Laundry Symbols Explained: How to Read Any Care Label

Laundry symbols use five basic shapes: a washtub for washing, a triangle for bleaching, a square for drying, an iron for ironing and a circle for professional cleaning. Dots inside a symbol show temperature or heat level (more dots, more heat), bars underneath ask for a gentler treatment, and a cross through any symbol means "do not". Once you know those few rules, you can read almost any care label in seconds.

The symbols used across Europe and many other countries follow the international care labeling system (ISO 3758, promoted in Europe by GINETEX). The American system is very similar, although US labels sometimes add words. Whatever the system, one rule comes first: the garment's own label overrides any general advice, including this guide.

The five basic symbols

Shape	Meaning	Modifiers
Washtub	Domestic washing	Number or dots for maximum temperature; bars for gentler cycles; hand for hand wash
Triangle	Bleaching	Empty = any bleach; diagonal lines = non-chlorine only
Square	Drying	Circle inside = tumble dry; lines inside = natural drying
Iron	Ironing	Dots for heat level
Circle	Professional cleaning	Letters for process; bars for mild treatment

A cross over any of these means the treatment should not be used.

Washing: the washtub

Temperature

The number inside the tub is the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius. Some labels use dots instead:

Symbol	Maximum temperature
Tub with 30 or one dot	30 °C (cold to cool)
Tub with 40 or two dots	40 °C (warm)
Tub with 50 or three dots	50 °C
Tub with 60 or four dots	60 °C (hot)
Tub with 95	95 °C (very hot, for some whites and linens)

The temperature is a maximum, not a recommendation. Washing cooler is usually fine for everyday dirt and gentler on fibers and colors.

Cycle strength

• No bar: normal cycle.
• One bar beneath: permanent-press or synthetic cycle, with less agitation and a gentler spin.
• Two bars beneath: very gentle cycle, typical for wool and delicates.

Hand wash and do not wash

• Hand in the tub: hand wash only, in lukewarm water. Do not rub or wring.
• Crossed tub: do not wash at home. The garment usually needs professional cleaning.

Bleaching: the triangle

Symbol	Meaning
Empty triangle	Any bleach allowed
Triangle with two diagonal lines	Only oxygen-based, non-chlorine bleach
Crossed triangle	Do not bleach

Many colored garments carry a crossed triangle. Stain removers can contain bleaching agents too, so check before treating a spot.

Drying: the square

Tumble drying (circle inside the square)

Symbol	Meaning
Square with circle, one dot	Tumble dry at low temperature
Square with circle, two dots	Tumble dry at normal temperature
Square with crossed circle	Do not tumble dry

Natural drying (lines inside the square)

Symbol	Meaning
One vertical line	Line dry, hanging
Two vertical lines (three on US labels)	Drip dry — hang while wet, without spinning or wringing
One horizontal line	Dry flat
Two horizontal lines	Dry flat without wringing (flat drip dry)
Diagonal line in the top left corner	Dry in the shade

Drying flat is common for knitwear, because a heavy, wet sweater on a hanger stretches out of shape. More on that in how to wash a wool sweater.

Ironing: the iron

Symbol	Maximum soleplate temperature	Typical fibers
Iron with one dot	Low, about 120 °C	Acrylic, nylon, some delicate synthetics; steam may damage
Iron with two dots	Medium, about 160 °C	Wool, silk, polyester, viscose
Iron with three dots	High, about 210 °C	Cotton, linen
Crossed iron	Do not iron

Some labels also show crossed steam lines below the iron, meaning do not use steam. When in doubt, iron inside out or use a pressing cloth.

Professional cleaning: the circle

Symbol	Meaning for the cleaner
Circle with P	Dry cleaning with common solvents allowed
Circle with F	Dry cleaning with hydrocarbon solvents only
Circle with W	Professional wet cleaning allowed
Bar under the circle	Mild process
Crossed circle	Do not dry clean

You do not need to know the solvents; the cleaner does. What matters to you: a crossed circle means do not take it to the dry cleaner, and a circle combined with a crossed tub means the garment should go to one.

Reading a full label: examples

Example 1 — a cotton shirt. Tub with 40, triangle with diagonal lines, square with circle and one dot, iron with three dots, circle with P. Meaning: wash up to 40 °C, oxygen bleach only, tumble dry on low, iron hot, can be dry cleaned.

Example 2 — a merino sweater. Hand in tub, crossed triangle, crossed tumble dryer, square with horizontal line, iron with one dot, circle with P. Meaning: hand wash, no bleach, never tumble dry, dry flat, iron cool if at all, dry cleaning allowed.

Example 3 — a tailored jacket. Crossed tub, crossed triangle, crossed tumble dryer, iron with two dots, circle with P. Meaning: dry clean only; press at medium heat.

A laundry routine that protects clothes

1. Sort by color and by care. Whites, lights, darks; and delicates separately.
2. Close zips and buttons, and turn printed or dark items inside out.
3. Use the lowest effective temperature. Cooler washes are kinder to colors and fibers.
4. Do not overload. Clothes need space to move to get clean.
5. Use a mesh bag for delicate items and anything with hooks.
6. Dry gently. Air drying extends the life of most garments; avoid tumble drying elastane-rich clothes on high heat.
7. Store clean. Stains and residue become harder to remove over time and can attract moths to wool.

How often each garment actually needs a wash is covered in our guide on how often to wash clothes.

Care costs and the life of your clothes

Care affects how long clothes last and what they really cost. A garment that needs regular dry cleaning has an ongoing cost; one that you can wash at home gently has almost none. If you are comparing two similar items, the cost per wear calculator lets you include yearly care costs.

The label also tells you something about the fabric. The guide to clothing fabrics explains why wool, silk and viscose ask for gentler treatment than cotton or polyester.

Care label checklist before buying

• Can I wash this at home, or does it need dry cleaning?
• Does it need hand washing, and am I willing to do that?
• Can it be tumble dried, or do I need space to dry it flat?
• Does it need ironing after every wash?
• Are the care requirements reflected in my budget?

Common mistakes

Treating the temperature as a target. The number is a maximum. Washing at that temperature every time is rarely necessary.

Ignoring the bars. Washing a two-bar wool item on a normal cycle is one of the most common ways sweaters shrink.

Tumble drying everything. Heat is hard on wool, elastane and many synthetics. Check the square symbol first.

Cutting the label off. If a label scratches, unpick it carefully and take a photo of it before you do.

Care labels look cryptic, but they follow a simple system. Learn the five shapes and the dots, bars and crosses, and your clothes will thank you with years of extra wear.