Symbol for do not machine wash
Laundry Symbols & Washing Instructions Explained
Laundry Symbols & Washing Instructions - What Do They Mean?
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Everybody has experienced it at least once – pulling out a favourite item of clothing from the washing machine only to find that it is now shrunken, saggy, discoloured, or damaged! It is at this point you wish you had paid more attention to the washing symbols on the care label. Here, we will explain the most common washing instruction symbols on clothing wash care labels.
The hand wash symbol is often found on the care labels of delicate materials such as wool and silk. For these items, you should hand wash them with a detergent specially designed for delicate fabrics. OMO and Surf provide a great range of suitable laundry detergents. Just read the instruction labels before using them.
Washing symbols are a guide to how to wash your laundry correctly. Without care labels on our clothing, we would not know how to take care of our garments. Care label symbols are essential when making a decision to purchase a clothing item.
Washing Symbols: Basic Washing Instructions on Care Labels
The Poll
Has your lifestyle during the Covid-19 lockdown affected the type of stains you get on your clothes?
Yes, I encounter lots of different stains
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Some stains are different, but not a lot
0%
No, it’s stayed the same
0%
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Depicted as a bucket filled with water, the Wash Symbol tells you what temperature or machine setting you should use to wash the item of clothing.
One Dot = 30°C
Two Dots = 40°C
Three Dots = 50°C
Four Dots = 60°C
Five Dots = 70°C
Six Dots = 95°C
The Permanent Press SymbolThe Permanent Press symbol has one line beneath the standard wash symbol. Permanent Press fabrics have been treated with chemicals to ensure they resist wrinkles and retain their original shape. If a piece of clothing is permanent press, it usually means that you shouldn’t iron it.
The Gentle Cycle SymbolThe Gentle Cycle symbol has two lines beneath the standard wash symbol. The gentle cycle is for delicate fibres like wool or silk, or for items of clothing that could be damaged by a vigorous washing (like sequined tops, tights, or lycra).
The Hand Wash symbol is the standard wash symbol with a hand at the top. For ‘Hand Wash’ clothing, do not use a washing machine.
Instead wash garments in a sink or small tub, using your hands to ensure that the cleaning liquid is thoroughly rubbed into the material and subsequently rinsed out. Check your cleaning liquid to make sure it is suitable for hand washing – milder detergents have been specifically designed for hand wash use, and they are safe for your clothes and for your hands!
The Do Not Wash symbol is the standard wash symbol with a cross through it. If the label instructs you not to wash the item, it will have to be dry cleaned after it gets dirty – see the section on Dry Cleaning Symbols below.
Now you've got the hang of washing labels, you can put your machine-washable items in the machine:
Bleaching Guidelines on Wash Care Labels
The next symbol on the care label is a triangle that refers to whether specific bleaching conditions are required for the item.
Bleaching Allowed SymbolA triangle without anything in the middle means that any kind of bleach can be used on the clothing when needed.
A triangle filled with diagonal lines means that only non-chlorine bleaches should be used. Check the ingredients on your bleach to see if it contains chlorine.
Do Not Bleach SymbolA solid black triangle with crossed lines means ‘do not bleach’ – you should not attempt to use any kind of bleach on this garment.
Drying Guidelines on Care Labels
Tumble Dry SymbolThe basic tumble dryer symbol is a square with a circle in the middle of it. As with the washing symbols, the number of dots inside the circle will tell you the heat setting you should put your tumble dryer on to, as well as any specific program settings required. Three dots mean Tumble Dry High, whereas two dots mean Tumble Dry Medium and one dot means Tumble Dry Low.
Do Not Tumble Dry SymbolWhen an item is marked as 'do not tumble dry' with a cross through the drying symbol, leave this garment to drip-dry on a drying rack, in an airing cupboard, or outside on your washing line rather than putting it in the dryer.
As before, a single line below the dryer symbol means that a Permanent Press setting should be used.
Tumble Dry, Delicate Setting SymbolDouble lines indicate that the Delicate setting must be used.
Ironing Symbols Guidelines on Care Label
Ironing SymbolTo make life easy, the ironing symbol is shaped like an old-fashioned iron.
