Signs on the washing machine

Today, most washing machines are designed to be easily operated by any novice. The intuitive system assumes that every grandmother who buys a washing machine will understand how to use it. Unfortunately, in reality, it often happens that the entire family can't figure out the meaning of the symbols on the display of a new washing machine.

Interpretation of symbols for the main display types

Typically, icons from different manufacturers are somewhat similar, so it's worth looking at a couple of basic examples.

Ardo:

Gorenje, Beko:

Electrolux, AEG:

Siemens, Bosch:

Ariston, Indesit:

These instructions can be found in your washing machine's manual, and sometimes they even come with similar adhesive-backed tables. This means you can simply attach the instructions to a visible location near or on the machine to avoid confusion later.

Groups of symbols on a washing machine

All these images can be divided into 4 main groups.

The first group of icons includes those that display the progress of the wash:

• pre-wash;
• normal wash;
• rinsing;
• extra rinse;
• plum;
• spin;
• drying;
• The wash is finished.

On different displays, you may see additional symbols such as "rinse with softener" or "rinse hold." These symbols are related to the specific functionalities of a particular machine. The standard symbols have the same meaning across all machines.

The second group of icons indicates modes designed for specific fabric types. The main differences between these modes are the temperature barrier and, of course, the drum speed and intensity.

The most common symbols

• cotton;
• synthetics;
• silk;
• wool;
• jeans.

The third group of symbols includes washing modes that can be used at your own discretion:

• delicate fabrics;
• hand wash;
• things with stains;
• economical washing;
• night cycle;
• intensive wash;
• quick wash;
• hygiene items;
• curtains;
• children's things.

It's worth noting that manufacturers have recently been scrambling to add at least one more symbol to this group. Washing machine capabilities are thus growing daily in an attempt to gain an edge over competitors.

The fourth group has a separate button for each icon. This group contains additional functions that can be included in your selected wash cycle. Often, symbols are transferred from the third group to the fourth and vice versa. For example, while "stained wash" may be a separate cycle in one machine, in another the same symbol appears above a separate button and is an additional function. But generally, this part of the panel includes the following list of symbols:

• wrinkle resistance;
• reduction of washing time;
• reduction of speed;
• foam control;
• more water.

In addition to the listed designations, each machine has the ability to select the washing temperature and/or the number of drum revolutions.

   

3 reader comments

1. August 30, 2016 at 6:11 PM

   Eve:

   Very useful information. Thank you!

   Answer
2. September 25, 2023 at 1:01 PM

   Lyudmila:

   Can I ask a question? We have an Electrolux Steam Care 10 kg washing machine at our hotel. There's a house icon in the lower left corner of the control panel. This mode shows a temperature of 30 degrees, a time of 14 minutes, and a maximum spin of 800 rpm. How do you decipher this? Is this a wash or a rinse cycle?

   Answer
3. April 27, 2024 at 7:55 PM

   Anonymous:

   Thank you

   Answer