Dry Cleaners Directory
Questions about care labels, come up again and again, so that’s what
we will
be discussing this month.
Care labels provide helpful information that can save you time and money.
Maintaining your clothes properly, means longer lasting garments.
(Click on the image above to view a full size version)
Wash
Bleach
Dry 
Iron 
Dry Clean
These pictures are designed to be interpretable by people around the world
so even if the
written instructions are not in your language they will still be understandable.
It looks rather complex but as you start to explore them they start to make
sense and get easier.
If any symbol has an X through it, that means DO NOT do that procedure to
it.
For
washing symbols the dots inside the symbol represent the temperatures to wash
at
1 dot cold – 3 dots hot. The lines underneath the symbol determine the
cycle, no line normal,
one line permanent press, 2 lines delicate and a hand means hand wash.
The Bleach
symbol is really basic, if there is an X though it, do not bleach, if it's
a plain symbol any bleach may be used, and if it has lines through it, color
safe bleach.
The Drying
Symbol has several options. A circle in it, means tumble dry and the lines
below it are the same as the washing symbol permanent press one line, delicate
2 lines.
The dots inside the Circle represent the temperature (also like the wash symbol)
1 low, 2 high
an empty circle any temperature, and a solid circle no heat. Additional Symbols
are the line across
the top of the Square, Line dry, 3 vertical lines, drip dry, and a horizontal
line which means dry flat.
The Ironing
symbol is shaped like a household iron, and has similar settings to washing
and drying.
1 dot low heat, 3 dots high heat all can be used with steam. If it can’t
be ironed or steamed it will have an X through it.
The
Dry Clean symbol is the circle, basically you as a consumer should be concerned
with this symbol,
if it’s Dry Clean only, or has the X through it, which means do not
dry clean. However many delicate items that say
“Do not dry clean” such as hand painted or beaded items may still
be processed by your cleaner. If it says Dry Clean
your cleaner will be able to decipher the rest of the specialty instructions
There are some additional written instructions a manufacturer may add such as “For best results dry clean” which means there will probably be a noticeable change in the item, if you launder it at home. If it says delicate or hand wash you may want to let your cleaner handle it as they have special soaps and special wet cleaning systems for precisely this job. Most garments are both washable and dry cleanable. However if you’d like them to last and maintain their full color, dry cleaning will protect that. For Example, those black jeans which get a shade lighter each time you wash them, with dry cleaning, they’ll maintain that brand new look.
May I remove the Care Label?
Garments are required to have a label attached at the time of purchase, so
that you can take care instructions
into consideration when buying an item. Removing the label entails some risk
as you or your cleaner will no
longer have access to full information regarding its care.
Does Washable mean it also can be dry cleaned?
If a garments label says “washable it may or may not be dry cleanable. Unfortunately manufacturers or importers are only required to list one method of safe care no matter how many other methods could be used safely.
What if you follow the label and it develops a problem?
If you or the cleaner follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the garment is damaged, you should return the garment to the store you purchased it from and explain what happened. In most cases the store will handle the return and replacement for you, however sometimes you may have to write or contact the manufacturer yourself.
You can locate a manufacturer from the garments RN number also found
on the tag.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/rn/index.html
You should also send a copy of any correspondence with a manufacturer to
the FTC as well
FTC
C/o Correspondence Branch
Washington, CD 20580
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