Ironing symbols also employ the same dot system for heat levels, which should be adjustable on your iron.
Do Not Iron SymbolA cross over the iron symbol means the garment is not suitable for ironing.
Iron on High SymbolThree dots mean that the item can be ironed on high.
Iron on Medium SymbolTwo dots mean that it can be ironed on medium.
Iron on Low SymbolOne dot means that it can be ironed on low.
Dry Cleaning Symbols
Dry Clean SymbolThe dry-cleaning symbol is a circle.
A crossed-out circle means that you should not dry-clean the item.
Dry Clean Only SymbolFor clothes that are dry clean only, the circle has a letter ‘P’ inside it.
Dry Clean Normal SymbolClothes that should be dry-cleaned under normal conditions will have a letter ‘F’ inside the circle.
And there you have it! Your favourite top will never be shrunk in the washing machine again, now that you understand these washing symbols on the wash care labels!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the washing machine symbols?
On every garment like clothing or jerseys as well as other household fabric items like cushion covers and curtains, you’ll find a care label on the inside of the item. The care label will list the washing symbols that are required to keep that specific garment or fabric look it’s best. There are several universal washing machine symbols which indicate what kind of cycle and at what temperature that garment can be washed at, if at all.
Why are laundry symbols important?
To avoid ruining your article of clothing, shrinking it or overstretching it, it’s important to follow the laundry symbols on the care labels for each garment. Every type of fabric should be washed a certain way and in order to get the longest life from your clothing and fabrics, it’s wise to follow the care labels.
What happens if wash care symbols aren’t followed?
If you mistakenly, or deliberately, don’t follow the wash care labels of each garment or fabric type you could end up with a completely ruined article. Some clothes or fabrics can shrink if washed incorrectly, some can over stretch, and some can become completely unusable.
Where did these laundry care labels come from?
Laundry care labels are a universally used guideline for clothing and other fabrics as the best way to wash and care for that particular article.
Every laundry care label is required to have the care symbols on how to wash, bleach, iron and dry (or dry clean) the article itself.
Should clothes be sorted by wash care label or by colour?
The standard way of washing and cleaning clothes is often by colour, but in order to get the best wear out of your clothing it is suggested that you wash colours together as well as fabrics together that require the same type of wash care.
How to Read Laundry Symbols
Laundry symbols seem like another language, but the washing instruction symbols on your garments’ care labels tell you exactly how to do the washing and drying, as well as give extra information on bleaching and ironing. Read on for our quick guide to what the symbols mean, or download and print your own laundry symbols chart to refer to when you see a symbol you don’t recognize.
Washing Symbols
Getting the temperature and wash cycle right is important for seeing great laundry results, and can even prevent damage to your clothes.
The clothes washing symbols below can give you an idea for temperature, indicated by the number of dots in the tub of water symbol, whereas different cycle types are represented by a tub with one or two lines drawn under it.
Washing cycle symbols
Washing temperature symbols
Washing machine symbols
Important: Don't forget to look out for dry clean signs, given by a circle, or hand wash symbols, indicated by a tub of water with a hand sign, so you'll know when to avoid putting garments in the washing machine.
Drying Symbols
Drying is an important part of the clothing care process, but we’ve all heard those scary stories of cashmere sweaters that come out of the wash three sizes too small.
Knowing your dryer symbols, like the square with a circle in the middle that indicates tumble drying allowed, can help you avoid putting the wrong garment in the tumble dryer. Other symbols can give you additional information, such as a square with a horizontal line in the middle means you should dry the item flat, or the crossed-out twisted symbol, which tells you not to wring the garment.
The temperature is given by the increasing number of dots inside a circle.
General drying symbols
Drying temperature symbols
Tumble dry laundry symbols
Bleaching symbols
If you want to use bleach, you’ll want to take a look at your garment’s fabric care label to see if there is a bleach symbol, given by a triangle ormore importantly a do not bleach symbol, a triangle crossed out. Recognizing these signs can save your garment from getting permanently damaged by chlorine bleach.
Bleaching symbols
Ironing Symbols
Some fabrics look great after ironing but others, like more delicate materials, can be damaged. There are even some fabrics that simply need special care when ironing.
