Penny Lane Domestic Appliances

	Care symbols on clothing labels (European standard)
The care symbols on clothing labels are there to help you clean, dry and iron your clothes effectively, without damaging them. However, they can be confusing, so here is a clear explanation of what they all mean.
Washing

Cotton Wash (Maximum)	Synthetics Wash (Medium)	Wool Wash (Minimum)	Hand Wash Only
Do not wash using water (Can't be safely washed, needs to be dry cleaned ) The temperature in the wash tub symbol is the maximum recommended wash temperature for that garment. A single bar " _ " beneath the wash tub indicates reduced (medium) washing conditions. A broken bar " - - " beneath the wash tub indicates mush reduced (minimum) washing conditions, and is specifically designed for machine wash-able wool. As a general guide you can combine all items without the bar and wash at the lowest recommended temperature. Likewise items with the same bar symbol can be combined and washed at the lowest recommended temperature. Remember: Always follow any special instructions shown on the label; particularly ' wash separately ' which means what it says. Heavily soiled clothes should be washed according to the care label. A circle in a square means the garment may be tumble-dried; the dots contained within the circle indicate the drying temperature. An Iron symbol indicates a garment can be ironed, the more dots contained within the symbol, the hotter the iron can be. A symbol with an "X" across it means the process CANNOT be performed.
Drying

Tumble dry	Tumble dry (Low setting)	Tumble dry (High setting)	Do not tumble dry

Dry flat	Hang dry	Drip dry	Do not wring
Ironing

Cool iron Nylon, Acrylic Polyester	Warm iron Wool Mixtures Polyester	Hot iron Linen, Cotton Viscose	Do not iron

Dry-Cleaning		Bleaching

May be dry cleaned	Do not dry cleaned	bleach may be used	Do not bleach

Letters and /or a bar beneath the circle are for the dry cleaner, and indicate what process is required		Chlorine bleach may be used
Also see our guides to . . . . . Stain removal Colour fastness Taking care of your washing machine Return to the advice and tips index