About LaundryCode
LaundryCode exists because the most-labelled objects in your home are also the least-labelled-in-plain-language: clothes. A care label packs five shapes, several numbers, dots, bars and crosses into two square centimetres — and the top search results for "laundry symbols meaning" are usually brand blogs copying each other. We built this site to be the version we wanted to find: one decoder, one chart, and stain guides that name their sources.
How symbol meanings are verified
The care-labelling system we describe is based on ISO 3758 / the GINETEX care labelling system. GINETEX, the international textile-care association, developed the system and owns the standard; its published symbol definitions are the primary reference for every meaning on this site, cross-checked against appliance-makers' official guides (which describe the US ASTM variant) and standards-body notes on the 2023 ISO revision. Where reputable references disagree — they genuinely do on iron dot temperatures — we show both numbers and say so instead of quietly picking one.
The glyphs are our own drawings
The official care symbols are protected trademarks of GINETEX in most countries and may not be reproduced without a licence. Every symbol image on LaundryCode is therefore a simplified drawing of our own — basic shapes built from plain SVG strokes — designed so the meaning is unmistakable while the artwork is original. They are illustrations for teaching the meanings, not the official artwork.
How stain advice is verified
- University extension services — primarily Cornell Cooperative Extension's stain guide, which descends from laboratory-tested protocols.
- The cleaning industry's own institute — the American Cleaning Institute's stain removal guide.
- Major appliance makers' official care guides — e.g. Whirlpool's stain articles.
Where these authorities disagree — bleach on blood is the classic case — both positions are presented with the reasoning, and we say which method the sources share. Every article carries a "Last verified" date.
Independence
LaundryCode is an independent hobby-scale reference site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or licensed by GINETEX, ISO, any appliance maker or any detergent brand. The site is funded by advertising and occasional affiliate links, always marked and disclosed — see the disclosure page.
Corrections
Standards get revised and stain chemistry gets re-tested. If something here looks wrong against a primary source, tell us — corrections ship fast, with the verification date updated.