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Clean clothes symbols


Your Guide to Laundry Symbols (Plus a Handy Washing Symbols Chart!)

You know those hieroglyphic-like laundry symbols on clothing labels? They relay important cleaning information. Here's what they mean and how to use them.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but sometimes it’s more confusing than text. That goes double when it’s one of the many laundry symbols found on the care label of your clothes. What are all those circles, squares, and triangles—and why should you care about them?

Clothing manufacturers use washing symbols to help you extend the life of your clothes. Sure, you may think you know how to wash clothes, how to use a washing machine, how to separate laundry, and how to put liquid fabric softener in the fabric softener dispenser. You might even use the best laundry detergent and take the time to set the washing machine temperature just right. But that doesn’t guarantee your clothing will stay in the same condition, color, or size.

“You risk destroying your clothes by not following the laundry care instructions,” says Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of Aspen Clean. “What might happen if you put a dry-clean-only garment in a washing machine? The garment could shrink—not just a little, but significantly. Garments made of wool can shrink two to three sizes or more, and drapes can shrink to half their size.” Instead of making it a guessing game—no, that’s not an envelope, suggesting you send the item to your mom to clean; it’s the sign for “hang to dry”—we asked the experts to decipher the most common washing instruction symbols. Here’s your comprehensive laundry symbols guide, complete with laundry symbols charts.

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What are international laundry care symbols?

Because people do laundry all around the world, the industry has created a standard of five basic symbols that form a kind of universal language. To make it even easier, laundry symbols are always featured in the same order on a label. From left to right, they are:

“As you go through the five basic international symbols, you’ll start to see a pattern,” said Annette Grant and Sarah Karakaian, full-time short-term rental managers and hosts of the “Thanks for Visiting” podcast. “It’s like its own language where, for example, two lines under an icon or three dots inside an icon always mean the same thing. Once you learn these, you’ll be fluent in care tags in no time.”

According to fashion stylist Leena Alsulaiman, one of the most important symbols to pay attention to is a large X. “When a symbol is crossed out,” she warns, “that’s your sign not to do that thing.”

Laundry symbols for how to machine wash clothes

The washtub symbol indicates instructions for every step of the washing process, whether you’re using a traditional or HE washer. If the garment is machine washable, you’ll see either dots or numbers inside it, representing the recommended maximum water temperature.

Lines under the washtub signify that the garment needs to be washed on a special cycle.

“Just remember, the more lines under the washtub, the more careful you should be,” says Alsulaiman. And finally, if your washtub has an X through it, back away from the washing machine. This means “do not wash.”

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Laundry symbols for how to hand-wash clothes

If you see a hand reaching into the washtub, that means your garment should be hand-washed only. Do not put it in the washing machine. There’s another washing symbol that indicates how to hand-wash clothes: If you see an icon that looks like a wrapped, hard candy with an X through it, don’t wring or twist the garment. Gently squeeze the water out after hand-washing it.

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Laundry symbols for how to bleach clothes

The triangle tells you everything you need to know about bleaching an item. Here’s how to decipher the symbols:

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Laundry symbols for how to dry clothes

Everything you need to know about how to dry an item can be found in the square on the care label. Be sure to check this before tossing your clothing in the wash to avoid shrinkage—unless, of course, you’re trying to shrink clothes. First, look for a circle in the square, which tells you it’s okay to dry the item in the dryer. If your square has both a circle in its center and an X through it, do not put the item in the dryer.

Just like with the washtub, the number of dots signifies the maximum temperature to be used:

You may also notice lines beneath the square. As with the washtub icon, these indicate the proper dryer settings to use.

All of that explains how to machine dry an item (and if you should). But if your square doesn’t have a circle at all, it should air-dry. Here’s how to interpret the various air-dry laundry symbols:

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Laundry symbols for how to iron clothes

With the abundance of wrinkle-free garments options, you might not spend much time wondering how to get wrinkles out of clothes. But there comes a time when your clothes really need to be ironed. The iron is the most self-explanatory of all the clothes-washing symbols. Once again, the number of dots signifies the maximum temperature that can be used.

And, of course, an X means don’t iron it at all. When it comes to wrinkles, the steamer vs. iron debate comes down to fabric—and therefore the laundry symbols you see on your clothing tag. The following symbols relate to whether or not you should use steam on a garment. (P.S.—here’s how to clean an iron so your clothes don’t get damaged.)

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Laundry symbols for dry cleaning clothes

You can try your hand at dry cleaning at home, but chances are you’ll want to leave it to the pros, so pay attention to the clothing label. The symbol for dry cleaning is a circle, and if it doesn’t have an X through it, it means you can take it to the dry cleaner. If the label specifies “dry clean only,” you should definitely take it to the dry cleaner. An item with this label is one of the things that should never end up in your washing machine.

