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Washing Symbols Explained & illustrated

Washing Symbols

To maintain your workwear’s pristine condition and ensure that the garments last as long as possible, you must wash and clean them in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. These instructions are placed on a label on the inner part of your clothing. They include some small laundry symbols, which can be difficult to read and understand. This article explores and explains all types of laundry symbols.

Washing Method Symbols

Washing Symbol – Indicates that the clothes can be washed safely in the washing machine.

Machine Wash Permanent Press Symbol – The garment can be washed in the washing machine, but only with the permanent press cycle. In this cycle, clothes are washed in warm water and rinsed in cool water, and afterward, the agitation and spin cycles are mild. The permanent press cycle is used to prevent or remove wrinkles on clothes.

Machine Wash Gentle Cycle Symbol – This indicates that the clothing can be cleaned in the washing machine using the gentle cycle, which involves a quick wash using cold water, followed by a slow tumble and then a spin cycle. The gentle cycle can also be indicated in some machines as the delicate cycle and is ideal for more fragile fabrics that need extra care.

Do Not Wash Symbol – This means that the item can’t be washed in the washing machine because doing so can ruin the fabric. In this case, the clothing must be dry cleaned, or hand washed to avoid damage.

Hand Wash Symbol – The item must be washed by hand and not in the washing machine to prevent damage. The garment can be washed in a small tub or the sink, using the hands and with a detergent that’s gentler (compared to those that are for machine washing) and suitable for hand washing.

Do Not Wring Symbol – This signifies that the item should not be wrung after being washed, most often by hand. This typically applies to delicate garments that may be damaged with wringing, which can be dried instead by being laid flat on absorbent materials or with line drying.

Dry Clean Symbol – This indicates that the clothing item can only be cleaned through dry cleaning and not in the washing machine, where it can get ruined. Without any other characters inside the circle, this symbol indicates that the garment is suitable for dry cleaning without special treatments.

Do Not Dry Clean Symbol – This represents that the garment isn’t suitable for dry cleaning. The fabric may be too delicate, so it can be damaged when exposed to the chemicals used in the dry-cleaning procedure.

Wring Symbol – This means the item can be wrung out after washing without damaging the fabric. Wringing is done to remove most of the water from the clothing item after it has been rinsed.

Washing Instruction Symbols

Washing Symbol – The garment can safely be cleaned using a washing machine.

Machine Wash Permanent Press Symbol – This specifies that the item can be machine-washed only on the permanent-press cycle. Washing the garment in the machine using other cycles is not recommended as this may result in damage.

Machine Wash Gentle Cycle Symbol – This indicates that machine washing suits the garment, but only the gentle cycle should be used. This cycle is often for delicate items or fabrics that may be ruined by more vigorous washing cycles.

Do Not Wash Symbol – This illustrates that the item is not machine washable and can only be cleaned either by dry cleaning or hand washing.

Hand Wash Symbol – Garments with this sign on the care label need to be washed by hand only and not in the washing machine, where they can get ruined.

Do Not Wring Symbol – Clothes with this character should not be wrung out because doing so can harm their fabrics. To remove excess water from the garment, it can be line-dried or laid flat instead.

Wring Symbol – This means it’s safe to wring out the garment to get rid of water after rinsing.

Wash at or Below 30°C Symbol – This illustrates that the item is suitable for machine washing but only using cold water with a temperature of 30°C or below. Using higher water temperatures may damage the fabric. This symbol is often used for clothes made with delicate fabrics, such as silk.

Wash at or Below 40°C Symbol – This is a sign that the garment is machine washable, with the recommended maximum water temperature being 40°C.

Wash at or Below 50°C Symbol – Garments with this symbol should be machine washed using hot water with a maximum temperature of 50°C.

Wash at or Below 60°C Symbol – This specifies that the clothing item needs to be cleaned in the washing machine with water that should not be hotter than 60°C.

Wash at or Below 70°C Symbol – Items carrying this symbol are designated for washing in the machine using water that has a maximum temperature of 70°C. Washing such items in hotter water can result in the fabric being damaged.

Wash at or Below 95°C Symbol – This shows that the garment is machine washable with hot water reaching up to 95°C.

Wash at or Below 30°C Symbol – This illustration says that the item can be washed in the washing machine using water that doesn’t have a temperature exceeding 30°C. Going above this temperature can cause damage to the item’s fibers.

Wash at or Below 40°C Symbol – The garment can safely be washed in the washing machine only with water that is not hotter than 40°C.

Wash at or Below 50°C Symbol – This is placed on machine washable garments using water that does not exceed the temperature of 50°C.

Wash at or Below 60°C Symbol – Clothes with this symbol are suitable for machine washing, provided the water temperature does not exceed 60°C.

Wash at or Below 70°C Symbol – Garments with this symbol on the care label should be machine washed in hot water, with a maximum temperature of 70°C.

