What does the spin sign on clothes mean (a circle in a square with a stripe): explanation and care recommendations
Every housewife is familiar with the situation when, for example, a favorite cashmere sweater or a brand new T-shirt has turned into something crooked and skewed. The root of the problem lies in the spin icon on clothing tags, or rather in the owner’s inattention to it.
Recommendations
The manufacturer must provide each item of clothing purchased in a store with care instructions. In the international version, this instruction looks like a set of specific icons. The spin icon is also present there.
An item marked on the label in the form of a circle in a square with an underline can only be wrung out in a washing machine in the delicate mode.
The gentle spin mode is:
- Rotate the drum at minimum speed from 400 to 700 (In modern machines you can set the indicator manually).
- The item still remains damp after spinning, and the remaining water evaporates slowly during drying.
- Sometimes you can wring out an item by hand, but do this extremely carefully, without twisting the material. And as if carefully driving the water out of it, using light pressure.
What does it look like
But not everyone knows how spinning is indicated on clothing labels. However, there are several options for the symbol:
- The basic designation is simply a circle in a square. This means that the clothes can be spun in the washing machine on a standard cycle.
- Delicate spin. The same thing, but the square below is underlined with one line.
- Hand gentle spin only. Again a circle in a square, only with two lines at the bottom. Such clothes can only be washed by hand; a machine can ruin a delicate item.
- The icon is crossed out with a cross. Items with such markings on the tag cannot be washed or wrung out at all. Only gentle rinsing in water at room temperature is allowed.
Typically, symbols of delicate pressing are included on labels on clothes made of organza, silk, viscose, chiffon, cashmere, nylon, polyester, and lace.
What not to do
- Wash and spin the item on the standard “cotton” mode. It is too aggressive and will definitely ruin the item of clothing.
- Unscrew it manually until the water is completely released from the fibers. This can not only ruin the structure of the material, but also completely tear a blouse or dress made of expensive fabric.
- Do not spin or wash items marked “gentle spin” in a washing machine with more “prosaic” materials. Also, you should not press them with items decorated with large buttons and other decorative elements.
What can you do
- In order not to worry again, you can immediately put the item on the delicate wash cycle. This way it will be washed in a large amount of water and wrung out at low speeds of the centrifuge. Sometimes the mode is called differently: “Delicate fabrics”, “Delicate fabrics”, “Silk”. If the machine does not have such a function, then the item must be washed without spinning and wrung out manually.
- To further protect the item during the spin cycle, you can put it in a special fabric laundry bag.
- Replace manual spinning with spinning using a towel. After washing, the item should be laid out on a terry towel and, with light pressure, rolled into a roll. It will absorb excess water. This method is ideal for fabrics such as silk, polyester, chiffon.
- In exceptional cases, clothes are not wrung out at all, but are simply hung on special “hangers” at room temperature so that excess liquid slowly flows down. The item is dried in the same form.
The washing, spinning and drying icons were not invented without reason. All fabrics and materials are different and require different care. Paying attention to the labels in your own wardrobe will ensure its safety and presentable appearance for a long time.