Here's why:
* Reflexive verbs are verbs that reflect the action back on the subject. They always use a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se).
* Lavarse means "to wash oneself".
* Ellos is the third-person plural subject (they).
* In the present tense, the third-person plural form of *lavarse* is se lavan.
So, the complete sentence would be: Ellos se lavan. (They wash themselves.)