Crack the code on clothing tags.
A few weeks ago, my postpartum self directed my husband to throw a pile of laundry into the washing machine. I didn’t bother to sort the pile (because, you know, new baby!), nor did I give him any instructions about which items should be set aside for a separate load. So he dutifully threw in the pile, which included some fuzzy pink blankets and some white cotton undershirts. The result: the baby blankets ended up a less vibrant pink, and the undershirts took on a slightly pink hue!
This is an example of what can happen when we overlook a laundry care label. Sure enough, when I later checked the label on the baby blankets, I found the reason for the pink explosion in the wash. The label instructed the user to “Machine wash cold, separately, on gentle cycle” (emphasis added). Well, we did none of those things — the blankets went in a warm wash, mixed with other items of different colors, on a normal (aka less gentle) cycle.
When we disregard laundry care labels, we run the risk of something going wrong.
In this case, thankfully, the mishap was no big deal. We have plenty of colorful blankets, and I was later able to bleach the undershirts nearly white again. Besides, neither my hubby nor I wanted me to worry about laundry just days after having a baby! Still, once I had some more energy, we worked out a system where I would sort the piles of laundry on my bed and write down instructions for each pile on a piece of notebook paper. Throughout the day, he would whisk away each pile, and we avoided future unintentional clothing color changes!
Laundry care labels provide extra assistance for sorting laundry (which you can read more about in my post here.) You can find these labels on the sewn-in tags of most articles of clothing. The Federal Trade Commission requires manufacturers to attach labels “so that they can be seen or easily found when the product is offered for sale to consumers.” On some items, such as underwear, the labels are printed on the inside. Sometimes, the label might not be printed on a permanent tag, so it’s good to spot it when first purchasing an item, especially if it’s an expensive one that you don’t want to ruin in the laundry. Laundry care labels often appear on towels and blankets as well.
In general, the best rule of thumb is to follow these instructions as much as reasonably possible.
Understanding care labels
The following glossary, found in Cheryl Mendelson’s Home Comforts, compiles and describes the most common care label terms. Note that overall, when a temperature is not specified, this means that any level of heat should be safe for the item. By contrast, specific temperatures indicate the maximum heat an item can tolerate.
Some tags display symbols as well as written instructions (such as on my pink baby blanket in the image above). These symbols are a shorthand way to indicate the same guidelines and warnings. Learning these symbols can help determine care instructions at a glance — and also give clarity when symbols appear instead of instructions (which manufacturers can do 18 months after releasing a product).
You can find a complete chart of the ASTM Guide to Care Symbols online. (ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is an organization that sets standards and guidelines for a variety of industries.) I recommend printing this, as well as the care label glossary above, and displaying them in the laundry room to have an easy reference while sorting and doing the laundry.
Breaking it down
Here are four basic guidelines when it comes to laundry care labels:
- Check laundry care labels as you sort. I recommend starting with a small load to avoid overwhelm! Over time, this process will speed up as we become more familiar with the care needed for different kinds of items.
- Turn clothes inside out before washing. I found that many labels called for this, especially kids clothes with stitched or glued decorations on the front. An inside-out wash helps preserve these details for longer. (Thankfully, clothes often end up inside out on their way to the hamper in the first place.) If, however, there’s a clear smudge or stain on the outside of the garment, treat and wash it right side out.
- Compromise as needed. Inevitably, something has to give on laundry day, and we mix items. (See my post on sorting laundry for more.) Usually, we can get by with common sense to avoid a disaster. Use your best judgment on where to make adjustments. (I’ll address this topic more in a future post.) For a comprehensive guide, I recommend reading the Home Comforts chapter “Carefully Disregarding Care Labels.”
- Pay particular attention to warning labels. Anything with the words “Only,” “Do not,” or “No” directly indicate that overlooking them could damage the item, either after one wash or over time. (For example, take the label “Dry-clean only” seriously!) Also keep an eye out for phrases like “Wash separately” or “Wash with like colors.” These instructions indicate that an item is not “colorfast;” in other words, the dyes in them could bleed while being laundered. (As you might have guessed, this is what happened in the baby blanket/undershirt situation.)
By getting to know those labels a little better, we can take even better care of the clothes coming through the laundry— and the people who wear them!
Happy homemaking!
Further Reading
“Carefully Disregarding Care Labels,” Cheryl Mendelson (Home Comforts)
