What does a crossed out triangle on a clothing tag mean: explanation and care recommendations

In order for your favorite item to retain its attractive appearance, it must be properly looked after for as long as possible. A crossed out triangle on the label means that the item cannot be bleached. This is a kind of hint from the manufacturer, who wants the buyer to be happy with his purchase for more than one day.

What does it look like

The whitening icon is represented by a triangle. A regular empty triangle allows bleaching by any means. Shaded means that bleaching with chlorine-containing products is prohibited.

But a crossed out triangle on a clothing tag indicates that it is absolutely forbidden to bleach the item with any, even gentle oxygen, types of bleaches.

Recommendations

First of all, membrane types of fabrics should not be bleached. These are Gore-tex, Sumpatex, Dermizax. They are used to make waterproof yet breathable clothing, as well as shoes with textile uppers. Sports jackets, down jackets for the cold season, vests - they are all often made from this type of fabric. And on almost all labels of this sports and hiking clothing there is a triangle crossed out with two black cross-shaped lines.

Membrane fabrics cannot be bleached, boiled, or washed at high temperatures on a normal cycle (delicate wash only).Ignoring the information indicated on the tags will lead to the item quickly losing its characteristics.

Also, a label with a crossed out triangle is found on products made of velor and satin. It is not recommended to bleach items with padding polyester insulation. When washed with bleach, the fibers may change their structure.

If you find a “Do Not Bleach” symbol on your favorite snow-white item, don’t immediately get upset. There are a lot of simple and affordable remedies that will help get rid of stains and yellow discoloration without the use of harsh bleaching products.

If you find a label on clothing that prohibits bleaching, you can use:

• hydrogen peroxide (dissolve in water and leave for half an hour);
• ammonia (dilute 60 ml in 10 liters of water and soak the item for 40 minutes);
• hydroperite (9 tablets per 10 liters of water).

A white linen item can be restored to its original appearance by boiling it with salt.

Olga

Question to the expert

What not to do

It is necessary to understand that the presence of such a symbol on the tag indicates a categorical ban on bleaching. First of all, it is forbidden to bleach colored items, which will instantly lose all the attractiveness of their appearance and turn from fashionable clothing into a doormat.

Also, you should not experiment with thin, delicate fabrics that have this sign on the label. The fact is that strong bleaches destroy the fiber structure. As a result, the material becomes thinner and breaks.

A categorical ban (a completely crossed out triangle) prohibits the use of any type of bleaching agents, including organic and oxygen, which are considered the most gentle.

What can you do

If this symbol is on the label, you can use folk remedies that will get rid of stains or yellowness. However, if you don’t have extra time for this, then you should take the item to a dry cleaner, where they use professional detergents that are more effective and do not harm the fabric.

By understanding the meaning of the images that are present on clothing tags, you can significantly increase the service life of textile products and preserve their original appearance for a long time.