Step 3 of 10 · Laundry That Doesn't Shrink or Stink
Read the five universal symbols
Read the five universal symbols — step 3 of 10 in Laundry That Doesn't Shrink or Stink. Every garment has an international care label with five symbol groups: wash (tub), bleach (triangle), dry (square), iron (iron shape), and…
Free cleaning & laundry tip: Read the five universal symbols (step 3 of 10 from "Laundry That Doesn't Shrink or Stink").
Every garment has an international care label with five symbol groups: wash (tub), bleach (triangle), dry (square), iron (iron shape), and professional care (circle). A single bar under the tub means gentle cycle. Two bars mean very gentle. An X through any symbol means don't.
The number inside the tub is the maximum water temperature in Celsius: 30 means cold, 40 means warm, 60 means hot, 95 means boil-safe (think white cotton underwear). If no number appears, check the text — US labels often spell it out. When in doubt, default to cold and gentle. You can always re-wash hotter; you can't unshrink.
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