People only just realise what triangle symbol on clothes label means

The symbols on your clothing labels have a significant meaning that many people are unaware of, and ignoring them could shorten the lifespan of your favourite garments. Each piece of clothing has up to five key symbols printed on its label, but most people don't know what they mean, potentially causing harm to their favourite outfits with each wash.

Some symbols, like the bucket of water with a temperature on it, are easy to understand, indicating the maximum washing machine temperature for the item. However, the meaning of the triangle symbol is less known.

The white triangle can appear in four forms: an empty triangle, a triangle with a cross through it, a triangle with two diagonal lines through it, or a triangle with 'CL' inside and a cross through it. These symbols all relate to bleach usage.

An empty triangle means the item can be bleached, while a triangle with a cross through it indicates not to bleach the clothing. A triangle with two diagonal lines inside or a triangle with 'CL' inside and a cross through both suggest using only non-chlorine bleach.

Salah Sun, head of product marketing at Beko Plc UK and Ireland, has warned against the common habit of hastily throwing laundry into the washing machine without checking what's being put inside. He said: "Throwing a pile of laundry in your washing machine isn't uncommon; we've all done a quick drum dash without looking to see what we're putting inside – but this can damage your clothes," reports the Express.

He further emphasised the importance of understanding clothing labels, saying: "Everything you need to know about your clothes is on their labels. Knowing your symbols and clothing inside out can help you avoid laundry mishaps and keep your favourite clothes lasting longer."

He went on to explain the meaning of various clothing symbols. The washing symbol, usually the first on the care label, resembles a bucket filled with water, signifying a traditional washing drum.

Inside the water, there may be spots or numbers indicating the required washing temperature. Sorting laundry by temperature can optimise your laundry cycle.

If the symbol has spots instead of numbers, each dot represents a specific temperature - one dot for 30 degrees Celsius, up to six dots for 95 degrees.

Salah Sun said: "Washing your clothes at the right temperature is important for the long-lasting quality of your favourite items. Following the care label instructions can keep your outfit looking new and lasting longer, getting you more wear for your money."

Your laundry symbol may feature a hand, signifying that the item should only be hand-washed, while a cross through it means the garment is not suitable for machine washing. If there's a line beneath your laundry symbol, this indicates that you can machine wash and permanently press, whereas two lines suggest a delicate machine wash cycle.

The ironing symbol is straightforward to identify as it resembles an iron. There are six variations of the ironing symbol on your clothing label to guide you on the best ways to keep your items wrinkle-free.

An iron symbol simply implies that you can iron your clothing. This is found on most items.

However, some materials don't respond well to pressure or heat, so an iron symbol with a cross through it means these items shouldn't be ironed. You might also see an iron with a cross underneath it.

This signifies that you shouldn't steam your item, but ironing without steam is acceptable.

Like the washing symbol, your iron symbol can also denote the heat level you should use. This symbol employs the dot method.

One dot inside your iron symbol suggests a low temperature, two indicate a medium temperature, and three recommend using a high temperature.

Salah says: "When it comes to chores, ironing isn't everyone's favourite. But you could be ironing items you don't even need to. Check your clothing labels first to ensure you're not adding unnecessary items to your chore list – or damaging your clothing with a too-hot iron."

Drying

The drying symbol on your clothing tag, which looks like a square, is crucial if you want to know the best way to dry your clothes, particularly if you have a washer-dryer. An empty square means you can tumble dry your item on any heat setting without concern.

Salah explains: "There's a handful of drying symbols you'll want to know to keep your clothes looking their best. If it isn't simply an empty square, knowing the right method of drying for your specific clothing is important for the longevity of your clothes. Wool, for example, should typically be air-dried flat to prevent it from shrinking, or on a gentle dry cycle."

A square with a cross through it signifies 'do not dry', and a square with a circle in the middle (so that it looks like a tumble dryer) with a cross through it means 'don't tumble dry'. A square with a filled black circle in the middle means 'tumble dry with no heat'.

Just like the washing symbol, a drying symbol with one line beneath it indicates a permanent press, while two lines signify using a delicate cycle. The drying symbol also tells you how to position your clothes for drying.

A square with a flat dash in the middle means to dry it flat, like with wool items, while a square with two diagonal lines in the top left corner means to dry in the shade. Hang dry is represented by a square with a semi-circle at the top, like a washing line between the two upper corners of the square, while drip dry is shown by a square with three vertical lines inside.

When it comes to professional cleaning, which might be considered for pricier garments or those with sentimental value, look out for a circle on the care label. Salah explains: "There are 10 professional cleaning labels that you might come across, but most won't apply to your home laundry. The most important two for non-professional cleaners are quite self-explanatory – and the rest your local dry cleaners will be able to decipher."

He adds, "You'll need to be able to recognise the empty circle which indicates that the item is fine to be professionally cleaned, while items that cannot be professionally cleaned will be a circle with a cross through it."

Understanding these symbols is crucial for maintaining your clothes in top condition.

It's better to sort your laundry by colour and care symbols than to ruin your favourite wool jumper by using the wrong setting.