I recently bought my Alfie the most lovely little romper. It was blue and white stripes and was actually quite expensive but I knew he would look so cute in it (which of course he did) and with him being my first boy it is still quite a novelty buying outfits from the blue side of the shop. However, after one wash it was too small, to my dismay it had shrunk in the wash. I was really cross but I actually wasn’t that surprised as this happens a lot in my house.
I will hold my hands up – I wash everything on the same setting, a 40 degree standard wash. Why do I do this? Truthfully, I have no idea what the majority of laundry labels mean. I find the triangles and circles and dots completely and utterly mind blowing – who comes up with these symbols? Surely they are meant to make life easier and make everything universal, is that not the point of them?
I thought maybe I was just a little clueless until I found out that, according to a survey conducted by data label for Laundry and Cleaning News, a whopping 56% of people find laundry labels confusing and, like me, are ruining clothes or even are just leaving them in wardrobes with no idea how to clean them.
To help us understand a little more they have created some graphics outlining the basic clothing symbols. How amazing it that? For a bit of fun I actually tested myself on the washing symbols and I only knew what the symbol for hand wash was! Have a look and test yourself!
I plan to print this off and keep right next to my washing machine before any more clothes are ruined! My husband will be relieved!
This information was provided from a survey by Data Label
I NEED this in my life! I not only have no clue what the means, except the dry clean only one that I look for when buying clothes as I have no time to take clothes to the dry cleaners!! I also have no clue what all the different cycles do on my washing machine. I’m sure I don’t make life easy for myself. I’m printing this too!! x
They should teach this stuff in school. It’s one of those things that you are universally meant to know, yet no one ever tells you! You should consider this post a public service announcement: saving clothes across the land!!!
Oh this is useful! I don’t really have a scooby doo what they all mean either. BUT – you have reminded me that I need to put my washing out, thank you!
Nat.x
Haha my husband is terrible for shrinking clothes! I know I shouldn’t complain as he does do the laundry, but so many times I empty the dryer and my clothes are shrunk!! He wasn’t quite as laid back about me shrinking his Vivienne Westwood jumper than I was about him shrinking my Primark one!! Great post though, I’m emailing it to Gaz right now!
This was an education for me! I’m going to print this off too – thanks for sharing! I find those labels so confusing – I just want words not drawings. It took me a few minutes to see the difference between the cotton & synthetic washes lol it’s like a spot the difference test! xx