For example, if you want to iron your new dress shirt and you want to know if it can be ironed safely, lookout for the iron symbol on your garment, represented by a little iron symbol with dots in the middle that denote the temperature setting, like those shown below.
Ironing symbols
Download Your Laundry Symbols Guide
Don’t let laundry symbols confuse you. Get this printable laundry symbols guide and keep it to hand the next time you do the laundry. Once you download this laundry symbols pdf you’ll be a pro when it comes to doing your laundry. Download now
Laundry symbols are there to guide you, so your clothes get the care they deserve. Make sure you use the right laundry detergent for the wash cycle you pick, like Tide Plus Coldwater Clean for cold washes, or use a detergent like Tide PODS® that’s suitable for any temperature. Get the best out of your laundry, with a little help from Tide, and if you need more detailed information, visit our comprehensive guide on how to do laundry.
“Do not machine wash” badge (water bowl crossed out)
Manufacturers place recommendations for the care of textiles on tags made of durable material. Deciphering the symbol on clothing labels in the form of a crossed-out bowl of water (“Do not wash in a washing machine” icon) is not difficult for the consumer, since the meaning of the picture is obvious.
But not everyone understands how to clean such things. In the care of products marked with a sign prohibiting washing, there are many nuances that must be taken into account.
General information and recommendations
The type of symbols printed on clothing labels is defined by an international standard. That is, no matter in which country and what brand the item was released, the washing prohibition icon (as well as other designations) always looks the same. In this case, it is a crossed-out basin of water. Labels are placed in the side seams, in the neck area or next to the belt (if we are talking about trousers, a skirt, leggings, leggings, etc.).
The symbol in the form of a crossed out pelvis marks things for various reasons. For example, when the product is made of a material that cannot be exposed to large amounts of water (suede, nubuck, fur).
The second reason is that the fabric transfers moisture, but machine washing is prohibited. This applies to things made of wool, natural silk, guipure, satin, cambric, cashmere and other delicate materials.
Items decorated with non-removable elements (beads, sequins, pendants) or with complex cut and bulky dimensions (ball and wedding dresses, carnival costumes, etc.) should not be washed in the washing machine.
When choosing a method for cleaning things marked with a crossed-out bowl, you need to focus on the reason for the ban. If the material does not tolerate moisture well, dry cleaning is allowed, and for items made of delicate fabrics, with decor or intricate cuts, hand washing is acceptable with a number of precautions. You can also seek help from experts.
Description of the icon and rules for the care of things that cannot be washed
In accordance with the regulations, washing is indicated by a symbol in the form of a basin of water. If this cleaning method is allowed, the icon is supplemented with numbers indicating the recommended temperature. Things that cannot be sent to the automatic machine are marked with a basin and an image of a palm.
And the diagonal lines crossing the container filled with water indicate that it is forbidden to wash the product and other methods must be used to remove dirt and stains.
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What can be done
The easiest, but financially costly way to clean an item marked "Do not machine wash" is to take it to the dry cleaner. But if this option is not suitable, you can find others.
Clothes that do not tolerate moisture can be brushed or purchased with a dry wash kit. The main thing is to choose a kit that includes products that are approved for use on this type of material. By following the attached instructions, you can clean the product yourself.
If the fabric is not contraindicated in wetting, the item can be washed by hand, proceeding in the following sequence:
- Dilute laundry soap shavings, powder for delicate materials or washing gel in a basin with cold (!) Water, beat the foam.
- "Sink" the item in the container so that the soapy solution covers it completely, and leave for 2-3 minutes until completely wet.
- Take out the clothes several times and put them back into the pelvis. If there are stains, gently wipe them off with your fingers.
- Rinse the product, changing the water several times, until all traces of the powder are completely washed out.
- Wrap the item in a terry towel and gently wring it out until no more water drips from it.
Products made of materials subject to stretching are best dried on a horizontal surface. And things from more durable fabrics can be hung on a coat hanger.
Do's and Don'ts
In order not to ruin the clothes that the manufacturer forbids washing in the machine, a number of restrictions must be taken into account:
- do not wet clean suede, leather, fur, feathers or down;
- hand wash only in cold water to avoid shrinkage;
- Do not use hard brushes or products with aggressive ingredients when removing stains;
- do not twist the material when wringing out and do not apply strong mechanical forces;
- Dry clothes only naturally, away from heaters and direct sunlight.
