Not sure if you need to hand wash or what type of bleach to use? Save your clothing by reading clothing tag symbols – made easy with this free printable laundry symbols chart!
If you want your clothing to look brand new for a long time you will need to learn proper laundry care. The best way to care for your clothing is to learn how to read laundry symbols.
While those symbols may look like hieroglyphics, I promise you won’t need to memorize any symbols or learn a new language. Just download and print my free printable laundry symbols chart. Keep it handy in a cabinet or on display in your laundry room for easy reference.
How To Read Laundry Symbols
Every item of clothing will have a label with care instructions. Rather than written directions, they use common symbols to explain how to properly care for that item.
There are some international standards of laundry instruction, but each region may have its own unique variations. Typically the United States and Canada are the same.
Want to avoid buying any clothing that requires a dry cleaner? Don’t want to ruin a special or fragile garment? This is where laundry care symbols save the day.
Comprehensive Guide To Laundry Symbols
There are 5 basic laundry or washing symbol that you will see on your clothing label (and the laundry symbols guide). They always appear in the same order, from left to right Washing, Bleaching, Ironing, Dry Cleaning, and Drying. The washing machine symbol appears as a bucket of water. Triangle for bleaching, iron icon means ironing guide, circle for dry cleaning instructions, and square for drying instructions.
- Any dots within the symbols will be a guide to temperature, typically water temperature or ironing. More dots mean a higher temperature – one dot for cold water, two for warm, three for hot, etc.
- A horizontal line underneath a laundry symbol indicates additional information.
Do you know what fabric cleaning code s means?
Washing Instruction Symbols
Washing Methods
- Machine Washable
- Hand Washing
- Do Not Wash
- Dry Clean Only / Professional cleaner
- Do Not Dry Clean
Washing Temperatures
- Wash cold water
- Wash warm water
- Wash hot water
Washing Cycle
- Normal Cycle
- Permanent Press Cycle
- Delicate/Gentle Cycle
What difference does temperature make when washing clothes? Higher temperatures kill germs (which helps with smells) and help remove heavy spills. Too high of heat can shrink clothing, so you want to use the warmest temperature your clothing items call for. The permanent press cycle helps to reduce wrinkles which means less ironing.
Looking for a jump start on spring cleaning? Check out this free printable home decluttering checklist!
Drying Symbols
Drying Methods
- Tumble Drying Allowed
- Do Not Tumble Dry
- Hang To Dry
- Dry Flat
- Do Not Wring
Drying Temperatures
- Any Heat
- High Heat
- Medium Heat
- Low Heat
- No Heat/Air
Drying Cycle
- Normal Cycle
- Permanent Press Cycle
- Delicate/Gentle Cycle
Bleaching Laundry Symbols
- Bleaching Allowed
- Do Not Bleach
- Use Non-Chlorine Bleach
Ironing Symbols
- Iron Low
- Iron Medium
- Iron High
- Do Not Iron
- No Steam Added To Iron
Synthetic fabrics can melt under a higher temperature of iron – I learned that the hard way! Wool and silk can be ironed, but can’t use steam. Your household iron should have temperature settings listed for the most common fabrics.
Dry Cleaning Symbols
- Dry clean only
- Do not dry clean
Laundry Detergent
There aren’t a lot of care tags that have basic symbols or instructions for detergents. New detergents are available in a cold water option, which is great for most clothing types.
FREE LAUNDRY ROOM DECOR
Not only is this handy laundry symbol guide so helpful, but it could also double as laundry room art! It could be framed, clipped into a clipboard, or laminated and taped to a wall or inside a cupboard.
Download The Laundry Symbols Chart Here:
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Comments & Reviews
Cora says
Thank you.. Very necessary.
Pat says
Thanks
Jen says
Thanks