What does a buyer think when they read an advertisement for golf shirts or mock turtlenecks that are made from easy-care breathable fabrics? Because there are a vast number of fabrics used today by manufacturers, it is important to know the language for the symbols used that tell you how to clean golf shirts, mock turtlenecks or other new clothing buys.

With so many fabrics used for apparel today it's difficult for most people to know what kind of clothing care is the right care. Easy care? Cold, warm or hot water? Do Not Iron? Dry Clean Only? Understanding fabric care symbols makes life a whole lot easier. And, the right cleaning method extends the life of clothes and saves buyers money.

Fortunately for buyers, clothes come straight from the manufacturers with care instruction symbols sewn or stamped on the fabric. Once buyers understand the language of the symbols used, they find it easy to properly clean new garments. The Soap and Detergent Association of America at http://www.cleaning101.com/ is a representative for manufacturers of cleaning products for home, industry and institutional use. This association provides a great tool that shows basic information for describing the symbols used on clothing care labels.

Buyers can also crack the code for care labels by using the chart provided by the Textile Industry Affairs Web Info Label Talk at http://www.textileaffairs.com/lguide.htm. This is an exhaustive listing of mixes and matches for clothing care, and may be just a bit more than the average buyer really needs.

Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inoca-bc.nsf/en/home has produced a simple to use Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols. This guide is all inclusive as it combines the American and International Standards for Care labelling. In this new edition of the care label guide for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning treatments, there are five basic symbols used to identify care.

Some clothing manufacturers may include colors on the care labels. Green means go ahead, Yellow or Amber means treat with care, and Red means not allowed to use this method.

When buyers have learned the care symbol language they save money and enjoy wearing clothing purchases, such as golf shirts and mock turtlenecks, for many years.