To take care of your textiles, it is important to know how to read labels in order to fully understand the information they give, whether for washing, drying or ironing. Here's how to decipher the dryer label and other laundry care labels.
Drying labels
Machine drying
The symbols relating to the dryer are represented by a square with a circle inside, somewhat reminiscent of a front-loading appliance. They include points that indicate the maximum recommended temperature:
- A point means that the garment can be dried at a maximum temperature of 60°C.
- Two points means that the drying temperature can be up to 80°C at most.
- The symbol with a cross means that it is not recommended to put the garment in the dryer.
Natural drying
Pictograms relating to the natural drying of laundry appeared recently. They indicate whether the laundry should be spun or not and recommend a drying position:
- The square with a horizontal line inside means that the laundry can be spun in the machine and recommends drying flat.
- The square with two horizontal lines means that the laundry should not be spun in the machine and recommends drying flat.
- The square with a vertical line recommends line drying after spinning in the machine .
- The square with two vertical lines recommends line drying without spinning.
- The square with a horizontal line and a small line added in the left corner recommends drying in the shade.
Washing labels
For machine washing
Washing your laundry must be carried out following certain rules. First of all, it is advisable to sort. For example, when it comes to your household linen, wash your bed linen as well as your tea towels and napkins, avoiding mixing them, as the washing instructions are often not the same. Regarding the labels, those for washing are represented by a basin filled with water:
- The number on the basin indicates the maximum temperature at which the laundry can be washed.
- A line under the basin recommends a gentle wash cycle and moderate spinning.
- Two lines under the basin recommend a delicate program with reduced spinning.
- A drawn hand indicates that laundry must be washed by hand.
- A crossed out basin means that the laundry must be dry cleaned.
For dry cleaning
The dry cleaning symbol represents a circle with a letter inside it. The latter tells the professional which solvent product he should use. Some cleaning restrictions are indicated by two lines below the circle. And if the latter is crossed out, it means that you should not take the item of clothing to the dry cleaners.
Ironing labels
The pictograms relating to ironing show an iron with one, two or three dots inside which provide information on the ironing temperature at low, medium or hot iron. If the iron is crossed out, this of course indicates that the clothes should not be ironed.
Labels for bleaching
Laundry bleaching symbols are represented by a triangle which indicates that all types of bleaching are permitted. If two lines appear inside, this means that you can only use chlorine-based products, and therefore no bleach. Finally, if the triangle is crossed out, it is not recommended to use bleaching.
Some tips for properly maintaining your bed linen
We spend an average of eight hours in bed each night and we tend to sweat a lot there. To keep our bedding clean and healthy while avoiding the proliferation of bacteria and mites, we must wash our bed linen very regularly. In summer, it is even recommended to wash it every week.
You will not need to use a specific detergent to wash your bed linen. The product you use for other textiles may be perfectly suitable. On the other hand, be careful to respect the dose recommended by the detergent manufacturer depending on the weight of laundry to be washed. And if you have young children, choose organic products for cleaning their bed linen and clothes.
Bonsoirs bed linen is made of cotton percale , cotton satin or washed linen . Cotton percale can be washed at 40 or 60°C (a temperature of 40°C is often sufficient) and tumble dried at moderate heat. The washing temperature is the same for washed linen and it can be tumble dried on low heat. Finally, cotton satin can also be washed at 40 or 60°C, depending on how dirty it is. For drying, prefer open air if you can, otherwise choose a gentle or moderate heat cycle.
One last little tip is to remove stains from your bed linen before putting it in the washing machine. To do this, simply rub them with stain remover or a little Marseille soap and let it sit for a few minutes before placing the laundry in the tank of your machine.
You will like also…
How to properly clean a pillowcase?
Why soak your laundry in white vinegar?