#Washing machine symbols code
#Washing machine symbols license

“To bleach or not to bleach” is a common question when you’re loading up the washing machine. That’s why hot water is preferred for towels, sheets, and other durable materials that get a lot of day-to-day use. WASH IN HOT WATER: Hot water, which runs above 130 degrees Fahrenheit in washing machines, helps soap work more quickly and effectively-especially on stained and soiled items. This symbol doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t wash them cold water rather, it signifies that your clothes are safe in warmer water as well.Ħ. WASH IN WARM WATER: Warm water (usually around 110 degrees Fahrenheit) works best for everyday clothes in need of basic cleaning and odor removal. Linen, silk, rayon, and wool items tend to require cold water (typically somewhere between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit), as does cotton that hasn’t been pre-shrunk.ĥ. WASH IN COLD WATER: Some fabrics shrink in warm water, meaning you’ll want to keep them cool, whether you’re washing by hand or with a machine.

^ 'Laundry care symbols in Word, Excel and PowerPoint'.

^ 'Caring About the Consumers Beyond the Label' (PDF).

^ 'Laundry Basics | The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)'.

'Care Tag Labels Decoded – What Do Those Laundry Symbols Mean?'.

West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: ASTM International. ^ 'ASTM D5489: Standard Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on Textile Products'.^ a b 'Care Label Recommendations' (PDF).^ 'Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols'.^ 'Japan adopts the GINETEX textile care labelling symbols' (Press release).

#Washing machine symbols code

^ a b ISO 3758:2012 - Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols.

The bar symbols also indicate the level of spin recommended with more bars indicating lower preferred spin speed. Absence of bar indicates a maximum agitation (cotton wash), a single bar indicates medium agitation (synthetics cycle) and a double bar indicates very minimal agitation (silk/wool cycle). In the European standard, the level of wash agitation recommended is indicated by bars below the wash tub symbol. In the North American standard, dots are used to indicate the proper temperature range. A cross through washtub means that the textile may not be washed under normal household conditions. A hand in the tub signifies that only (gentle) hand washing (not above 40 ☌) is allowed. A double bar signifies very gentle handling.

A bar under the tub signifies a gentler treatment in the washing machine. A bar below each symbol calls for a gentler treatment than usual and a double bar for a very gentle treatment.Ī stylized washtub is shown, and the number in the tub means the maximum wash temperature (degrees Celsius).

#Washing machine symbols license

The symbols are protected and their use is required to comply with the license conditions incorrect labelling is prohibited.

A milder than specified treatment is always acceptable. Whether this treatment is necessary or sufficient, is not stated. The care label describes the allowable treatment of the garment without damaging the textile. As of 2021, the pictograms are not encoded in Unicode standards, because these symbols are not in public domain across various countries and are copyright. Worldwide, all of these systems tend to use similar pictograms or labelling to convey laundry care instructions. Īdditional textile care labelling systems have been developed for Australia, China, and Japan. Īmerican Cleaning institute developed and published their guide to fabric care symbols. In 1996, ASTM International published a system of pictorial care instructions as D5489 Standard Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on Textile Products with revisions in 1998, 2001, 2007, 2014, and 2018. In 2003, this system was withdrawn in favor of a pictogram-based system harmonized with North American and international standards.

In North America, the Standards Council of Canada in 1987 adopted CAN/CGSB-86.1-M87, a colour-based textile care labelling system where green indicated 'go ahead', yellow 'be careful', and red 'stop'. ISO 3758 was supplemented in 1993, revised in 2005 and again in 2012 with reviews of the standard held on a five-year cycle. By the early 1970s, GINETEX was working with ISO to develop international standards for textile labelling, eventually leading to the ISO 3758 standard, Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols. GINETEX, the France-based European association for textile care labelling, was formed in 1963 in part to define international standards for the care and labelling of textiles.