Laundry Symbols and Their Meanings

Laundry symbols may seem like hieroglyphics at first glance, but understanding their meaning can significantly simplify your laundry routine. These tiny pictograms found on clothing labels hold the key to ensuring that your favorite garments receive the care they deserve. In this blog post, we will explain laundry symbols, their meanings, and how it relates to your laundry load.

Nabeeha Kazi

October 20, 2023

Introduction

What are Laundry Symbols?

Laundry symbols are small icons designed to provide information about how to properly care for a garment. They serve as a universal language for fabric care instructions, eliminating language barriers and allowing anyone to decipher the laundry needs of their clothing. These symbols are typically found on clothing labels, helping us understand how to wash, dry, bleach, iron and care for our garments appropriately.

Washing Symbols:

Let's start with the washing symbols, which indicate the preferred method of cleaning for a particular garment.

(Left to right) Bucket of water, hand in water bucket, crosses out bucket of water, a bucket of water with numbers on it

A bucket of water: This symbol suggests that the garment is machine washable.

A hand in the water: This symbol indicates that hand washing is recommended for the garment.

A crossed-out bucket of water: This symbol means the garment should not be washed and requires dry cleaning.

A bucket of water: A bucket of water symbol with a number on it means wash the clothing at that temperature of lower as the last symbol to the right shows.

Drying Symbols:

Drying symbols inform us about the best way to dry our clothes after washing. Here are some commonly encountered drying symbols:

(Left to right) Square with circle, crossed out square circle, horizontal line inside the square

A square with circle: This symbol suggests that the garment can be tumble dried.

A crossed-out square circle: This symbol indicates that tumble drying should be avoided, and the garment should be air-dried.

A horizontal line inside the square: This symbol means the garment should be laid flat to dry.

Bleaching Symbols:
Bleaching symbols provide instructions on whether it is safe to use bleach on a garment. Here are two common symbols you may come across:

(Left to right): A triangle, acrossed out triangle

A triangle: This symbol indicates that chlorine bleach can be used on the garment.

A crossed-out triangle: This symbol signifies that chlorine bleach should not be used, and only non-chlorine bleach is safe.

Ironing Symbols:
Ironing symbols guide us on the appropriate temperature settings for ironing our clothes. The most frequently encountered ironing symbols include:

(Left to right) Crossed out iron, iron with 1 dot, iron with 2 dots, iron with 3 dots

A crossed out iron: This symbol means do not iron.

An iron with one dot: This symbol suggests that the garment can be ironed at low heat.

An iron with two dots: This symbol indicates that the garment can withstand medium heat.

An iron with three dots: This symbol signifies that the garment can handle high heat.

Conclusion:

Cracking the code of laundry symbols empowers you to become a master of garment care. By understanding these icons, you can confidently navigate your laundry routine, ensuring that your clothes receive the care they require. Properly washing, drying, bleaching, and ironing your garments not only helps maintain their appearance but also extends their lifespan.

LaundryWell understands the importance of following laundry symbols to ensure garments stay fresh and vibrant. With their attention to detail and commitment to quality, LaundryWell takes the utmost care in handling clothes, providing convenient services that prioritize proper garment care.