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Upholstery cleaning code W-S

Upholstery cleaning code W-S
Either water-based or solvent-based cleaners may be used.
WS

What it looks like

The letters WS or W/S on the care tag.

What it means

The most permissive code and the most common on modern furniture. It does not mean both at once — mixing a water-based product with a solvent one can set a stain or leave a residue that attracts dirt. Pick one, work from the outside of the mark inwards to avoid spreading a ring, and vacuum the area before applying anything, since dry soil turned to mud is a great deal harder to remove.

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 W Clean with water-based cleaners only.
Upholstery cleaning code S Clean with solvent-based cleaners only — no water.
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-s symbol mean?
Either water-based or solvent-based cleaners may be used.
What does it look like?
The letters WS or W/S on the care tag.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked