Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: I’m constantly forgetting what the universal laundering symbols mean on clothing tags, and my husband is even worse. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve shrunk something in the dryer because we confused the no-dryer symbol with the no-bleach symbol.

I went to a Web site and printed out a copy of all of the symbols and their meanings, and I taped it to the wall next to my washing machine. No more ruined clothes, and now my husband can’t use this as an excuse for not doing the laundry more often. – Valerie Sheridan, Germantown, Md.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Knowing what those clothing-care symbols mean might be worth thousands of dollars in savings, too.

For anyone else who would like a copy of this handy chart, go to the Federal Trade Commission Web site at www.FTC.gov, where you’ll find a printable version of the Clothing Care Symbol Guide in the Consumer Information area. – Heloise