Laundry care symbols explained
Care labels use five basic shapes: a wash tub, a triangle, a square, an iron and a circle. Dots add heat, a cross forbids the action. Once you can read the shapes, every label becomes predictable.
| Symbol | Meaning | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Wash tub with number | Machine wash at that max temperature (°C) | Number in the tub = max °C, e.g. 30 = cold wash |
| Wash tub, one bar underneath | Machine wash, permanent press / synthetic cycle | Single bar = reduced spin |
| Wash tub, two bars | Machine wash, delicate / gentle cycle | Double bar = very reduced spin |
| Wash tub with hand | Hand wash only | Stylized hand in the tub |
| Wash tub with cross | Do not wash | Tub with an X — look for dry-clean symbol instead |
| Triangle | Bleach allowed (any bleach) | Empty triangle |
| Triangle with CL | Only chlorine bleach allowed | Older label variant |
| Triangle with two lines | Only oxygen / color-safe bleach | Diagonal lines inside triangle |
| Black crossed triangle | Do not bleach | Solid or crossed-out triangle |
| Square with circle | Tumble dry allowed | Circle inside a square |
| Square with circle, 1 dot | Tumble dry low heat | Dots = dryer temperature |
| Square with circle, 2 dots | Tumble dry normal heat | More dots = more heat |
| Crossed square with circle | Do not tumble dry | Square + circle with X |
| Square with horizontal line | Line dry | One line = hang |
| Square with three vertical lines | Dry flat | Vertical lines = lay flat to avoid stretching |
| Iron with 1 dot | Iron at low temperature (≈110 °C), synthetics | Dots on the iron = soleplate heat |
| Iron with 2 dots | Iron at medium temperature (≈150 °C), wool/silk blends | Two dots |
| Iron with 3 dots | Iron at high temperature (≈200 °C), cotton/linen | Three dots |
| Crossed iron | Do not iron | Iron with an X |
| Circle | Professional dry clean | Letter inside gives solvent (P or F) |
| Crossed circle | Do not dry clean | Circle with an X |
Notes
- Dots always mean temperature: one = low, two = medium, three = high.
- The five shapes (tub, triangle, square, iron, circle) appear in that order on most EU/US labels.
- When wash and dry-clean symbols are both crossed out, the item usually needs professional wet cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the tub symbol with 30 mean?
- Machine wash at a maximum of 30 °C — a cold wash suitable for most synthetics and dark colors.
- Can I tumble dry if the square has only a circle?
- Yes — a circle inside a square means tumble drying is allowed; the dots inside set the heat level.
- What does a crossed-out triangle mean?
- Do not bleach, with any type of bleach. Use detergent without bleach additives.