While many of us have been tasked with sorting, removing stains, washing, drying, storing and keeping laundry smelling fresh, some of the symbols found on care labels still seem foreign. These symbols aren’t just guidelines, but specific instructions that garments need to keep them looking as good as new. Each care label has its unique combination of symbols because different fabrics require different care – prolonging their colours and textures and preventing avoidable damage.
Decoding care label symbols can be somewhat confusing, because let’s be honest – who has the time in between household and life tasks to find out what the circle in a square with two dots means?
Use our decoding guide to find out exactly what each care label symbol means, and how to incorporate it into your laundry routine.
Decoding care label symbols: What every washing symbol means
Before you pop that garment into the washing machine, take a quick look at its care label. Following the instructions found on the label will help your clothes last longer, preventing premature wear and tear, and help to preserve the appearance and quality. It can also help you save a few bucks on your water and electricity bill, too.
5 Common laundry symbols
- Wash: Look for an image that looks like a washing tub. You will find specific instructions inside it.
- Dry: Look for a square with a circle inside it. Dots and lines will point toward specific drying methods.
- Bleach: Look for a triangle with or without symbols inside.
- Iron: Look for an iron symbol with an “X” or dots across or inside it.
- Dry clean: Look for a basic circle with an “X” or other symbols across or inside it.
1. Wash symbols
- Empty wash basin symbol: Machine wash, normal setting
- Empty washing basin with 1 line underneath: Machine wash, permanent press
- Empty washing basin with 2 lines underneath: Machine wash, delicate setting
- Empty washing basin with “X” across it: Do not wash
- Washing basin with hand inside: Hand wash only
- Washing basin with 1 dot: Machine wash, cold temperature
- Washing basin with 2 dots: Machine wash, warm temperature
- Washing basin with 3 or more dots: Machine wash, hot temperature
- Other symbol: An image that looks like you’re wringing out a garment with an “X” across it means do not wring out
2. Dry symbols
- Square with semi-circle: Hang to dry on line
- Square with 3 vertical lines: Drip dry
- Square with 1 horizontal line: Dry on flat surface
- Square with semi-circle and 2 diagonal lines in corner OR two diagonal lines in corner: hang to dry in shade
- Square with circle inside: Tumble dry
- Square with circle inside and “X” across: Do not tumble dry
- Square and circle with 1 line underneath: Tumble dry selecting permanent press cycle (or no wrinkles)
- Square with circle and 2 lines underneath: Tumble dry on delicate cycle
- Square with blacked-out circle: Tumble dry with no heat
- Square with circle and 1 dot inside: Tumble dry on low heat
- Square with circle and 2 dots inside: Tumble dry on medium heat
- Square with circle and 3 dots: Tumble dry on high heat
3. Bleach symbols
- Empty triangle: Bleach allowed
- Triangle with “X” across (triangle may also be blacked-out): Do not bleach
- Triangle with “CL” inside: Chlorine bleach allowed
- Triangle with 2 lines inside: Non-chlorine bleach only
- Triangle with “CL” inside and “X” across: Non-chlorine bleach only
3. Iron symbols
- An empty iron: Iron at any temperature
- An iron with an “X” across: Do not iron
- Iron with 3 diagonal lines below it: Steam and iron
- Iron with 3 diagonal lines below and an “X” across: Do not steam, only iron
- Iron with 1 dot inside: Iron on low heat
- Iron with 2 dots inside: Iron on medium heat
- Iron with 3 dots inside: Iron on high heat
5. Dry cleaning symbols
- Empty circle: Dry clean
- Circle with an “X” across: Do not dry clean
- Circle with “A” inside: Dry clean using any solvent
- Circle with “F” inside: Dry clean using petroleum only
- Circle with “F” and 1 line underneath: Dry clean with petroleum only on delicate cycle
- Circle with “F” and 2 lines underneath: Dry clean with petroleum only on very delicate cycle
- Circle with “P” inside: Dry clean with PCE only
- Circle with “P” and 1 line underneath: Dry clean with PCE only on delicate cycle
- Circle with “P” and 2 lines underneath: Dry clean with PCE only on very delicate cycle
- Circle with line on the bottom left: Short cycle dry clean
- Circle with line at the top left: Dry clean with reduced moisture
- Circle with line at the bottom right: Dry clean on low heat
- Circle with line at the top right: Dry clean with no steam finishing
Also See: Ways to use laundry detergent beyond the washing machine
Feature image credit: www.persil.com
