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DryerDecoder

Laundry symbols meaning: the complete care tag chart

What every washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and dry-cleaning symbol on a clothing care tag means, in plain English, with a printable chart.

Every care tag uses the same five shapes. Learn these and you can read almost any label in the world, whether it follows the US (ASTM) or the European and UK (ISO / GINETEX) system:

  • Tub: washing
  • Triangle: bleaching
  • Square: drying (with a circle inside it means the tumble dryer)
  • Iron: ironing
  • Circle: professional dry cleaning

Then three modifiers: dots mean heat (one is low, three is high), lines underneath mean a gentler cycle, and an X means do not.

Washing symbols (the tub)

A tub of water means you can wash it. The number or dots give the hottest water allowed. Lines underneath ask for a gentler cycle.

Machine wash
Machine wash
Any normal machine wash is fine.
Machine: Normal / Cottons
Wash at 30°C (86°F)30
Wash at 30°C (86°F)
Cold wash, maximum 30°C / 86°F.
Machine: Cold
One dot
One dot
Cold, up to 30°C / 86°F (US style).
Machine: Cold
Wash at 40°C (104°F)40
Wash at 40°C (104°F)
Warm wash, maximum 40°C / 104°F.
Machine: Warm
Two dots
Two dots
Warm, up to 40°C / 104°F.
Machine: Warm
Wash at 60°C (140°F)60
Wash at 60°C (140°F)
Hot wash allowed, up to 60°C / 140°F.
Machine: Hot
Three dots
Three dots
Hot, up to 50°C / 120°F.
Machine: Hot
One line under the tub30
One line under the tub
Gentle cycle with a slower spin.
Machine: Permanent press / Synthetics
Two lines under the tub30
Two lines under the tub
Very gentle cycle, low spin.
Machine: Delicates / Wool
Hand in the tub
Hand in the tub
Hand wash only, in water no warmer than 40°C / 104°F.
Machine: Hand wash cycle or basin
Crossed-out tub
Crossed-out tub
Do not wash with water. Usually means dry clean.
Machine: Do not wash

Bleach symbols (the triangle)

The triangle is about bleach. Empty means any bleach, diagonal lines mean only oxygen (colour-safe) bleach, crossed out means none.

Empty triangle
Empty triangle
Any bleach, including chlorine, when needed.
Triangle with lines
Triangle with lines
Only non-chlorine (oxygen, colour-safe) bleach.
Crossed-out triangle
Crossed-out triangle
Do not bleach at all.

Tag faded, cut off or in another language? Snap a photo and we’ll read it.

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Tumble dry symbols (square with a circle)

A circle inside a square is the dryer. Dots set the heat. This is the symbol that decides whether a sweater survives.

Tumble dry
Tumble dry
Dryer is fine on any heat.
Machine: Normal
One dot
One dot
Tumble dry on low heat.
Machine: Low / Delicate
Two dots
Two dots
Tumble dry on medium heat.
Machine: Medium / Permanent press
Three dots
Three dots
Tumble dry on high heat.
Machine: High / Cottons
Filled circle
Filled circle
Tumble dry with no heat.
Machine: Air fluff / No heat
One line under
One line under
Permanent press dryer cycle.
Machine: Permanent press
Crossed out
Crossed out
Do not put it in the dryer.
Machine: Air dry

Air drying symbols (square with lines)

A square without a circle tells you how to air dry.

Line dry
Line dry
Hang on a line or rack.
Drip dry
Drip dry
Hang soaking wet, do not wring or spin.
Dry flat
Dry flat
Lay flat on a towel and reshape. Typical for knits.
Dry in shade
Dry in shade
Keep out of direct sun to stop fading.

Ironing symbols

Dots on the iron match the dots on most iron dials.

One dot
One dot
Low heat, up to 110°C / 230°F. Silk, nylon, acrylic.
Two dots
Two dots
Medium heat, up to 150°C / 300°F. Wool, polyester.
Three dots
Three dots
High heat, up to 200°C / 390°F. Cotton, linen.
No steam
No steam
Iron without steam.
Crossed out
Crossed out
Do not iron.

Dry cleaning symbols (the circle)

A plain circle is for the dry cleaner, not you. The letter tells them which solvent to use.

Circle with PP
Circle with P
Can be dry cleaned with common solvents.
Circle with FF
Circle with F
Dry clean with petroleum solvent only.
Circle with WW
Circle with W
Professional wet cleaning.
Crossed-out circle
Crossed-out circle
Do not dry clean.

What if my tag has words and symbols that disagree?

Follow the words. Brands often print a stricter instruction (“wash inside out”, “wash with like colours”) next to the symbols. When in doubt, the cooler and gentler option is always the safe one. See also can I put this in the dryer? and how to wash without shrinking.

Not sure what your tag says? Snap it and get the exact settings.

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