Designation of icons on clothes for washing: decoding

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

For a long time, housewives, wanting to keep their clothes clean and tidy, resorted to washing. Various substances were used as detergents - from simple ash to elderberries or plant roots. As a washing machine, special rolls, oak barrels and hot stones were used. After such a wash, the clothes wore out quickly. Today, technological progress makes it possible to choose the conditions for processing clothes from any type of fabric. The designation of wash icons on clothes helps you navigate the care modes.

Where the information is located

All information about the product is on special labels sewn, depending on the type of clothing, in different places:

• On knitwear, the label is located on the side seam.
• Under the collar of T-shirts and shirts, you can find information on how to care for these delicate items.
• At the waist of trousers and skirts, a label with deciphering the icons for washing onclothes.
• Not deprived of special designations and underwear. For shorts, tags are sewn into the side seam, and for bras, the necessary information must be looked for on the back in the area of the left strap.
• Outerwear has all wash labels in the left side seam.

It is noteworthy that all labels are usually made of soft fabric, which does not cause discomfort when wearing clothes. The designations of the badges are applied with a special paint that will not fade with the first wash.

Washing modes: hand and machine

Today, a lot of things are washed using an automatic machine. But there are also delicate fabrics that can only be hand washed. This is evidenced by the designations of icons for washing on clothes. Hand wash is marked on the label, like a hand immersed in a basin of water. Such a thing needs delicate manual processing at a water temperature of no more than 40 ° C. Such clothes cannot be wrung out and twisted. Also, the symbolic unit enclosed in a circle testifies to the prohibition of machine washing.

Machine wash on the label symbolizes the image of a basin of water. Such designations can be supplemented with the numbers 30, 40, 60 and 95, which indicate the temperature of the water. A basin with a double bottom indicates a gentle washing regime, and a crossed-out container symbolizes the prohibition of water treatment of the product.

The drawing of a water container with dots in the center also has its own meaning. Depending on the number of dots, the decoding of the designation of icons on clothes for washing is as follows: one dot symbolizes the washing of woolen fabrics, two dots - multi-colored cotton, nylon and polyester items, and three dots indicate the washing of dense materials that are not resistant to boiling.

Washing clothes made from natural fabrics

Natural fabrics are less whimsical to care for than synthetic ones. However, they also require proper care:

• Cotton clothes can be washed at any water temperature. Both machine and manual processing is possible. When washing, it is best to use all-purpose detergents.
• Silk fabric requires more delicate handling. It is recommended to wash silk items using special products for silk or wool, at a water temperature of no more than 30 ° C. The advantage is the hand wash mode.
• Woolen items are usually washed by hand or machine wash wool. You need to use special products for woolen things. It is best to dry sweaters and pullovers flat on towels away from open flames and direct sunlight.

Designation of icons for washing on clothes. Features of washing things made of synthetic fabrics

The specifics of the processing of synthetic materials are indicated by the icons on the labels of clothes for washing. This designation is a container with the number 40 and two dots in the center.

• Fabrics such as modal, rayon or viscose are treated with low temperature water. Hand wash is an advantage. Shouldremember that the shrinkage of things after washing can reach 4-7%.
• Elastane, lycra, polyamide, polyester, dacron and tactel clothing are machine washable at 40°C. It is not recommended to iron such things, as they are afraid of hot temperatures.

Prohibition symbols for washing on clothing labels

This is a separate category of symbols. Deciphering the icons on the labels of clothes for washing suggests the so-called prohibition symbols.

• The crossed-out basin of water indicates the prohibition of any washing. This item should only be dry cleaned.
• Together with the "Do not wash" sign, the "Do not dry" icon is also used - a crossed out square.
• The crossed out circle inside the square means no tumble drying or spinning.
• Crossed roller means impossibility of twisting. It is better to spread such things freely on a flat surface and let the water drain.
• The crossed-out iron symbolizes the prohibition of ironing. These are usually woolen and synthetic products. To keep clothes tidy, you need to carefully fold them after drying completely, avoiding the formation of wrinkles and wrinkles.
• Whitening products are indicated by a triangle. The crossed out figure means the impossibility of bleaching. Colored and synthetic items should not be subjected to this process.
• The crossed out circle symbolizes the impossibility of dry cleaning.

