GarmentCare Guide 
Reading Laundry Care Symbols
Care symbols describe separate operations rather than one universal permission to wash. Start with the basic shape, then read any cross, line, dot, or temperature number that modifies it. A washable item can still require special drying or ironing, so review the complete label before deciding that it belongs with an ordinary laundry load.
Match the symbol to the task
Whirlpool's care-symbol guide groups instructions by washing, drying, bleaching, ironing, and dry cleaning. The basic shape identifies the operation; additional marks refine it. Start with that distinction before choosing a machine setting, since a drying temperature is not a washing temperature instruction.
Use the garment as the authority
A crossed-out operation is different from an operation permitted at a lower temperature. The complete label matters for blended or embellished clothing as well as plain fabrics. Treat the symbols as instructions for the finished item, rather than assuming that every garment containing the same main fiber can be cleaned and dried together.
