Which laundry symbols are most important to understand?

 

Washing Symbols

 

• Washing Machine Icon: Indicates if the garment can be machine washed and any restrictions on the wash cycle.
• Hand Wash Only: A hand in a tub symbol that means the garment should be gently washed by hand.
• Wash Temperature: A number inside a bucket shows the recommended maximum washing temperature (e.g., 30°C, 40°C) which is crucial to prevent damage.

 

Bleaching Symbols

 

• Bleach Allowed: A triangle symbol typically shows that the garment can be bleached.
• No Bleach: A triangle with a cross (or slashed triangle) indicates that no harsh chemicals or chlorine bleach should be used, preserving the fabric's color and texture.
• Specific Bleach Conditions: Sometimes the triangle may include letters indicating specific instructions (e.g., non-chlorine bleach only).

 

Drying Symbols

 

• Tumble Dry: A square with a circle inside suggests that tumble drying is acceptable; additional dots can indicate the temperature setting.
• No Tumble Dry: A square with a circle and a line through it means tumble drying is not recommended.
• Line Dry: Often an image resembling clothes on a line, meaning the item should be air dried to maintain its shape and size.

 

Ironing Symbols

 

• Iron Allowed: An iron symbol that specifies if ironing is permitted, with dots inside the iron to denote fabric-specific heat settings.
• No Iron: An iron symbol with a cross, which indicates ironing should be avoided.
• Steam Ironing: Sometimes additional symbols suggest that steam iron is acceptable under low or medium heat.

 

Professional Cleaning Symbols

 

• Dry Clean: A circle or circle with letters (such as P or F) indicates that the item should be dry-cleaned or highlights acceptable solvents.
• No Professional Cleaning: A circle with a cross specifies that dry cleaning is not allowed.
• Special Treatments: Additional markings can include instructions for hand cleaning, water-only cleaning, or restrictions on certain cleaning agents.