Laundry symbols
All 50 care label symbols in one place – the international ISO 3758 (GINETEX) system plus US labels. Tap the symbols on your label and get plain instructions for washing, drying and ironing.
Decode your label
Printable chart →Pick the symbols from your label.
How to read a label in 10 seconds
- The five base symbols always come in the same order: tub (washing), triangle (bleaching), square (drying), iron (ironing), circle (professional cleaning).
- The number in the tub is the maximum water temperature in °C. US labels use dots instead.
- Dots in the iron and in the dryer circle mean heat: more dots, more heat.
- One bar under a symbol means gentler, two bars mean very gentle.
- A cross through a symbol means don't.
EU, UK and US labels: the differences
| EU, UK (ISO 3758) | US (ASTM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Washing temperature | A number in the tub (30, 40, 60 °C) | Dots: 1 = 30 °C … 6 = 95 °C |
| Natural drying | Vertical line = line dry; horizontal = dry flat | A curve at the top = line dry; 3 lines = drip dry |
| Tumble dry, no heat | No separate symbol | A filled circle |
| Dry cleaning | Letters P, F, W in the circle | An empty circle |
| Ironing | 1–3 dots (110–200 °C) | The same dots; a separate 'no steam' symbol |
Washing
All symbols and tips →Bleaching
All symbols and tips →Drying
All symbols and tips →Ironing
All symbols and tips →Dry and wet cleaning
All symbols and tips →How to wash: fabric guides
How to wash cashmere
How to wash wool
How to wash silk
How to wash a puffer jacket
How to wash a hat
How to wash white clothes
How to wash sneakers
How to wash jeans
How to wash linen
How to clean a leather jacket
How to wash bras
How to wash polyesterFrequently asked
01What do the dots on laundry symbols mean?
Dots show temperature. On the iron: 1 dot up to 110 °C, 2 up to 150 °C, 3 up to 200 °C. In the dryer circle: 1 = low, 2 = normal heat. In a US wash tub the dots replace the number: 1 dot 30 °C, 2 = 40 °C, 3 = 50 °C, 4 = 60 °C, 5 = 70 °C, 6 = 95 °C.
02What does the line under the wash tub mean?
One bar means a mild (synthetics) cycle: less agitation and a slower spin. Two bars mean a very mild (wool or delicates) cycle. The temperature is the same; the movement changes.
03What does the P in a circle mean?
It is a dry-cleaning symbol: the garment can be professionally cleaned in perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon solvents. F means hydrocarbon only, W means professional wet cleaning. They say nothing about washing at home.
04Can I wash at a lower temperature than the label says?
Yes. The label gives the maximum. Lower is always safe for the fabric; only very dirty or hygiene-critical items (bedding, towels) are worth washing as hot as allowed.
05What if there is no care label?
Wash at 30 °C on a gentle cycle or by hand, don't bleach, don't tumble dry, iron on low. For the fabric you have, see our washing guides.
06Does 'do not tumble dry' rule out the radiator too?
The symbol only rules out the tumble dryer. But a hot radiator does similar harm to wool and synthetics – room temperature is better.
07Why do symbols differ between countries?
Europe, the UK and most of the world use ISO 3758 (trademarked by GINETEX); the US uses ASTM D5489. The base shapes are the same; temperatures, natural drying and cleaning symbols differ.
08Is the machine 'Hand wash' cycle OK for a hand-wash label?
Usually yes: a modern machine's 'Hand wash' or 'Wool' cycle barely moves the drum and spins slowly. For very precious or embellished pieces, real hand washing is still the safest.