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Laundry symbols make no sense

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Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#221

Post by ulfw »

benibela wrote: post #218
corrral wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Almost all my pants became too small from washing. Perhaps they would not have when I paid attention to the symbols (or perhaps I became fat?)

or maybe you should just cold wash

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#223

Post by bradbot »

ulfw wrote: post #221
benibela wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost all my pants became too small from washing. Perhaps they would not have when I paid attention to the symbols (or perhaps I became fat?)

or maybe you should just cold wash

I was just having this discussion with my wife. I was under the impression that using the dryer to dry clothes is what causes items to shrink. Does the water temperature in the wash make a difference too if you hang dry?

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#224

Post by ulfw »

bradbot wrote: post #223
ulfw wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

or maybe you should just cold wash

I was just having this discussion with my wife. I was under the impression that using the dryer to dry clothes is what causes items to shrink. Does the water temperature in the wash make a difference too if you hang dry?

Depends. But yes hot washing shrinks some materials.

https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-hi...

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#225

Post by themitigating »

philwelch wrote: post #220
themitigating wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's say that you have a set of symbols and 30% of the people who view them are able to derive their meaning without research. Why not try to increase that number? What's the downsides excluding the time making the new symbols.

Another downside would be people who know the existing symbols having to learn the new ones.

Not if the symbols are intuitive. Remember I'm saying that in a population you are increasing the percentage that can derive the meaning of the symbols without research. That includes those that already knew the previous symbols, so it doesn't matter

30% to 50% regardless of who was what type in the past set. It's like if you changed the floppy disk icon in MS Word to a text box that read "SAVE".

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#226

Post by philwelch »

themitigating wrote: post #225
philwelch wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another downside would be people who know the existing symbols having to learn the new ones.

Not if the symbols are intuitive. Remember I'm saying that in a population you are increasing the percentage that can derive the meaning of the symbols without research. That includes those that already knew the previous symbols, so it doesn't matter 30% to 50% regardless of who was what type in the past set. It's like if you changed the floppy disk icon in MS Word to a text box that read "SAVE".

Right, which means people who don’t speak English would be at a disadvantage even if they recognize the universal “save” icon that’s been used for 30 years.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#227

Post by etbebl »

dfxm12 wrote: post #123
croes wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps the symbols should simply be printed on the detergent packaging together with an explanation.

In what language(s)? Then you run out of room on the packaging/waste paper. The point of symbols is that they can tell more information in a smaller space and can be recognized universally. Maybe you gotta look them up on your own, but after a while, you learn the ones you need to.

Uh, how about in the primary language(s) used in the market where the detergent is sold? The other text on the bottle is already localized.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#229

Post by Axien »

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…

I can draw one from memory. It was a triangle. Not sure what it means … but I can draw it.

Re: Laundry symbols make no sense

#230

Post by SZJX »

0xffff2 wrote: post #194
corrral wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Yeah, I can summarize my laundry habits as follows: - Dry clean formal clothes - Air dry wool - If I'm going through a raw denim phase, keep it out of the regular laundry - Everything else goes in the washer set on permanent press and then in the dryer at medium heat Never in 17 years of doing my own laundry has this system failed me in any way.

Many clothes are not supposed to be put through the dryer. Just dry them naturally unless it perennially rains where you live. I’ve stopped doing that since a long time ago and they now last much longer.
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