It’s actually a real joy to do laundry in your Chicago apartments, especially when you know how to best care for your clothes. Here’s an overview of what those laundry care labels really mean! 

Wash by Hand

The wash by hand label actually means that the item shouldn’t be agitated, such as the motion that you would get in a washing machine. The wash by hand laundry label indicates that the item should be soaked in a cleaning agent and then squeezed so that the dirt can be released from the fibers. The item can then either be laid flat to dry or placed inside of a dryer, depending on if there are any particular drying instructions.

Machine-Wash

This laundry label means that you can safely launder it in a regular washing machine. The agitation of the washing machine won’t damage the item. The only thing that you need to pay attention to is if there is a label indicating how hot or cold the water should be. Otherwise, you can assume that hot water is fine to use.

Tumble Dry

The tumble dry laundry label is the most confusing. If no mention of temperature is on the label, then you can assume that the dryer can be run at a hot temperature or warm temperature or no heat. However, if there is a temperature noted on the laundry label, then you have to make sure that the dryer doesn’t go above that temperature. 

Dry Clean Only

If you have clothes that state dry clean only on the laundry label, this means that you’ll need to bring them to a commercial dry cleaner; cleaning at home might damage the fabric. Even if you have a small stain on the item, it is safest to bring it to a professional dry cleaner. Otherwise, you might cause irreparable damage to the fabric. 

Always pay close attention to laundry care labels, both when you buy garments and when you go to wash them. If you would like to tour the laundry facilities and more in our Chicago, IL Apartments, please contact us!