A complete guide to the meaning of every laundry symbol
If you've found yourself daunted by the many laundry symbols on your clothes tag, you're in good company.
Making sense of each little symbol and trying to work out what you can and can't do when washing your clothes can be a tricky feat.
Should you do a cold wash or a hot wash? What can go in the dryer and what needs to be air-dried?
It can all be very confusing so we've put together a guide to make sense of each symbol.
Read on for everything you need to know.
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Washing instructions
Each of these symbols refer to how to best wash the garment.
The symbol of a plain tub with water indicates a normal washing machine cycle. This symbol means clothes can be rinsed and spun as normal in the washing machine.
The tub symbol with a bar underneath indicates using a permanent press washing machine cycle. The permanent press cycle generally uses warmer water and a slower spin cycle to release and reduce any existing wrinkles.
The tub symbol with two lines underneath indicates using a gentle cycle for delicate items.
The symbol for garments that require hand wash only is, unsurprisingly, a hand. This indicates you should wash the item by hand at 40°C or lower, you can also use your washing machine's hand wash cycle if it has one which is a gentle cycle suitable for delicate items.
And the tub with a cross through it means it should not be washed and may need dry cleaning instead.
Machine wash temperature
All of these symbols refer to the water temperature recommended when washing your clothes.
The number or the dots inside the tub symbol reflect the maximum washing temperature.
The symbols with a number inside it reflect the maximum temperature in degrees Celsius.
The symbols with the dots inside denote the same thing.
One dot = 30°C
Two dots = 40°C
Three dots = 50°C
Four dots = 60°C
Five dots = 70°C
Six dots = 90°C
For those who don't have the ability to control the temperature of their washing machine, one dot generally means washing on a cold wash, two requires a warm wash while three indicates a hot wash.
When it comes to washing machine temperature, one expert recommends its best to err on the colder side.
"I think the biggest thing to leave in the past is hot water. Number one, our appliances and products have come such a long way in just a few short years that we don't really need the cleaning power of hot water – it's going to make your clothes fall apart quicker, they are going to fade," laundry expert Zach Pozniak told 9honey.
Read more about Pozniak's laundry tips here.
Ironing
Each of these symbols indicate that a garment can be ironed while the dots inside indicate the recommended temperature.
One dot = low temperature
Two dots = medium temperature
Three dots = high temperature
Do not iron or steam
These symbols indicate certain ironing steps to avoid.
The iron symbol with an X through it means the garment cannot be ironed.
Meanwhile an X through the steam coming from the bottom of the iron symbol simply means do not use steam- dry iron only.
Machine Drying
Each of these symbols are related to using a clothes dryer.
The simple square with a circle in it represents a dryer and means it is OK to tumble dry the garment.
That same symbol with an X through it, however, means it should not be tumble dried and should instead be air dried.
The symbol with a line beneath it denotes a permanent press dryer cycle, which is a gentler cycle to help control wrinkles.
Meanwhile the symbol with three lines underneath means it requires a gentler dryer process to reduce the risk of damage.
Dryer temperature
Meanwhile the dots in the symbol indicate the recommended temperature to dry the garments at.
One dot = use low heat
Two dots = use medium heat
Three dots = use high heat
Air Drying
Each of these square symbols denotes the proper air drying instructions for an item of clothing.
The plain square symbol simply denotes air drying.
A semicircle inside the square indicates the garment can be hung outside on the line to dry while a square with three vertical lines means it should be drip dried indoors on a clothes horse.
Meanwhile, a square with two slanting lines in the corner means an item should be dried in the shade and a square with a horizontal line through it means you should lay the garment flat to keep its shape while it dries.
A twisted knot with an X through it means you should not wring the water out.
If you're airdrying your clothes and looking for a hack to make it faster, here is a nifty hack you can use.
Dry cleaning
These circle symbols relate to dry cleaning.
The plain circle symbol means the garment can be dry cleaned but a circle with an X through it means it should not.
Bleaching
Each of these triangle symbols relates to bleaching.
One simple triangle means it is safe to use bleach on the item.
A triangle with two slanted lines through it or a triangle with the letters 'CL' in the center and an X through it indicates that non-chlorine bleach can be used when washing the item.
A black or white triangle with a cross through it means the item should not be bleached.
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