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Laundry symbols make no sense

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Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#151

Post by plorkyeran »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #143
masklinn wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I found one possible answer online -- Euro washing machines may actually have water heaters built in, while American washing macchines may just use the existing house "hot water supply". So Euro machines can heat to desired temp, while American ones just have to take what they get! Ah so it’s the same deal as the dishwashers, I should have figured. > Euro houses don't usually have a central "hot water tank" like US…

> might be the same as the kettle thing: the US being on 120V, I think you could be right about washing machines/dishwashers, but as far as electric kettles... even at US 120V, an electric kettle is WAY faster at heating water to boiling than even my fairly powerful (bigger than traditional burner) gas range. (Not to mention much more energy-efficient). I have no idea why electric kettles aren't more popular in the U…

Heating water on a stovetop isn't actually particularly common. We don't have electric kettles because we have coffee makers instead.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#152

Post by kleer001 »

Yes, that's how symbols work.

Arabic numerals make no sense. Kanji makes no sense. The Roman alphabet makes no sense. Of course, they're symbols. You memorize them. They stand for the object they're pointing at. They're not abstractions meant to represent directly the thing its self.

Everyone, stop being so literal. Sheesh.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#154

Post by gorkish »

I wish more designers would learn how to more objectively assess whether their work will have positive or negative value. It's kind of like how the lesson that tic tac toe taches kids has nothing to do with the strategy of the game. The usual exercise-in-futility assignment for design students is to redesign a toaster or a ladder, but clearly there are a lot of them who don't really get the point.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#155

Post by crispyambulance »

My whole adult life, I've ignored all laundry labels and just followed recommendations on the dial of the washer also, crucially, I've learned to assiduously avoid attempting to wash or dry any of my wife's clothes as that requires careful inspection of each item with dire consequences for each mistake.

Curious about those middle temperature settings. It seems like a lot of levels: 70C, 60C, 50C, 40C. What fabric would be fine at 40C, but 50C would be "too hot"?

I mean, I understand that some synthetics or wool would have a problem with extreme heat like 95C, and some might need to be at room temp for color to stay. But beyond that, isn't one "middle level" enough?

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#156

Post by jrochkind1 »

plorkyeran wrote: post #151
jrochkind1 wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> might be the same as the kettle thing: the US being on 120V, I think you could be right about washing machines/dishwashers, but as far as electric kettles... even at US 120V, an electric kettle is WAY faster at heating water to boiling than even my fairly powerful (bigger than traditional burner) gas range. (Not to mention much more energy-efficient). I have no idea why electric kettles aren't more popular in the U…

Heating water on a stovetop isn't actually particularly common. We don't have electric kettles because we have coffee makers instead.

Most people that I know who make tea make it by heating water on the stovetop, and don't realize or don't care how much better an electric kettle could be; but of course you're right that coffee is much more popular than tea here, and perhaps that's why electric kettles aren't more well-known as superior for heating water.

I do not think it's because of 110V though! Even a 110V electric kettle is far faster than stovetop.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#157

Post by bombcar »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #149
bzxcvbn wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The water comes out 60+°C out of your faucets?

Shocking as it will be to you -- I'm just realizing that this differs between US and rest of world -- a home washing machine in the US can only go as hot as what comes out of the faucets. It cannot wash at 90C water, and likely can't even do 60C water. It can only do as hot as the "hot" tap water, which depends on what the hot water heat is set at, which is usually somewhere between 120F (49C) and 140F (60C).

Do people really boil clothes? Obviously that's not a thing in the US, but I could see it being useful for whites, perhaps.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#158

Post by bombcar »

mook wrote: post #144
bombcar wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since dry-cleaning isn't "dry" (it still uses liquids, just not water) it should be a simple drop of water symbol with the universal "NO" bar across it like this: https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/blue-drop-or-droplet-of-w...

That makes "do not dry clean" difficult, since it'll effectively be a double negative. (I do think the circle is difficult, but that's probably because I don't typically wear clothes that one would think about dry cleaning)

Then you'd just have a drop, but true, there are three states - dry clean ok, dry clean bad, dry clean mandatory (where the first is do either, but that could be indicated with no symbol at all).

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#160

Post by jerf »

corrral wrote: post #150
b112 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really find the idea that "having to know, or lookup stuff", as a problem, offensive. Laundry is literally filled with things to know, outside of these symbols. Household tasks are. I don't see labels on bleech bottles, saying not to mix it with vinegar or you could die. Yet people have done that in the wash, so why not start there? Here's what each sane person should do, who actually takes time to look at tags. (a…

Are people seeing some huge benefits from paying attention to these symbols? I've been, as the kids say, "adulting" for some time, and pay no attention to them. I couldn't draw a single one from memory. If you showed me one, I'd only be able to guess at the meaning. All I do is not wash stuff that says "dry clean only" (it always just says it in text, I have no idea if there even is a symbol for that) and favor coole…

This has been one of my favorite Dilbert cartoons for a while: https://dilbert.com/strip/1992-12-27 It's been my wife & I's philosophy on clothes for a while and it's been working out. I'm sure it's suboptimal and I'm sure I don't care.
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