Did you know that clothes lose their durability, sheen and quality sooner than they should because many people don’t follow laundry instructions? Before throwing in your entire laundry pile into the washing machine, look for a small tag sewn inside each garment, usually along the side seams or in the collar area. This is the laundry care tag, the symbols on it will tell you exactly how to wash and care for your garment. Here is a handy guide to understanding some basic laundry care symbols.

Laundry symbols for washing

Laundry symbols for bleaching

Laundry symbols for drying

Laundry symbols for ironing

Laundry symbols for dry cleaning

When you follow laundry care labels properly for all your clothes, you get to enjoy them for a long time. So the next time you do your laundry, don’t throw everything into the washing machine at once. Find the laundry care garment tag, check how the garment should be washed, and sort your laundry into separate piles. It takes a little more time and effort, but your clothes will thank you for it!