Wash at or Below 95°C Symbol – The indicator states that the clothing item needs to be cleaned in the washing machine, but you need to ensure that the hot water temperature does not go above 95°C.

Bleaching Instruction Symbols

Bleach Symbol – This triangle indicates that the clothing item can be bleached and that any bleach can be used without harming the fabric.

Do Not Bleach Symbol – The garment should not be bleached because the chemicals can damage the fabric. If clothes are unsuitable for bleaching, they can discolor, or the fibers can significantly degrade when exposed to strong chemicals.

Do Not Bleach Symbol – This shaded triangle also means that the garment is unsuitable for bleaching, which can cause irreparable damage to the fabric.

Chlorine Bleach Symbol – This states that chlorine or chlorine-based bleaches can be used safely on the garment.

Non-Chlorine Bleach Symbol -This illustrates that only products without chlorine should be used for bleaching the clothing item. Otherwise, it can be ruined or considerably discolored during the stain removal procedure.

Non-Chlorine Bleach Symbol – This symbol indicates that using chlorine-based bleach on the garment is unsafe. Only non-chlorine bleach should be used to remove stains from clothes with this symbol.

Drying Symbols

Natural Dry Symbol – This means that the garment needs to be dried the natural way – without the help of a machine or dryer. In addition, different characters may be placed inside the square to indicate additional instructions on how to dry the item safely.

Do Not Dry Symbol – This indicates that the garment should not be dried in the dryer, as doing so can cause damage or shrink the item.

Line Dry Symbol – This specifies that the clothing needs to be hung out in a line to dry. The garment can be placed directly on the clothesline, or a hanger can be used. This protects the clothes from becoming misshapen, which can happen when other drying methods are used.

Dry Flat Symbol – This indicates that the item needs to be laid out on a flat surface (as opposed to hanging or tumble-drying), where it’s allowed to dry naturally.

Drip Dry Symbol – The representation means that the clothing should be hung out while it’s dripping wet and allowed to dry naturally. This method can prevent wrinkles from forming while the item dries up.

Shade Dry Symbol – This is placed on the care labels of garments that need to be dried naturally in the shade, away from direct sunlight that can damage the fabrics. Other characters can be added to specify the best and safest way to dry the clothing item.

Line Dry in Shade Symbol – Garments with this on the label should be hung out to dry on a line in the shade, where they can be protected from harsh sunlight.

Dry Flat in Shade Symbol – This signifies that the clothing needs to be laid flat to dry on a surface in the shade, away from direct sunlight.

Drip Dry in Shade Symbol – Clothes showing this symbol should be hung up after washing, allowing them to drip until they dry in the shade without being exposed to harsh sunlight.

Tumble Dry Normal Symbol – This states that the garment is suitable for tumble-drying using the normal setting in the clothes dryer.

Tumble Dry Low Heat Symbol – Low heat should be used to dry the clothes inside the dryer to prevent damage and shrinkage.

Tumble Dry Medium Heat Symbol – This indicates that the medium heat setting needs to be used safely to tumble-dry the garment in the dryer.

Tumble Dry High Heat Symbol – Clothes with this symbol should be tumble-dried in the dryer using high heat and will not shrink or become misshapen.

Tumble Dry No Heat Symbol – With this symbol on, garments must be tumble-dried in the dryer without any heat to avoid damage and shrinkage.

Tumble Dry Gentle Symbol – Tumble drying should be done using the permanent press cycle, which uses medium heat to dry clothes gently. The permanent-press dryer cycle minimizes the risk of wrinkle development on the garments as they are tumble-dried.

Tumble Dry Very Gentle Symbol – This signifies the need to use the gentle cycle, which involves a slow spin cycle and weaker agitation. With less force used, delicate garments can be protected from damage.

Do Not Tumble Dry Symbol – This is placed on the care label of clothes that should not be dried in the dryer. Instead, the items can be dried naturally by placing them on a drying rack to drip-dry, on a clothesline for line-drying, or a flat surface.

Clean and Dry Clean Symbols

Dry Clean Symbol – The symbol means that the clothing should not be cleaned in the washing machine and instead needs dry cleaning. The symbol can include other characters to indicate more specific instructions on dry and cleaning the garment safely. The dry cleaning process uses no water but special solutions to remove dirt and stains.

Do Not Dry Clean Symbol – This denotes that the garment is unsuitable for dry cleaning. Other cleaning methods should be used for effective and safe washing.

Dry Clean Any Solvent Symbol – This symbol tells the dry cleaner that any dry-cleaning solution can clean the clothing item safely and effectively.

Dry Clean, Hydrocarbon Solvent Only Symbol – This indicates that the dry cleaning process should only be done using hydrocarbon or petroleum-based solvents or cleaning solutions.

Gentle Dry Clean, Hydrocarbon Solvent Only Symbol – This symbol means that a gentle method is needed for the dry-cleaning process, which should use only petroleum-based solvents.

