What do washing machine symbols mean?
Understanding the washing instruction symbols on your clothing is crucial to ensure that you are caring for your laundry correctly. By carefully following the care instructions and washing machine symbols on your garments, you can prolong the life of your clothing, maintaining the quality of your items for longer. To help you understand more, we have pulled together this handy article and graphic explaining the most common symbols for washing clothing in the UK.
What do washing symbols on clothes mean?
The washing symbols on your clothes indicate what you need to know to take care of your garments. Recognising these symbols, particularly the machine washable symbol, helps you understand whether an item can be laundered in the washing machine or requires handwashing.
It is important to note that not everything is machine washable, even if it looks it. Checking for a machine washable symbol is therefore important. Your shoes, for example, will change depending on the manufacturer.
To learn how and when to machine wash your shoes, click here to explore a detailed guide. Understanding this process can provide valuable insight into deciphering laundry symbols for footwear in your washing machine.
Washing machine symbols meaning
Understanding the five washing machine symbols on your clothing labels is essential for proper garment care. However, deciphering their meanings can sometimes be challenging. This guide aims to explain the significance of these symbols, helping you care for your garments with confidence.
Washing symbols
The symbol for washing clothes is typically shown as a bucket or tub of water. The number inside the bucket indicates the maximum temperature at which the garment can be washed. For example, if the number inside the bucket is 40, it means that the garment can be washed at a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius.
Bleaching Symbol
This symbol is represented by a triangle. If there is nothing inside the triangle, you can use any type of bleach on the garment. If there is a cross through the triangle, it means that you cannot use any bleach on the garment.
To easily remember, try thinking of bleach as a hazard sign. Unlike ironing, washing, and drying, this symbol is important for knowing whether you can safely use strong products, such as bleach, on your clothing or not.
Ironing Symbol
This symbol shows an iron. The number of dots inside the iron indicates the maximum temperature that can be used to iron the garment. For example, if there are three dots, you can use a maximum temperature of 200 degrees Celsius to iron the garment.
Drying Symbol
This symbol is represented by a square. If there is nothing inside the square, it means that you can tumble dry the garment on any heat setting. If there is a circle inside the square, it means that you can tumble dry the garment but only on a low heat setting. If there is a cross through the square, it means that the garment cannot be tumble dried.
Dry Cleaning Symbol
This symbol shows a circle. If there is nothing inside the circle, it means that the garment can be dry cleaned with any solvent. If there is a letter inside the circle, it means that a specific solvent should be used. For example, the letter 'P' means that only perchloroethylene should be used.
Understanding the washing machine icons when doing your laundry is an essential aspect of taking care of your clothes. By following the washing instruction symbols on the labels, you can prevent your garments from shrinking, fading, or losing their shape. Before selecting a wash cycle, always check the labels on your clothes and follow the signs for washing clothes to keep your items in the best possible condition.