---
title: "Upholstery cleaning code W — what it means"
description: "Clean with water-based cleaners only. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and where its meaning differs by country."
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-w/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Upholstery cleaning code W

**Upholstery cleaning code W: Clean with water-based cleaners only.**

W

## What it looks like

A letter W on a fabric tag under a cushion or beneath a sofa frame.

## What it means

The four upholstery codes are a US furniture industry convention rather than a standard, and they refer to the cleaning agent, not the method. W means the fabric will not shrink, watermark or lose colour when a water-based product is used — most synthetics and treated blends. Test on a hidden section first regardless, use as little moisture as the job allows, and dry the area quickly, because the commonest failure with a W fabric is a ring left where a damp patch dried slowly rather than damage from the cleaner itself.

> Defined by US furniture industry cleaning code convention. Where a symbol differs between standards, the difference is described above rather than resolved — both versions are in circulation on real labels.

## Other product care symbols

| Symbol | Means |
| --- | --- |
| Upholstery cleaning code S | Clean with solvent-based cleaners only — no water. |
| Upholstery cleaning code W-S | Either water-based or solvent-based cleaners may be used. |
| Upholstery cleaning code X | Vacuum or brush only — no liquid cleaner of any kind. |
| Period after opening (open jar with 12M) | How many months the product stays good after you first open it. |
| Cosmetics hourglass (minimum durability) | The best-before date of a cosmetic product — it is best used before the date shown. |
| Footwear: leather | That part of the shoe is leather. |
| Footwear: coated leather | That part is leather with a surface coating no thicker than a third of the total thickness. |
| Footwear: textile | That part of the shoe is a textile, natural or synthetic. |
| Footwear: other materials | That part is made of something that is neither leather nor textile. |

## Common questions

### What does the upholstery cleaning code w symbol mean?

Clean with water-based cleaners only.

### What does it look like?

A letter W on a fabric tag under a cushion or beneath a sofa frame.

## Related pages

- [Upholstery cleaning code S](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-s/)
- [Upholstery cleaning code W-S](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-ws/)
- [Upholstery cleaning code X](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-x/)
- [Upholstery cleaning code S](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-s/)
- [Upholstery cleaning code W-S](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-ws/)
- [Upholstery cleaning code X](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-upholstery-x/)
- [Period after opening (open jar with 12M)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-pao/)
- [Cosmetics hourglass (minimum durability)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-cosmetic-hourglass/)
- [Footwear: leather](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-shoe-leather/)
- [Footwear: coated leather](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-shoe-coated-leather/)
- [Footwear: textile](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-shoe-textile/)
- [Footwear: other materials](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/care-shoe-other/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)