Very Gentle Dry Clean, Hydrocarbon Solvent Only Symbol – Garments with this on the label need an exceptionally gentle method of dry-cleaning using only hydrocarbon or petroleum-based cleaning solvents.

Dry Clean with PCE Symbol – Dry-cleaning clothes with this symbol should be done using any solvent except those containing Trichloroethylene.

Gentle Dry Clean with PCE Symbol – The garment needs to be dry-cleaned using a gentler cycle with any cleaning solvent apart from Trichloroethylene.

Very Gentle Dry Clean with PCE Symbol – Clothes with this symbol must be dry-cleaned in an extremely delicate process while using any cleaning solution, except those that include Trichloroethylene as a component.

Dry Clean Short Cycle Symbol – Clothes with this symbol should be dry-cleaned using the short cycle. This exposes the garment to the dry-cleaning solution for only a short period, minimizing the risk of damage to the fabric.

Dry Clean Reduced Moisture Symbol – The item needs to be dry-cleaned with a moisture level lower than the one used in normal dry-cleaning procedures.

Dry Clean Low Heat Symbol – This indicates that only low heat should be used for dry cleaning the garment to protect it from damage.

Dry Clean No Steam Symbol – This instructs the dry cleaner not to use steam on the clothing item after the dry-cleaning procedure.

Wet Clean Symbol – The clothes must be washed with water and non-toxic detergent. Unlike dry cleaning, which uses chemical-based solutions, wet cleaning (professionally done) uses a special machine with water-based, chemical-free cleaning agents to clean clothes.

Do Not Wet Clean Symbol – Theis signifies that the garment is not suitable for wet cleaning or the use of chemical-free, water-based solutions for cleaning.

Gentle Wet Clean Symbol – The clothing needs to be wet-cleaned using a gentler agitation than the normal method.

Very Gentle Wet Clean Symbol – This states the need for wet cleaning using extremely gentle agitation and lower water temperature, which very delicate fabrics may require.

Ironing Instruction Symbols

Iron Symbol – Clothes with this symbol on the care label can be ironed safely without damaging the fabric. Ironing removes wrinkles to make the garment look a lot smoother and neater. If the iron symbol does not have dots inside, this is a sign that the item can be ironed using any temperature.

Do Not Iron Symbol – This symbol means that the garment is not suitable for ironing, which can damage the fabric.

Iron at Low Temperature Symbol – Items with this symbol can be ironed using low temperature to avoid damage. This low-temperature setting is often used for delicate fabrics like silk and wool.

Iron at Medium Temperature Symbol – This symbol is for clothes that can be ironed using a medium heat setting, typically used for synthetic fabrics.

Iron at High Temperature Symbol – The symbol means that the garment can be ironed at high temperatures, which is safe enough for sturdier materials, such as cotton and linen.

Steam Symbol – This means that steam can be used during ironing without damaging the garment’s material. In addition, steam helps remove wrinkles more easily for more effective ironing and smoother results.

Do Not Steam Symbol – The symbol only indicates the need for dry ironing. Clothes with this symbol can be ironed safely without using steam, which can harm the fabric’s fibers.

Conclusion

Washing symbols work as guides for the safe and effective cleaning of different types of clothing. It’s worth knowing the meaning of these symbols as they can help you maximize the life and quality of your clothes. Clothes, including workwear, can be protected from damage by adhering to the washing symbols indicated on the care label. By following the clear symbols and recommendations of the manufacturer, you’ll be able to not only remove dirt and stains effectively – but you can also prolong the life of the clothes that take a beating while you’re on the job.

FAQs

Can you soak a garment with a “do not wash” symbol?
No – this symbol also covers the soaking step, and doing so can harm the item’s fabric.
Are washing symbols and their meanings the same worldwide?
There may be slight variations in the symbols (and their meanings) across different countries, but the most common washing symbols are the same even in international clothing products.
When is warm water better for cleaning clothes?
Warm water generally removes dirt on fabrics better than cold water. It’s often used for white clothes and soiled items, as cold water may not be enough to clean these garments effectively.
Do clothing items with the “dry clean” symbol need dry cleaning?
Even if it’s not a definite requirement, it’s best to follow the care label when it says, “dry clean”. This helps prevent damage to the clothing, preserving its appearance and performance for much longer.
Is water used in dry cleaning?
No – dry cleaning involves cleaning clothes by soaking them in a chemical-based solution to remove stains, dirt, and wrinkles. Water is used in wet cleaning, which uses water-based cleaning solutions that don’t have harsh chemicals.
Why do some garments need to be drip-dried in the shade?
Drip drying in the shade protects clothes from the sun’s harsh rays, which can cause colors to fade. Allowing clothes to drip until they dry away from direct sunlight can help maintain their vibrant colors for much longer.

Luke Davis

Luke is the lead author on WorkWear.org. He has a vast experience in construction engineering and project management in California and Texas, where he had the chance to put to test a wide range of safety boots and PPE. Outside work, Luke is an avid hiker and not surprisingly a DIY fanatic!