for undergoing this dryer stress. Remember, drying is an essential part of your clothing care steps. The heat emitted from the drying machine can also fade the color of the garments.
Here are some drying/washing machine symbols to understand drying properly:
- Square with a Circle- This means tumble drying can be conducted. There are a few variations in case you follow the tumble drying method, and it is your responsibility to keep them in mind.
- Tumble dryer with a dot/s- This signifies that a machine dryer can be used but at a considerably low heat setting. If you see 2 dots on the tumble dryer, this means the heat setting should be medium, whereas 3 dots stand for high heat is permissible.
- Black circle in the middle- This signifies that the garment can undergo regular drying only at Air Only or No Heat settings.
- A cross on the Tumbler Dryer sign- This signifies the garment is not allowed to undergo machine drying.
- A square with an Inward Arc right at the top- This signifies that the garment needs natural drying and should be hung on the regular clothesline in the drying space of your home.
- A square with a horizontal line passing through the middle- This signified that the garment needs to be laid out evenly on a flat area for drying.
- A twisted symbol crossed out- This signifies that the garment should not be twisted to remove the extra water trapped within the fabric. This is especially for delicate clothes made of silk or chiffon. Instead, you should wrap such garments with a dry towel or cloth and gently press them to take the water out.
Dry Cleaning symbols
Not all the garments you buy can be washed at home. Some of them need special care, which only a professional dry cleaner can offer. Also, some garments require a dry cleaning session for the first wash. Read the washing instructions label to identify the same.
Here are a few dry cleaning symbols and their meaning:
- Circle symbol- This signifies that the garment requires dry cleaning only.
- Circle that is crossed out- This signifies that the garment cannot be dry cleaned at all.
Bleaching Symbols
Another important factor to consider in the wash care instructions is the bleaching symbols. Bleach works differently on different fabrics. This is why it is essential to follow the instructions before using bleach or any kind of non-chlorine bleaching agent. You can use bleach if permitted in the wash care label.
Here are the bleaching symbols and their meaning:
- A triangle sign- This signifies that the garment can withstand bleaching.
- A triangle crossed out- This signifies that the garment is not allowed to undergo bleaching.
- An inside of a triangle marked with 2 lines- This signifies that the garment can withstand a non-chlorine bleach.
Wrapping Up
If you wash your clothes following these washing instructions in concern, there will not be any issue related to shrinkage or wrinkled clothes, faded clothes, or damaged clothes due to ironing. Adherence to wash care label ensure a long life for your garments.