Ever felt lost staring at those cryptic Garment Care Symbols on your favorite clothes? You’re not alone. Many of us have been there – quickly glancing at care label symbols and hoping for the best when throwing garments into the wash. Perhaps you’ve even promised yourself a delicate hand wash that never quite materializes.
It’s a common habit to skim the label and toss items into a 30-degree wash, fingers crossed that everything will turn out fine. Sound familiar? If so, this guide to laundry symbols is designed to be your helpful resource!
Understanding laundry symbols is key to properly caring for your clothes. To help you decipher these symbols and extend the life of your wardrobe, we’ve created this essential guide.
Understanding Dry Cleaning Symbols
- A circle symbol on the care label indicates that the garment must be dry cleaned.
- If there’s a letter inside the circle, it’s a specific instruction for the dry cleaner, indicating which chemical to use.
- The number of bars underneath the circle signifies the level of caution needed during the dry cleaning process. More bars mean greater precaution.
- A crossed-out circle means you should not dry clean the item.
For professional dry cleaning, consider using a trusted service to ensure your garments are handled with expertise.
Decoding Ironing Symbols
- An iron symbol without dots on the care label means the garment can be ironed at any temperature.
- Dots on the iron symbol indicate the recommended ironing temperature:
- One dot: Use low heat, suitable for delicates like silk and wool.
- Two dots: Use medium heat, ideal for synthetics.
- Three dots: Use high heat, best for linen and cotton.
- A crossed-out iron symbol means you should not iron the item.
If ironing isn’t your favorite chore, professional pressing services can provide a crisp, polished finish, saving you time and effort.
Understanding Drying (Tumble Dry) Symbols
- A square with a circle inside it on the care label means the item can be tumble dried.
- Similar to ironing symbols, dots within the circle indicate the appropriate tumble dry temperature:
- One dot: Low temperature setting.
- Two dots: Medium temperature setting.
- Three dots: High temperature setting.
- A crossed-out tumble dry symbol means you should not tumble dry the item.
Decoding Hand Washing Symbols
- A tub symbol with a hand inside indicates the garment should be hand washed or machine washed on a delicate cycle at 40°C/104°F or lower.
- Hand washing is particularly recommended for delicate fabrics like cashmere or silk, as it’s a gentler method that helps prevent shrinking or damage.
- A twisted fabric symbol means the item can be wrung.
- A crossed-out twisted fabric symbol means you should not wring the item.
Understanding Washing Machine (Synthetic Wash) Symbols
- A tub symbol on the care label means the item is machine washable.
- The number inside the tub symbol represents the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius.
- Bars underneath the tub symbol indicate adjustments to the wash cycle, specifically concerning spinning and rinsing:
- No bar: Normal spin and rinse cycles are suitable.
- One bar: Reduce spin speed.
- Two bars: Mild wash cycle is recommended, but normal spin and rinse are acceptable.
- A crossed-out tub symbol means you should not machine wash the item.
If deciphering these garment care symbols feels like too much trouble, professional laundry services are available to simplify your life. These services offer convenient collection, expert cleaning, and delivery of your laundry, freshly cleaned and ready to wear.
For quick reference, you can download and print our comprehensive care label guide:
Download Care Label Guide
Further Resources for Garment Care
Explore these helpful resources for more guidance on laundry, garment care, and dry cleaning:
How to Iron a Shirt in 5 Simple Steps
ihateironing provides top-quality dry cleaning and laundry services with convenient collection and delivery in various locations including London, New York, Brighton, Edinburgh, and Oxford.