Sometimes there are letters inside the circle, but don’t worry about those. They indicate the kinds of chemicals that can be used on a garment and are meant for professionals. Your dry cleaner will understand.

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Sources:

Laundry Symbols Explained: Complete Care Label Guide

Before reading this guide, let me ask you:

If the responses are yes, well, this laundry symbols guide will definitely help you!

All laundry symbols have a specific meaning so, with the very best London Dry Cleaners, we have put together a downloadable essential guide that you can use today to maximize the lifetime of your most prized threads.

  1. Dry cleaning symbols
  2. Ironing symbols
  3. Drying symbols
  4. Hand washing symbols
  5. Synthetic washing symbols
  6. All-in-one laundry symbols

DRY CLEANING

Why not leave your dry-cleaning in our expert hands and book a collection with our industry professionals. 

IRONING

We know how much you hate ironing, so why not get a crisp, professional press from an expert and instead spend that time doing something you love.

DRYING

HAND WASHING

SYNTHETIC WASHING

If these laundry symbols seem like too much hard work, our on-demand laundry service is on hand to help. We can collect, clean and deliver your laundry back to you, freshly washed and smelling fabulous.

In the meantime, you can download our complete care label guide and print it out for reference.

Download Care Label Guide

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what do they mean? Business-style

When purchasing a new item, we often face the problem of washing it. After all, over time, it gets dirty and needs to be cleaned, while not all clothes have the same care conditions. To learn how to wash, dry and iron a thing, it is not necessary to contact the store or the manufacturer. You just need to look at the label, where the various signs of clothing care are indicated. Finding a tag with symbols is easy, but you will have to think about deciphering it. As you know, careful and proper care of clothes increases their service life and preserves the intensity of color, shape, quality of the material. Therefore, it is important to learn to understand the symbols and designations of washing, drying, ironing and other processes in order to use the purchased item for a long time. If you don't understand clothing care labels, don't worry. Our helpful tips will help clarify the situation. nine0003


Caring for suede and other materials

One of the main advantages of the fabric is its quality of use. The material is elastic, durable, absorbs moisture well and allows the skin to breathe. Suede is not very practical, but it looks luxurious. With proper care, you can wear clothes made of this material for a long time and enjoy its beauty. It is better to wash suede by hand, trying not to rub or squeeze it too hard. Suede clothes should be dried on a horizontal surface with periodic blotting in order to prevent the appearance of creases. There are also such recommendations regarding the care of products from:

On the label of any clothing, the manufacturer indicates the required care conditions, denouncing them in signs and symbols. They are placed in a strict order approved by international organizations. Compliance with these instructions will guarantee a long and flawless operation of the textile product.

Laundry: what clothes care signs are used in the world?

The most requested and frequently requested conditional values ​​are wash symbols. After all, it is this process that raises the most questions. So, in world practice, the interpretation of the signs of clothing care regarding washing is as follows:

Basin with a wave symbol - the item can be washed both by hand and in an automatic machine.

A basin with a wave symbol and a single line at the bottom indicates a gentle wash cycle. nine0003

A basin with a wave sign and two lines at the bottom tells us about the delicate wash cycle.

The crossed-out basin makes it clear that clothes cannot be washed either by hand or in a washing machine.

Basin with wave symbol and central dot - wash at 30°C.

A basin with a wave sign and two dots in the center indicates a maximum wash temperature of 40 °C.

Basin with wave sign and three dots in the center - washable at 50 °C and above.

A basin with a lowered hand is a symbol of hand washing.


Deciphering clothes care signs is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. However, laundry symbols are not the only ones that are important to learn. nine0003

Drying and spinning: basic symbols on care clothes

These two modes are as important as washing. Their observance allows you to keep the shape of things and an attractive appearance even after prolonged use. Among the most important symbols to remember when caring for clothes are:

Empty square - item can be dried in any way.

A crossed-out blank box warns that this garment must not be tumble dried.

A square with an empty circle inside makes it clear that the item is suitable for wringing and drying in the washing machine.

A crossed-out square with a circle inside is a sign that prohibits spinning.

A square with a circle inside of which there is one dot - clothes care means drying at a low temperature.

Square with a circle with two dots inside, allows drying at medium temperature.

A square with a circle with three dots inside means you can dry the item at high temperature. nine0003

There are other care symbols. For example, a square with three vertical lines indicates a drying mode without spinning. A horizontal line inscribed in a square means drying exclusively on a flat surface.

Dry cleaning and bleaching: international symbols for clothing care

There is a category of things that, after getting dirty, you want to entrust to specialists. As a rule, these are branded expensive clothes, the cleaning of which requires special delicacy and professionalism. However, before contacting a particular service, study the label. It contains care symbols for cleaning and bleaching. In particular, they are:

Empty circle allows clothes to be dry cleaned.

