People have been cautioned that they could be laundering their clothes, sheets and towels incorrectly by neglecting to read the laundry care labels on them.
For many, checking each individual label isn’t something we typically have time for. Instead, it’s more about throwing everything into the machine and calling it a day.
However, consumer experts from Which? have now clarified what each of these symbols on garments mean – and how ignoring them can result in damage to your clothes.
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There’s one symbol that indicates you shouldn’t be washing the item at all, and another which suggests it should be kept well away from any bleach-based stain removers. On TikTok, the experts started by explaining one of the most common signs – the one that resembles a bucket of water.
This signifies that the item can go into the washing machine, and it sometimes has a number inside it too, which denotes the maximum temperature it should be washed at. Another similar symbol, which looks like the bucket of water but with one solid line beneath it, means it should be washed on a synthetic cycle which is a lower spin speed, reports the Express.
And that same sign but with two lines underneath implies that it should be washed on a gentle or wool cycle. If the label has the bucket of water symbol with a cross in the middle, this means it shouldn’t be machine washed at all – not even on a delicate cycle.
The bucket of water with a hand in it signifies a hand-wash only situation. However, modern washing machines often have a hand-wash cycle, so it’s worth checking yours.
When it comes to cleaning your clothes, never use bleach on anything that has a label with a triangle crossed out. This indicates that bleach, including bleach-based stain removers like Napisan or Vanish, should not be used.
The plain circle symbol means the item is for dry-clean only. There are several key symbols to note when drying your clothes.
The square with a circle inside and a cross through it is the most obvious, indicating that the item should not be tumble dried – these items will need to be air dried instead. The symbol resembling a piece of fabric being twisted with a cross through it means you shouldn’t wring out the item to dry, as this could damage the fabric.