The result of a violation of the prohibitions may be shrinkage, loss of shape, the appearance of stains on clothes and damage to the fibers of the material, up to the formation of holes.
Badge - Machine wash prohibited
Before washing a new item for the first time, many housewives ask themselves: is it possible to wash this item of clothing in a washing machine? But really, you can wash a thing in a machine or not, who will tell you? Manufacturer or other consumers taught by bitter experience? The special sign that the manufacturer displayed on the clothes will tell about this. What this sign looks like and where to look for it, all this we have to find out.
How to find such a designation?
When sewing a piece of clothing, a garment factory, no matter what country it is located in, sews a label from a particularly durable synthetic fabric onto it. On this label, images of icons are applied in black paint on a white background, which determine the order of care for the thing.
Deciphering the information encoded in the icons helps the owner of the thing to understand how to clean it:
- ;
- wash;
- bleach;
- iron;
- to dry.
Never tear or cut the care labels along with labels and price tags. You will definitely need this information in the future.
Finding such a label is not difficult, it is enough to briefly examine the most likely places where the manufacturer can sew it on. Places where this label will not be visible and will not interfere with wearing the garment are usually chosen. For example, on jackets, sweaters, T-shirts, shirts, a label with icons can be found in the collar area or at the belt on the wrong side. On pants and trousers, a piece of fabric with valuable information can be found at the slotted part on the wrong side, etc.
When you find a label, look closely at the icons it displays. It’s quite difficult to immediately understand what they mean, you will have to look for a special table that will help decipher the meaning of each sign.
But we, at the moment, are interested in the machine wash prohibited icon, and we'll talk about it.
What does he look like?
The sign prohibiting washing a thing in an automatic or semi-automatic washing machine is depicted by the manufacturer on the labels in cases where the garment can only be washed by hand, or if it can only be dry cleaned. In the first case, our icon is complemented by a sign familiar to everyone, which is a drawing of a basin of water and a hand dipped into it - “hand wash”, and in the second case, a basin of water crossed out crosswise - “it is forbidden to wash”.
If the thing can still be washed by hand, then the manufacturer is disingenuous, categorically prohibiting machine washing, because in modern automatic washing machines, there is a special “Hand Wash” mode. Having this mode, it is not necessary to wash by hand, the machine will do everything for you, while such a procedure will not cause any harm to things.
In the picture above, you can see a large image of the sign forbidding washing a garment in a washing machine. This image, it should be noted, is very spacious, a rectangle in a circle. Without knowing how such an icon is deciphered, it is very difficult to guess that we are talking about a ban on washing in a washing machine.
How to do without automatic washing?
As we noted above, if the manufacturer allows hand washing, this does not mean that the item cannot be washed in automatic mode, just use the "Hand Wash" program. However, more often, the above icon can be seen on things that generally cannot be wetted with water.
Strictly speaking, items that the manufacturer recommends only cleaning can be treated with a damp cloth or wet brush, but never soaked or put in the washing machine.
What should I do in this case? How to dry clean a thing in order to remove all stains from it and refresh it in general?
- A special dry cleaning kit is available for purchase.
The set is selected depending on the type of fabric and taking into account other features of the thing. In the set you will find: a bottle containing a detergent composition in the form of a spray, a special cloth, sheets of special paper and a special bag. Instructions for dry cleaning with this kit can be found on the box in which the kit is packaged. - If a thing is heavily soiled, there is not much point in cleaning it at home: firstly, it will not be possible to clean it without professional tools, and secondly, you can completely ruin the garment. Take advantage of dry cleaning services.
- Treat stains with a stain remover to be tested in advance on an inconspicuous part of the garment. Cover the thing with food paper, and then pack it in a plastic bag, which you hang about 1 meter from the radiator. After a day, take out the thing and evaluate the result, you may have to use an additional brush or cloth, but most of the dirt will be removed.
Summing up, we note that you have learned what the badge on clothes looks like, which briefly stands for “Do not machine wash”.
