Mesh laundry bag
A zippered fine-net bag that holds delicate items together during a machine wash to protect them from snagging, stretching and tangling.
What it means
The mesh lets water and detergent through while shielding the contents from the drum, the agitator and other garments. It is the simplest way to machine wash delicates, lingerie, hosiery and small items without losing or damaging them.
What to do
Place delicates, bras and socks in the bag, leaving room for water to move, and run a delicate cycle. The bag also stops small items migrating into duvet covers and keeps pairs of socks together through the wash and dry.
How to use this term
Use this process term when a guide tells you to pretreat, soak, brighten, rinse or adapt a stain method.
- Read mesh laundry bag with the other symbols on the same care label; the strictest symbol wins.
- Match the instruction to the garment's most fragile part, including trims, lining, prints and finishes.
- If the label, fabric behaviour and stain method disagree, test a hidden area or choose the lower-risk route.
Common mistake
A frequent mistake is assuming the bag makes any cycle safe for delicates. It mainly blocks abrasion and snagging between items; it does not change the wash temperature or spin speed. A bagged wool sweater on a warm, high-spin cycle can still felt and shrink, and silk can still bleed, because heat and tumbling reach the fibres regardless. Pair the bag with a cool, gentle delicate cycle — the bag and the settings fix different failures.
For the broader method, use the How to wash a bra and then return to this term when the label changes the safe option.
Related terms
Sources
- ISO 3758:2012 Textiles — Care labelling code using symbols — International Organization for Standardization