Washing labels can be confusing (stock image) (Image: Getty)
When buying clothes, how often do you look at the washing label to check the care instructions? These days most fast fashion can be cleaned at the standard 30 to 40 degrees and should avoid tumble dryers.
But you might not have realised there’s a lot of information provided for you on how best to care for your garments including what chemicals should or shouldn’t be used. Knowing what your clothes are trying to tell you is important for keeping them looking and feeling as fresh as possible.
You don’t want to find out you’ve used the wrong setting, and now your favourite is misshapen. Instead, separate your based on colours and care symbols to ensure that each item is getting the right care.
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Taking to social media, one fashion-conscious person revealed they had recently bought some trousers while in Japan and were stumped when it came to how to wash them according to the label.
Featured on the care ticket was the standard symbol for washing at 40 degrees, a square with a circle and a cross in the middle, to indicate they can’t be tumble dried, an iron symbol, and an F in a circle. However, the one that threw most people was a triangle with two straight lines in it. Do you know what it means?
One educated user explained: “These are clothing care symbols. 40 in a tub of water Means Wash at or below 40C, the triangle Means NO Bleach allowed, Crossed-out circle in a square Means Do not tumble dry. The other square means it’s safe to dry on a washing line, the iron with two dots Means Iron on medium temperature, and an F in a circle Means Petroleum solvent only for dry cleaning.”
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Indeed, when it comes to triangles on a clothing label they all explain whether or not the item can be used with bleach. According to Ariel, “If you see an empty triangle, that means you can safely use bleach on your piece of clothing when necessary. Diagonal lines inside the triangle refer to the use of non-chlorine bleach, however in the case when the triangle is crossed out by two lines, you shouldn’t use bleach at all.”
People responding to the post were stunned by the observation and shared their surprise over the meaning of the triangle symbol. One user replied: “They should teach you stuff like this in school. I’ve definitely ruined clothes before.” Another person added: “I didn’t know about the triangle! I thought it had something to do with the clothes hanger.”