Explanatory signs for dry cleaning and bleaching

Some items cannot be washed. In this case, the only way out is dry cleaning. This method of care is evidenced by the image of the circle on the label.

However, when dry cleaning, it is recommended to follow the designations of the subtleties of the process.

• The crossed circle means the prohibition of the use of any chemicals. It is advisable to dry-clean or wet-clean such clothes.
• The letter A in a circle means that any chemicals can be used.
• The capital letter P inside the circle symbolizes the use of liquids consisting of hydrocarbon, ethylene chloride, monofluorotrichloromethane. At the same time, the underlined circle means a gentle cleaning regimen with similar products.
• The letter F denotes the use of white spirit and freon in the chemical treatment process. The underlined circle means gentle mode.
• The triangle symbolizes the use of bleach.
• Cl inside the triangle indicates the use of products containing chlorine.
• The triangle with several lines on the left side symbolizes the possibility of using non-chlorine bleaching liquids.

Drying and spinning modes

The washing process is impossible without subsequent spinning and drying. The meaning of the icons on clothes for washing also suggests the image of the symbols of the final processes of caring for things.

The integrity of the fabric and the shape of the product largely depend on the spin mode. Wringing too hard can damage the delicate thing, cause it to shrink, or, conversely, stretch it for severalmore sizes. Obviously, for each type of fabric, you need to select the appropriate spin mode. On the label, this process is depicted as a circle inscribed in a square. Paying attention to the tag, you can understand what the icons on clothes for washing mean.

• A circle within a square allows auto mode up to the most intense.
• If the figure is crossed out, spinning on a typewriter is not allowed. Squeezing such a thing should only be done with your hands without much physical strength.
• In the case of two parallel lines under the square, a delicate spin mode at low speeds is appropriate.
• The twisted crossed-out thing symbolizes the prohibition of all twisting. Such a thing should dry naturally.

As for drying, there are two ways to dry clothes - in an automatic machine or on a regular clothesline. The drying method is indicated by the square on the label.

• Just a figure means the possibility of any drying - both automatic and natural.
• A crossed-out square means no tumble drying.
• The figure with a horizontal line inside symbolizes drying things only in a horizontal position. These are usually knitted and woolen items that should dry on a flat surface.
• Three vertical lines inside the square means that the product must be dried by hanging vertically to allow water to gradually drain.
• A square with two oblique lines in the upper corner means avoiding direct sunlightrays during drying. This mode is appropriate for clothes that fade quickly - white shirts, tulle, underwear.

General washing recommendations

There are general rules for caring for clothes made from different fabrics. If there is no special designation on the label, do not bleach the thing. If you need to use bleach, it is recommended to try the product on a small area of clothes, invisible to the eye. This way you can find out the effect of the substance on the product.

• It is best to wash clothes in mild detergents - powders, mousses, gels.
• It is not recommended to exceed the dosage of the powder. Otherwise, problems with the process may occur (for example, during washing, excess foam may come out of the machine).
• It is recommended to sort white and colored clothes before washing.
• Colored and printed fabrics do not soak. In addition, a new colored item should be washed separately from all others, as it may shed.
• Dark clothing should be handled separately from others. When washing, it is recommended to use special powders or liquids for dark clothes.
• Underwear and delicate tulle curtains should be washed in a special bag.

Which clothes don't need to be washed?

Today, many housewives manage to wash almost everything, including sports shoes. But there are clothes that are subject only todry cleaning. These are leather and leatherette products, as well as fur items. Such clothes should be cleaned with special products or seek help from specialists. So you can extend the service of things for a long time.