Care Symbols PDF

Care Symbols 1. Washing Symbols Getting the temperature and wash cycle right is important for seeing great laundry results and can even prevent damage to clothes. When looking at the wash symbols, the three-sided cup shape is meant to represent washing tub, and these indicate what types of washing a...

Care Symbols 1. Washing Symbols Getting the temperature and wash cycle right is important for seeing great laundry results and can even prevent damage to clothes. When looking at the wash symbols, the three-sided cup shape is meant to represent washing tub, and these indicate what types of washing are safe for each particular garment. Machine Wash: This symbol indicates it is safe to wash the garment in a machine using the temperature and cycle indicated by other symbols. Hand Wash: The hand wash laundry symbol means not wash the garment in a machine and instead wash it by hand. It may be safe to machine wash on a “hand wash” cycle setting if the machine has one, but care should be taken to protect the garment. Do Not Wash: Garments or fabrics with this laundry symbol should not be washed in a machine or tub but should be taken to a professional dry cleaner when they become dirty. Dry Clean Only: Dry clean only garments must be taken to a dry cleaner for removal of dirt or other stains. Do Not Dry Clean: Clothing with the do not dry clean symbol should be washed using the gentlest setting on the washer. This will minimize agitation and potential damage to the fabric. It can also place inside a mesh bag or turn the garment inside out, running it on a short, delicate cycle to clean. 2- Washing Temperature Symbols Washing clothes in the proper temperature water can affect how clean garments get during the wash as well as control wear and tear on the fabric. Not all fabrics are created equally, and some are more delicate than others, so understanding clothes washing symbols and the proper temperature water to use when washing clothes will get them as clean as possible while also ensuring they last longer. Formula (32°F − 32) × 5/9 = 0°C Cold Temperature Water: Clothes with this symbol (wash tub with a single dot) should be washed in cold water between 65°F and 85°F. Warm Temperature Water: Clothes with this symbol (wash tub with two dots) should be washed in warm water with a max temperature of 105°F. Hot Temperature Water: Clothes with this symbol (wash tub with three dots) should be washed in hot water with a max temperature of 120°F. 3. Washing Machine Cycle Symbols Once knowing that the garment is safe for machine washing and what temperature water can be used to wash it in, it’s time to decide on what wash cycle to use. While many modern washing machines come with a wide variety of cycle settings, the washing machine symbols are quite straightforward, represented by a wash tub icon with zero, one, or two lines underneath. Normal Cycle: This wash cycle symbol is simply a tub with water in it and no lines underneath. It is reserved for stronger, more durable garments like t-shirts, socks, or jeans that can simply be tossed in and washed. These cycles typically provide more agitation and work harder to remove dirt and grime. Permanent Press Cycle: This wash cycle symbol is a tub with water and a single line underneath. “Permanent Press” clothing is usually made from synthetic fibers like polyester that are specially treated to guard against wrinkles. The Permanent Press cycle uses warmer water and slower spin cycles to release and reduce existing wrinkles. Delicate Cycle: This wash cycle symbol is a tub with water and two lines underneath. These cycles are meant for more delicate garments that could be prone to damage and uses low agitation, slow spin, and colder temperature water to wash clothes and protect fabric. 4. Drying Symbols Drying is an important part of the clothing care process, as the washing. Using the incorrect dryer setting could result in shrinking or damage that can render clothes non wearable. Knowing the drying symbols will be invaluable to save clothes from harm. Tumble Drying Allowed: Any garment with the Tumble Drying Allowed symbol can go into your dryer, but pay special attention to any additional symbols that indicate appropriate heat settings or risk damage to your clothing. Do Not Tumble Dry: This symbol, a standard Tumble Dryer symbol with an “X” through it, means the garment should not be put into dryer at all. Put these garments through an extra spin cycle to remove as much excess water as possible before hanging to dry. Hang to Dry: Items with the Hang to Dry symbol should be put on a line to allow them to air dry. Be sure to hang in a shady area out of direct sunlight as the sunlight can introduce heat that could shrink or damage the garment while drying. Dry Flat: Clothing with the Dry Flat symbol shouldn’t be put into a tumble dryer or hung, but rather should lay them flat on a drying rack or soft towel. Clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, hemp, or linen usually need to be air dried while lying flat to avoid stretching the fibers. Do Not Wring: Represented by a twisted symbol with an “X” through it, garments with this symbol should not be wrung to remove excess water as this could damage or stretch the fabric. 5. Drying Temperature Symbols While a Tumble Dry symbol does indicate that it’s safe to dry the garment in a machine dryer, it doesn’t mean that is required. Air drying on a line or flat on a rack or soft towel will always be a more gentle, eco-friendly way to dry clothing. Tumble Dry: This universal symbol indicates that a garment is safe to Tumble Dry, generally on any heat setting. While heat will help clothing dry more quickly, it’s important to note that it can also cause garments to shrink. Low Heat: Garments with this symbol should be tumble dried on your dryer’s low heat setting. Higher heat settings can damage or shrink garments with this symbol. Medium Heat: Clothing with a Medium Heat symbol should be tumble dried on your dryer’s medium heat setting as higher heat could damage or shrink them. High Heat: Clothing with a High Heat symbol can be tumble dried on your dryer’s high heat setting. No Heat/Air: A garment that’s safe to tumble dry but that has the No Heat/Air Dry symbol should be placed in the dryer and dried using no heat whatsoever. To be extra safe, you could also dry these on a line or drying rack to avoid damaging delicate fabrics. 6. Tumble Dry Laundry Symbols Normal Cycle: The Normal Cycle symbol on your tumble dryer is a general go-to setting that will dry fabrics using heat. Items like jeans, t-shirts, and sweatpants can be dried on this setting. Care should be taken when using this cycle as putting things like sweaters or other natural fiber garments could cause them to be shrunk or damaged. Permanent Press Cycle: The Permanent Press Cycle symbol on your tumble dryer is a setting that can help remove or reduce wrinkles in fabrics with synthetic fibers. Delicate/Gentle Cycle: This low-heat setting will take longer to dry clothes but is safer for delicate fabrics or garments prone to shrinking. 7. Bleaching Symbols Looking at the garment’s fabric care label to see if there is a bleach symbol indicated by a triangle or a do not bleach symbol, which is a triangle crossed out. Recognizing these signs can save the garment from getting permanently damaged by chlorine bleach. 8. Ironing Symbols Some fabrics look great after ironing, but others can be damaged. There are even some fabrics that simply need special care when ironing. The iron symbol represented by dots in the middle that denote the temperature setting, like those shown below.