ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Laundry symbol

When you see little pictures on your clothes that look like strange shapes, they are called laundry symbols. They are like secret codes that tell adults how to take care of your clothes so they don't get ruined when they get cleaned.

For example, the picture of a bucket filled with water means that your clothes can be washed in water. But if there's a picture of a bucket with an X through it, that means your clothes can't be washed in water and need to be dry cleaned instead.

There are also pictures of an iron, which means your clothes can be ironed. But if the iron has an X through it, then your clothes can't be ironed and you have to be very careful.

So, remember to look at the laundry symbols on your clothes to make sure they get cleaned the right way and don't get ruined.