Crossed circle prohibits dry cleaning.

Circle with inscribed letter A allows cleaning with any solvent.

Circle with letter P - use of solvents based on ethylene chloride and hydrocarbons is allowed. nine0003

F Circle - Hydrocarbon based solvents can be used.

An empty triangle is a sign that allows you to bleach a thing.

A triangle with two slashes is the symbol for bleaching without chlorine.

Failure to follow the care labels for dry cleaning and bleaching can result in garments completely unwearable. It will simply tear, lose color, strength, in some cases irreversible damage appears. nine0003

How to iron things: care label

After washing and drying, all textiles lose their presentable appearance. To be able to wear them, you need to tidy up with an iron. The manufacturer indicates the symbols indicating the desired ironing mode for a particular item of clothing. In particular, these are the following pictograms:

Iron sign with handle - can be ironed without any restrictions. nine0003

Crossed-out iron - garment care prohibits ironing.

Icon of an iron with steam crossed out at the bottom - the manufacturer allows ironing, but prohibits steaming.

Iron, center dot - Low temperature ironing allowed (max. 110°C).

Iron with two dots in the center – clothes can be ironed at a maximum temperature of 150 °C.

Iron with two dots in the center - ironing at temperatures above 200 °C is allowed.

When you have a good understanding of the signs on the tags, the care of clothes is much easier. No need to search the Internet for information about washing, drying, spinning, bleaching, ironing products, based on the type of fabric. Knowing the symbols and their meanings will tell you which mode and temperature to choose, whether to dry-clean, bleach and iron. With proper care, your clothes will always be clean, soft, pleasant to the touch with a minimum of effort. nine0003

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What clothes dream about: interpretation of dreams about clothes something really important. To understand what exactly your subconscious wants to say, you should focus on the details of what you see. For example, sometimes the dreamer's attention is focused on the details of clothing or in general on its presence. In this case, it becomes an important part of the vision that can be interpreted to provide valuable warning or advice. Consider what clothes are dreaming of based on the interpretations of various authors. In order to correctly understand the signals that the universe gives, it is worth remembering all the details, understanding which particular characteristics of the wardrobe item your attention was focused on.

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Miller's dream book

To understand the meaning of such a dream, you need to remember what kind of clothes you saw. If it was well-tailored, of high quality, but clearly unfashionable, then in reality you will be lucky, but only if you do not chase cutting-edge ideas. When you throw away outdated clothes, you will soon have to part with your current company and change your life dramatically, perhaps find a new job, love. If you are dressed in something obviously awkward, not suitable for you - expect changes, especially in your personal environment. nine0003

The color of the clothes also matters. If in a dream everyone around is dressed in white, disappointments and quarrels are coming ahead, failure in business and personal relationships. Walking with a person in snow-colored clothes portends a disease for him, but if we are talking about a child or a young woman, then, on the contrary, something pleasant shines on you. Interesting entertainment and unexpected profits are guaranteed by a dream where people are dressed in yellow. But the people in blue are a good dream. It means that in reality you will be able to achieve the fulfillment of all desires with the full support of all friends. Green clothes are a harbinger of future prosperity, and crimson clothes predict getting rid of enemies. For a young lady, the dream in which she dressed in a black suit is unfavorable, because it means that in life she will meet sadness and disappointment. But a woman who sees herself in a dream in clothes that cause her rejection will meet a rival who will interfere with her career and advancement in society. If she admires someone else's clothes, in life she will have to dispel the suspicions of a jealous companion. nine0003

Another unfavorable sign is an old man or a young man in a good suit, they portend troubles and unpleasant things to the dreamer.

An important point is the state of the dream clothes. If it is torn and dirty, you need to be more careful when dealing with strangers, they may have completely different plans for you and take advantage of your gullibility. And, conversely, clean clothes promise well-being and luck. A large number of bright outfits in the wardrobe also warns of the need to be prudent in life, otherwise a series of wrong actions will lead to losses, including reputational ones. nine0003

Dream Interpretation of Tsvetkov

The interpreter believes that the main detail is the amount of clothing on a person. If he is literally wrapped in different parts of the wardrobe, this promises him big trouble in reality. But the lack of clothing portends well-being. If the dreamer is wearing clothes suitable for the season and the situation, then in life he will have an opportunity to prove himself and get the maximum benefit. An awkward outfit suggests that a failure will soon await a person, you should be especially careful if there is an important event ahead. For a man dressed in a woman's dress, a dream promises trouble, but for a woman in disguise - a chance for success, but this will have to be done with maximum effort. nine0003

In a dream, giving clothes to wear is a sign that a loved one is cheating. Dressing up in new hope is a symbol of future changes in position, a job change or an increase in your status.

