| The
order of the washing symbols have been formalised so that all countries
should now follow the same order and anyone anywhere should be able to
understand the system. Here is the order the symbols should now appear in: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Machine Washing |
Bleaching |
Ironing |
Drying |
Dry Cleaning |
|
| Symbol |
Description |
Likely Fibres |
|
This
symbol solely refers to machine washing. Previously the correct
temperature for washing has been indicated by a number inside the tub but
now there will be a series of dots that do the same job. |
 |
Very hot 95o to boil wash with maximum agitation,
normal rinse and spin. |
White
cotton and linen with no special finishes |
 |
Same as above but with 1/2 load capacity and short spin. |
White
cottons and linens with delicate weaves prone to distortion. |
 |
Hot 60o with maximum agitation normal rinse and
spin. |
Cotton,
linen and rayon item which are both colour fast and have no special
surface finishes. |
 |
Hot wash with cold rinse and short spin or drip dry. |
White nylon
or white polyester/cotton mixes. |
 |
Warm 40o wash with normal agitation, rinse and
spin. |
Cotton
linen and rayon where colours are fast at 40o but not at 60o. |
|
40o wash with reduced action for 1/2 load
capacity and short spin. |
Wool
including blankets and wool mixes with cotton and rayon. |
 |
Cool 30o wash with gentle machine action for 1/2
load with a short spin. |
Silk and
printed acetate fabrics with colours not fast at 40o. |
 |
DO NOT MACHINE WASH hand wash only do not wring or
spin. |
Wool, silk,
acetate and acrylic materials sensitive to mechanical action. |
| dry
cleaning instructions: |
|
|
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. |
|
Articles cleanable in all normally available dry cleaning
solvents. |
Wool,
cotton, rayon, linen, polyester and nylon. |
 |
Fabrics which are stable in
Perchloroethylene, and hydrocarbons, without restriction. |
All the
above, where restrictions on agitation are not indicated. |
 |
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. |
 |
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. |
 |
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. |
 |
DO NOT DRY CLEAN |
Polyolefins.
Items with special finishes or additions. |
| ironing
instructions: |
|
|
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. |
|
Hot iron to 210o max |
Cotton,
linen viscose and derivatives of viscose. |
|
Warm iron 150o max |
Wool,
Polyester mixtures. |
|
Cool iron 110o max |
Acrylic,
nylon, acetates and polyester. |
 |
DO NOT IRON |
Plasticised
materials & some Acrylics. |
| drying
instructions: |
 |
May be tumbled at high heat |
Cotton and
linen. |
 |
Tumbling allowed at minimum temperature. |
Polyester,
nylon, acetates, loose weave garments and those with surface finishes. |
 |
DO NOT Tumble |
Wool,
acrylic and most flocked polyesters. |
 |
Drip
Dry |
Soft
polyesters & acrylics |
 |
Dry
in the shade |
Cotton,
Linen and any vivid colour garment |
 |
Dry
Flat |
Acrylics,
Cashmere Loose knitted kntwear. |
 |
Line
Dry |
Any
kind of fabric. |
| bleaching
instructions: |
|
|
May be chlorine bleached. |
Cotton,
acrylic, polyester. |
 |
Do not bleach |
Wool, silk. |
 |
Non-Chlorine Bleach |
Some
wools & silks, anything OK with chlorine bleach. |
