Winter nearly comes to an end, it is a good practice to clean the clothes before storing away until the next winter. However, different clothes require different cleaning methods, especially for the thick clothes for winter. Laundry symbols can actually be a big help! Do you know which symbol represent hand wash only or do not clean? Today, Deco-Man will introduce some international laundry symbols that you must know and the cleaning methods of winter clothes including down jacket and coat.
Must-know laundry labels
1. Washing
The washtub is the most common symbol which represents machine washable (including hand wash and household washing machine).
The bar under the washtub indicates the level of wash agitation. The more the lines, the gentler the wash cycle should be.
Symbol on the left represents hand wash, while the symbol on the right represents the textile should not be washed under normal household conditions.
The number represents the maximum washing temperature, which the above symbol means the water should not exceed 30°.
2. Drying
The above are symbols of tumble drying and do not tumble dry respectively.
One dots represents drying temperature lower than 60°C (low temperature), while two dots represent drying at normal temperature (80°C).
3. Bleaching
You should first understand there are two types of bleach used in laundry: chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is milder than chlorine bleach and is more suitable for dyed or patterned clothing.
The above are symbols of bleaching (allowed for both chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach) and do not bleach respectively.
The above represents only oxygen bleach can be used.
4. Ironing
The above are symbols of ironing and do not iron respectively.
The more the dots in the iron mean the higher the temperature can be. One dot represents ironing at low temperature (110°C), which commonly appears on silk and wool textiles. Two dots represent ironing at middle temperature (150°C), which commonly appear on synthetics textiles. Three dots represents ironing at high temperature (200°C), which commonly appear on linen and cotton textiles.
Cleaning methods of winter clothes
1. Wool sweaters
Dry-cleaning or hand-washing is recommended for wool sweaters. You can first check if there is a hand wash symbol on the sweater, if there is one:
- Prepare warm water around 30°C and special detergent for wool
- Turn the sweater inside out and soak it in warm water with detergent until it is completely wet
- Wash with cold water until it is clean
If the machine washable symbol appears, you must put it in laundry bag before putting it into the washing machine.
Drying method:
- Do not use a clothes dryer for sweaters
- Lay the wet sweater flat and wrap it in a towel, then roll it up to let the towel absorb the water
- Then lay it flat until it is 80% dry, and then hang it on a hanger to let it dry completely to prevent the sweater being deformed by the gravity of the water
- Do not expose to the sun for a long time
- Use steam iron make it flat in low temperature mode
2. Cashmere
Cashmere is a very delicate material and cleaning should be minimised. If it is not very dirty, it is recommended to wash it only once a year without using washing machine. It can only be cleaned by dry cleaning or gentle hand washing.
Washing procedures:
- Use a soft brush to remove fine dust and dirt in the same direction
- Use steam iron to steam cashmere clothes, with a towel in between, which can be used for disinfection and insect control
Down jacket
Down jacket seems to be difficult to clean and people tend to let the launderette do the job. In fact, you can wash it by hand or machine at home. Just remember that down must not be dry-cleaned, because the feathers in the jacket contain natural oils, and the chemical cleaners used in dry cleaning will destroy the natural oils. This reduces the bulkiness of the feathers and thus the warmth retention.
Washing procedures:
Machine washing
- It is recommended to clean separately with low speed mode and neutral detergent at low temperature to reduce damage to feathers
- After washing, hold the inner part of the clothes with your palm and loosen the tangled feathers
Hand washing
- Prepare warm water at around 30°C, dissolve the detergent in the water, and soak the jacket for 20 minutes
- If there is a particularly dirty spot (such as neckline or cuffs), put a little detergent on that spot, use a sponge to press at the spot, and rinse with water
Drying method:
- Do not squeeze out the water by twisting, you should wrap it in a towel, roll it up and let the towel absorb the water
- Afterwards, lay down the jacket to let it dry
- It can be lightly tapped at intervals during the drying process to increase its bulkiness
- When it is 80% dry, tap it lightly, hang it on a hanger, and let it dry completely
- After being completely dried, shake the jacket lightly to let air in and keep its shape
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