Loff's Dream Interpretation

The author of the book believes that clothing becomes a reflection of a person's inner world. If in a dream you are wearing a dirty outfit, this means that doubts and problems torment you inside. You doubt your actions and suspect that some of them are extremely impartial. And, on the contrary, clean, ironed and neat clothes indicate that a person is too concerned about his reputation and spends too much effort on maintaining it. nine0003 Clothing is the embodiment of thoughts and moods. Photo: pixabay.com

Clothes presented in a dream are a symbol of the fact that in reality someone is trying to control you and your life, interfering in everything and trying to subdue your will. You should not rely on the opinions of others in everything, it is better to choose your own path and stick to it.

Wearing ritual robes in a dream means that in reality you are looking for understanding, protection and support from other people. This is not bad, but learn to rely more on your knowledge and experience, and not rely on the prompts of others. nine0003

Freud's dream book

The psychologist believes that clothes seen in a dream can tell a lot about your attitude towards this or that person or to your body. Dressing in someone else's dress is a sign that a person underestimates his attractiveness, but undressing indicates that the dreamer is ashamed of his body.

If you like clothes on a certain person in a dream, this indicates that you are attracted to him and would like a closer relationship. When it comes to your real partner, it means that you really like intimacy with him. But if someone’s outfit is unpleasant to the eye, this means that in reality this person causes disgust and hostility in him. nine0003

Dream Interpretation of Miss Hasse

The author interprets such a dream quite simply. She believes that happiness and good luck in everything portends a vision in which someone buys clothes for themselves. But wearing black clothes is a bad sign that portends sadness and disappointment in life. But remember that all troubles tend to end. White robes symbolize contentment in life, in which nothing should be changed, even if there are such intentions. If the dreamer tries on children's clothes, this portends a quarrel in the family. nine0003

Dream Interpretation of Dmitry and Nadezhda Zima

According to soothsayers, clothes in a dream become a symbol of position in society. New outfits portend a quick change in status: promotion, marriage, inheritance. But dirty or torn trousers, a dress, a sweater are a sign that something can harm your reputation. Too big clothes that you tried on in a dream says that you should not chase the position that you are counting on, this is clearly not up to you. When in a dream you see yourself in uncomfortable clothes, it means that in reality you are not satisfied with the current state of affairs, but you won’t be able to change your status quickly, for this you will have to make a lot of effort. nine0003

The fact that you need to be more active in business is indicated by a dream about sportswear, but too colorful clothes warn that you are exchanging your life for trifles. But if in a dream you try on a military uniform, it means that in life you will not be able to evade an unpleasant duty and you still have to fulfill your duty.

Dream Interpretation of the XXI century

Here the interpreters agree that it is necessary to evaluate both the quantity and quality of clothing, its color will be of no less importance. For example, black predicts an imminent illness, while white is a good omen. A sheepskin coat is a symbol of wealth, a jumper symbolizes friendship and support of loved ones, a jacket portends a possible cold, and a fur coat or fur jacket symbolizes an inheritance. nine0003

If in a dream you are wearing a lot of clothes - troubles and problems await you ahead, dressed sloppily or not for the occasion - an unexpected guest is already in a hurry. If you had a chance to try on new clothes, this portends a meeting with a new love, to clean a dress - you will soon become happy, a woman in men's clothes meets in a dream for the birth of a child.

Burning clothes on a person is a bad sign that promises the loss of all property, and a man in a uniform in a woman's dream is a sign that she needs to think about the real character and motives of a loved one. nine0003

Lunar dream book

According to the authors, clean clothes indicate that you have to become famous or excel in some important matters. But a dress or shirt with spots suggests that you will find yourself in an awkward situation. To lose clothes - to feel shame, to put on new ones - in reality, you will be saddened by bad news, to be dressed in a long dress - to receive a reward.

Dream Interpretation of Astromeridian

Clothes seen in a dream show how others see us. For example, dirty clothes warn against excessive frankness. Your intimate secrets and details of your personal life may become public. If you dress up in old clothes, your subconscious tells you to pay attention to details and not miss valuable ideas, because in this case you make big mistakes and cannot succeed in important projects. nine0003 Sometimes dreams may seem quite banal and everyday, but they do not come into our lives by accident. Photo: @andrea-piacquadio, pexels.com

Significant changes are promised by white clothes, but the yellow one speaks of imminent success, the blue portends the imminent fulfillment of the most cherished desires and dreams. If you dressed up in red, it means that in the near future you will successfully get rid of your rivals. A black dress portends sadness, and bright clothes indicate that the same feast will soon come in life, when one significant event will replace another, like on a roller coaster.

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