Garment Care Symbols

Garment Care Symbols

DRY CLEANING SYMBOLS This is the dry cleaning symbol, but the symbol itself doesn't tell the full story. There should be an additional letter inside the circle, indicating what type of dry cleaning a garment can be put through. In addition, the bar underneath the symbol gives additional information. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types   Dry Clean Articles cleanable in all normally available dry cleaning solvents, using any solvent, cycle, moisture & heat.       Wool, cotton, rayon, linen, polyester and nylon. Dry Clean (Not Trichloroethylene) Fabrics which are stable in perchloroethylene, and hydrocarbons, without restriction. Wool, cotton, rayon, linen, polyester and nylon, where restrictions on agitation are not indicated. Dry Clean (Not Trichloroethylene) Garments cleanable in the above range but with restrictions on heat, water addition and agitation. Acrylics, polyesters and silks where weaves, surfaces or fibre mixes make garments or fabrics sensitive to treatment.   Dry Clean (Petroleum Solvent) Articles cleanable in hydrocarbons (white spirit) and solvent 113 using normal dry cleaning techniques. Garments where surfaces, additions or materials are sensitive to cleaning solvents or heat.  Dry Clean (Petroleum Solvent)           Fabrics sensitive in normal cleaning solvents but with further restrictions on water addition, agitation and heat. Any fabric with this symbol is very sensitive to heat and movement. It should be cleaned in a bag and not pre or post treated.   Dry Clean (Short Cycle) Dry clean using the short cycle.   Dry Clean (Reduced Moisture) Dry clean using reduced moisture     Dry Clean (Low Heat)    Dry clean on a low heat setting   Dry Clean (No Steam) Dry clean using no steam   Do Not Dry Clean DO NOT DRY CLEAN Polyolefins: Items with special finishes or additions     IRONING SYMBOLS    The ironing symbol lets you know that you can iron a garment or fabric. However the dots let you know what temperature you can iron at. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types   Iron (Normal) Garments may be ironed at any temperature, using steam or dry.   Iron (Low Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Low setting, 110°C (230°F), only. Acrylic, nylon, acetates and polyester. Iron (Medium Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Medium setting, 150°C (300°F).   Wool, Polyester mixtures Iron (High Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at High setting, 200°C (390°F). Cotton, linen viscose and derivatives of viscose. Do Not Steam Garment may be ironed, but only dry. Using steam may damage the garment.   Do Not Iron Garment may not be ironed. Plasticised materials & some Acrylics      WASH SYMBOLS    This symbol solely refers to machine washing.  The correct temperature for washing has been indicated by a number inside the tub or a series of dots. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Machine Wash (Permanent Press) Garments which have been permanently shaped (are wrinkle resistant) should be laundered in the "permanent press" cycle.  This cycle normally involves a cold rinse before a reduced spin cycle.   Machine Wash (Gentle, Delicate) Wash only on the gentle cycle, involving a reduced spinning cycle and gentle agitation.   Hand Wash Only Wash these garments using water, detergent or soap gently using your hands.   Do Not Wash These garments cannot be safely washed. Usually, these will need to be dry cleaned.   TEMPERATURE RELATED   Machine Wash (NORMAL) When there is no temperature or dots in the symbol, and no line underneath, it is recommended the garment be washed with hottest available water temperature, as hot water washes better than cold.     Machine Wash (COLD) When 30C or one dot is shown, wash with gentle machine action for 1/2 load with a short spin.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 30°C (85°F). Silk and printed acetate fabrics with colours not fast at 40o.   Machine Wash (WARM) When 40C or two dots are shown, wash with reduced action for 1/2 load capacity and short spin.  Warm 40o wash with normal agitation, rinse and spin.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 40°C (105°F). Wool including blankets and wool mixes with cotton and rayon. Cotton linen and rayon where colours are fast at 40o but not at 60o.    Machine Wash (HOT) When 50C or three dots are shown, Hot wash with cold rinse and short spin or drip dry.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 50°C (120°F). White nylon or white polyester/cotton mixes.     Machine Wash (HOT) When 60C or four dots are shown, wash on maximum agitation normal rinse and spin.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 60°C (140°F). Cotton, linen and rayon item which are both colour fast and have no special surface finishes    Machine Wash (HOT) When 70C or five dots are shown, wash with 1/2 load capacity and short spin.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 70°C (160°F).  White cottons and linens with delicate weaves prone to distortion.   Machine Wash (HOT) When 95C or six dots are shown, wash 95o to boil wash with maximum agitation, normal rinse and spin.  The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 95°C (200°F). White cotton and linen with no special finishes         DRYING SYMBOLS   Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types   Tumble Dry (Permanent Press) Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "permanent press" setting.     Tumble Dry (Gentle) Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "gentle" setting.     Do Not Tumble Dry Garment may not be tumble dried. Usually one of the alternative symbols below will be supplied.  Wool, acrylic and most flocked polyesters   Line Dry Hang the garment to dry. Any kind of fabric.   Drip Dry Hang the garment to dry, without shaping or smoothing Soft polyesters & acrylics   Dry Flat Lay the garment out flat to dry. Acrylics, Cashmere Loose knitted knitwear   Dry In Shade This symbol may appear in conjunction with Line or Drip Dry. Dry the garment in the shade, away from direct sunlight. Cotton, Linen and any vivid colour garment   Do Not Wring Do not wring the garment to dry Wool, acrylic, Silk and most flocked polyesters TEMPERATURE RELATED   Tumble Dry (Normal) Garment may be tumble dried at the hottest available setting.     Tumble Dry (Cold) Garment may be tumble dried only at the cold "No Heat" or "Air Only" setting.     Tumble Dry (Low Heat) Garment may be tumble dried only at a low heat. Polyester, nylon, acetates, loose weave garments and those with surface finishes.   Tumble Dry (Medium Heat) Garment may be tumble dried up to a medium heat only. Cotton and linen. Tumble Dry (High Heat) Garment may be tumble dried at a high heat. Cotton and linen.         BLEACH SYMBOLS   Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types   Bleach As Needed Any bleach (including chlorine) may be used when needed on the garment. Cotton, acrylic, polyester   Bleach As Needed (Non-Chlorine Only) Only non-chlorine, colour-safe bleach may be used on these garments when needed. Some wools & silks, anything OK with chlorine bleach   Do Not Bleach  Garments with this symbol are not able to withstand any bleach. Wool, silk