It's a daily task, but when sorting through your clothes for the wash, you might not have realised there's a wealth of information provided for you to decipher.

Every piece of clothing has up to five key symbols printed on its label, yet most people haven't got the foggiest idea what many of them signify - potentially putting their favourite outfits at risk and shortening their lifespan with each wash. Some symbols, like the bucket of water with a temperature on it, are fairly straightforward, indicating the maximum temperature at which the item should be washed in the washing machine. However, the meaning of thetriangle symbol is a mystery to many.

The white triangle on clothing labels can appear in four forms; an empty triangle, a triangle with a cross through it, a triangle with two diagonal lines through it, or a triangle with 'CL' inside and a cross through it. These all relate to bleach. An empty triangle means the item can be bleached.

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A triangle with a cross through it signals that the clothing should not be bleached. A triangle with two diagonal lines inside or a triangle with 'CL' inside and a cross through both indicate that non-chlorine bleach should be used, reports the Express.

Salah Sun, Head of Product Marketing atBeko Plc UK and Ireland, warns: "Throwing a pile of laundry in your washing machine isn't uncommon; we've all done a quick drum dash without looking to see what we're putting inside but this can damage your clothes. Everything you need to know about your clothes is on their labels. Knowing your symbols and clothing inside out can help you avoid laundry mishaps and keep your favourite clothes lasting longer."

Here are the other clothes symbols and what they mean:

The washing symbol is typically the first symbol on your care label. It's simple to identify as it resembles a bucket filled with water - picture this as your conventional washing drum. Within the water, you may spot several dots. Based on what appears inside the water symbol, you'll require different temperatures for washing your laundry.

The figures correspond directly to the temperature you must use on your washing machine, so dividing laundry by temperature can be an effective method of organising your wash cycle. If your symbol features dots instead of numbers, you can still determine the temperature for your garments.

One dot indicates 30 degrees Celsius, whilst six dots represent 95 degrees. Salah says: "Washing your clothes at the right temperature is important for the long-lasting quality of your favourite items. Following the care label instructions can keep your outfit looking new and lasting longer, getting you more wear for your money."

Your washing symbol might feature a hand, signalling hand-wash only, whilst a cross through indicates the garment cannot be machine washed. Should you spot a line beneath your washing symbol, this means you can machine wash and permanently press, whilst two lines suggest machine wash on a gentle cycle.

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The ironing symbol is straightforward to identify as it's designed to resemble an iron exactly. There are just six variations of the ironing symbol that you'll discover on your clothing label to help you understand the optimal methods to keep your items wrinkle-free.

An iron symbol simply indicates you can iron your garments. This appears on most items. Nevertheless, some fabrics don't respond well to pressure or heat, so an iron symbol with a cross through means you shouldn't iron these pieces. You may also notice an iron with a cross beneath it.

This indicates you shouldn't steam your item, but ironing without steam is acceptable. Similar to the washing symbol, your iron symbol can also show the heat level you should employ. This symbol uses the dot system.

One dot within your iron symbol suggests a cool temperature, two indicate a moderate temperature, and three recommend using a hot temperature. Salah says: "When it comes to chores, ironing isn't everyone's favourite. But you could be ironing items you don't even need to. Check your clothing labels first to ensure you're not adding unnecessary items to your chore list or damaging your clothing with a too-hot iron."

Your drying symbol will appear as a square on your clothing tag. This is crucial if you want to know the best way to dry your garments, particularly if you own a washer-dryer.

An empty square shows that you can tumble dry your item on any heat setting without concern. Salah explains: "There's a handful of drying symbols you'll want to know to keep your clothes looking their best. If it isn't simply an empty square, knowing the right method of drying for your specific clothing is important for the longevity of your clothes. Wool, for example, should typically be air-dried flat to prevent it from shrinking, or on a gentle dry cycle."

A square with a cross through it represents 'do not dry', whilst a square with a circle in the centre (so that it resembles a tumble dryer) with a cross through it means 'don't tumble dry'. A square with a filled black circle in the centre means 'tumble dry with no heat'.

Just like the washing symbol, a drying symbol with one line underneath it indicates a permanent press, whilst two lines suggest using a delicate cycle. The drying symbol also reveals what position to dry your garments in. A square with a flat dash in the centre means to dry it flat, such as with woollen items, whilst a square with two diagonal lines in the top left corner means to dry in the shade.

Hang dry is displayed by a square with a semi-circle at the top, resembling a washing line between the two upper corners of the square, whilst drip dry is shown by a square with three vertical lines inside.

The final symbol you might encounter is professional cleaning. You might consider this for an expensive suit, bulkier items, or a piece of clothing that is sentimental to you.

Professional cleaning will be symbolised with a circle on your care label. Salah says: "There are 10 professional cleaning labels that you might come across, but most won't apply to your home laundry. The most important two for non-professional cleaners are quite self-explanatory and the rest your local dry cleaners will be able to decipher."

"You'll need to be able to recognise the empty circle which indicates that the item is fine to be professionally cleaned, while items that cannot be professionally cleaned will be a circle with a cross through it."

Understanding what your garments are attempting to communicate is crucial for maintaining them in the freshest possible condition. You don't want to discover you've selected the incorrect setting, leaving your beloved woollen jumper completely out of shape. Rather, sort your washing according to colours and care symbols to guarantee each garment receives appropriate treatment.