Decoding Laundry Symbols

We’ve all seen (and promptly ignored) the laundry codes on the labels of our garments and linens. What do those symbols even mean? Does following them make a difference?

It just takes shrinking a wool or cashmere sweater once to find out that they DO matter. 

There are 5 categories of symbols: Wash, Temperature, Treat, Dry, and Iron. 

1. Wash: These symbols will tell you whether or not you can hand wash, machine wash, use a gentle cycle, etc.
2. Temperature: Can you run a cold, warm, or hot cycle? 
3. Treat: These will tell you if an item is bleachable, requires dry cleaning, etc.
4. Dry: Some things need to be hung, laid flat, or tumble-dried, and these symbols will tell you which and what temperature your dryer should be set to.
5. Iron: Before you burn a hole in your silk shirt, check here to see if it can be ironed and what temperature to set your iron to. 

We’ve created an easy-to-print PDF that includes all the standard laundry symbols and even a handy stain guide. You can hang it in your laundry room for easy reference. Check it out here. 

Becky @GoCleanCo