To ensure a longer life for our garments, how to interpret the symbols on the labels regarding washing, drying and ironing
By respecting the directions on clothing labels and washing machine instructions we can guarantee a longer life for our garments. Here's how to interpret the washing, drying and ironing label symbols.
For some, doing laundry is really a complicated undertaking. You never know how to combine colors, fabrics, which temperatures to choose, whether or not to use the centrifuge. Furthermore, today's washing machines are efficient and quiet but not always easy to use. They offer dozens of programs, weigh the garments, allow you to increase the intensity of the wash according to the dirt. But before even using the washing machine, it is important to understand how to wash your clothes: temperature, spin cycle, washing times, detergents, bleach or drying methods. Clothes labels talk about all these aspects and we need to be very careful if we want our favorite pieces to last long.
Index
By hand or in the washing machine
The washing symbol is the bowl. This symbol can present itself in many ways.
- The simple basin with water means that the product is machine washable;
- The basin with the hand instead indicates that the product must be washed by hand and therefore it is better to avoid the washing machine;
- The basin with an X indicates that the garment is not machine washable. In this case it is necessary to see if it is hand washable or dry in the dry cleaners.
At what temperature
Temperature is important because some colored or delicate fabrics can be damaged by high temperatures: this is the case with wool or silk. For this reason, if we want garments that are always bright and like new it is very important to respect the temperature indicated on the label.
Generally in the garments the degrees are indicated with the number and only exceptionally with the dots.
While as regards the number it is easy to understand how many degrees centigrade it corresponds to, for the dots we must know the symbol well and do some calculations.
The dots start from a minimum of 1 = 30º to a maximum of 6 = 95º. Each additional dot is calculated with 10 degrees more. For instance:
- 1 dot = max 30
- 2 balls = max 40º
- 3 balls = max 50º
- 4 balls = max 60º
- 5 balls = max 70º
- 6 balls = max 95º
Delicate items
Another difficult symbol to interpret is the basin with a dash underneath. In this case, if there is no mark under the bowl, it means that it is a normal wash. Instead one dash means reduced wash and 2 dashes, delicate wash. In this case it means that we have to choose a short wash, at low temperatures and with one very light spin (max 800).
For example, if the symbol of a wrung cloth appears with an X on it (similar to a candy), it means that those items cannot be wrung. In this case, if by hand, we will not squeeze, and if in the washing machine we will have to completely remove the spin cycle. This could be the case when washing silk or wool garments.
Yes or no bleach
The symbol for bleaching is the triangle. So the empty triangle indicates that the garment can be bleached with any type of bleach. While if there is an X on it or if the triangle is black, the garment cannot be bleached. If, on the other hand, the triangle has two diagonal lines inside or the word CL with an X on it, it means that chlorine-free bleaches can be used. For example in the case of colored cotton clothes on which stain remover or bleaches for delicate or colored garments can be applied.
When to take them to the dry cleaners
Some garments cannot be washed in the washing machine or by hand and it is preferable to take them to the dry cleaners, where they will be dry cleaned with special solvents. In this case it is advisable to look at the symbols with the circle.
The empty circle means that dry cleaning is recommended. While if there is a circle with an X on it, it means that it must be washed in the washing machine and not dry. If there is a W inside the circle, it means that the garment is dry cleanable and in water.
Even in the dry cleaners, the staff will have to pay attention to the type of solvent allowed. And the circled symbols A, P and F indicate respectively:
- A, any solvent can be used;
- P, any solvent except tetrachlorene;
- F, usable petroleum solvents.
Using the dryer
For those who own a dryer it is very important to know the corresponding symbols. Also, in some cases, some items do not have to dry flat or in the sun. The drying symbols are those with the square and there may be other symbols inside.
- The square alone means, in general, that the garment can be dried.
- The square with a circle inside means that the garment can be dried in the washing machine.
- If, on the other hand, the circle inside the square is black or there is an X on it, it means that the garment cannot be put in the dryer.
- If there are dots inside the circle, they refer to the temperature. 1 shot at low temperature; 2 medium temperature shot; 3 high temperature shot.
How to hang clothes
Some items may lighten when exposed to the sun, while others may warp. For example, wool should not be exposed to the sun, because if pale it would turn yellow. The same wool cannot be hung on the drying rack, because the garment would deform. It is therefore good to interpret the symbols to spread the clothes correctly and not to ruin them.
If we see a square with a thread at the top, it means that the garment can be hung.
If there are two oblique lines in the upper left, the garment must be spread out in the shade.
Instead, the horizontal or vertical lines inside the square indicate that the dress can be hung vertically or must be spread horizontally.
The symbols of the iron
Also with regard to the use of the iron it is useful to carefully observe the labels. In this way we will avoid unsightly burns on our favorite garments.
The iron symbol alone means that you can iron the garment at any temperature and even steam. This will be the case with cotton and linen items.
If, on the other hand, there is an X on the iron, it means that the fabric must not be ironed.
If you see two oblique lines under the iron and there is an X above it, we are faced with the prohibition of using steam.
While in other cases there may be dots inside the iron, which indicate the maximum temperature to use.
- 1 dot = max 110º
- 2 balls = max 150º
- 3 balls = max 200º
In short, with a little experience and a little logic we could easily interpret these symbols that at first glance looked like hieroglyphs. In this way, doing the perfect laundry and respecting our beloved clothes will be child's play.
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