semiatic

Main wash (II)

The main wash: on the detergent drawer, the compartment for main-wash detergent; on a display, the main-wash stage of the programme.

What it is for

Put the detergent for the main wash in II. Hoover: “You should put your liquid or powder detergent in the drawer with the double line (“II”)”. Bosch lists II for “Detergent for the main wash, water softener, bleach, stain remover”. The single line I is only for a prewash.

Makes differ, check your machine’s manual: the same drawing can mean different things on different brands, and only your model’s manual says exactly what a programme does, how hot and how long.

What it looks like
Two upright lines, the Roman numeral II — on its own over a detergent-drawer compartment, or inside a tub on a display.
Names makers use
II, main-wash compartment (Bosch, Hoover); Main wash phase, tub with II (Beko)

Where makes differ

Bosch and Hoover mark the drawer compartment with II; Beko’s display shows a tub with II for the main wash next to a tub with I for pre-wash. Some Bosch drawers also have a flap marked A for liquid detergent, which Bosch says is not on all models.

Often confused with

PrewashA wash tub with a single vertical line dropping into it — the…

Adds a short, cooler wash before the main wash, using detergent from compartment I of the drawer.

Other symbols with the same shapes

SoakA wash tub with a single wavy water line low in it — water…RinseA wash tub with water pouring or spraying into it from above — a…Extra rinseThe rinse tub or sink with a small plus sign above or beside it.Drain (spin and drain)A wash tub with an arrow pointing down through it.

Sources

No single published standard defines washing-machine or dryer programme icons, so this meaning is taken from 3 makers’ own guides and manuals, each fetched and read on the date shown:

Written in our own words; quotations are the makers’ wording.