Laundry symbols explained
A care label uses five shapes: a wash tub, a triangle, a square, an iron and a circle. Each one covers one step, and a cross through it means do not.
Washing (the wash tub)
| What it looks like | What it means |
|---|---|
| Wash tub with a number | Machine wash at up to that temperature in °C. 30 is cool, 40 is warm, 60 is hot. |
| Wash tub with dots (one to three) | The US version of the same idea. One dot is cool, two is warm, three is hot. |
| Wash tub with one line under it | Gentle or permanent press cycle. |
| Wash tub with two lines under it | Delicate cycle, with less spinning. |
| Wash tub with a hand in it | Hand wash only, in lukewarm water. |
| Wash tub with a cross through it | Do not wash. |
Bleaching (the triangle)
| What it looks like | What it means |
|---|---|
| Empty triangle | Any bleach is fine. |
| Triangle with two diagonal lines | Non-chlorine (oxygen) bleach only. |
| Triangle with a cross through it | Do not bleach. |
Drying (the square)
| What it looks like | What it means |
|---|---|
| Square with a circle inside | Tumble dry is allowed. |
| Circle in a square with one dot | Tumble dry on low heat. |
| Circle in a square with two dots | Tumble dry on medium heat. |
| Circle in a square with a cross | Do not tumble dry. |
| Square with a curved line at the top | Line dry. |
| Square with a horizontal line | Dry flat. |
| Square with three vertical lines | Drip dry, without wringing. |
Ironing (the iron)
| What it looks like | What it means |
|---|---|
| Iron with one dot | Low heat, up to 110°C (230°F). For synthetics and silk. |
| Iron with two dots | Medium heat, up to 150°C (300°F). For wool and polyester blends. |
| Iron with three dots | High heat, up to 200°C (390°F). For cotton and linen. |
| Iron with a cross | Do not iron. |
| Iron with a cross under the steam lines | Do not use steam. |
Professional cleaning (the circle)
| What it looks like | What it means |
|---|---|
| Empty circle | Dry clean. |
| Circle with a letter (P or F) | Dry clean with the type of solvent the letter names. This is for the cleaner. |
| Circle with a cross through it | Do not dry clean. |
| Circle with a W | Professional wet cleaning. |
Questions
What does the number in the wash tub mean?
It is the highest water temperature in degrees Celsius you can use. 30 is cool, 40 is warm, and 60 is hot. You can always wash at a lower temperature.
What does a cross through a symbol mean?
Do not do that. A cross over a wash tub means do not wash. Over a triangle, no bleach. Over a square, no tumble drying. Over an iron, no ironing.
What does a line under a symbol mean?
Gentler treatment. One line under a wash tub or iron means a gentle setting. Two lines mean a very gentle one.
What if the label has no symbols?
Hand wash in cool water and air dry. Wash it alone, since the dye may run, and test a hidden spot first. When in doubt, ask a dry cleaner.
More: Fabric care · Caring for wool · Caring for silk · All wardrobe tools