Laundry care symbols are standardized ISO icons printed on clothing labels that tell you exactly how to wash, dry, iron, and treat a garment. Misreading them can shrink a sweater, ruin a silk blouse, or fade a favorite shirt. This guide covers all 40+ symbols across every category with plain-English meanings and practical care tips.
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Common Fabric Care Quick Reference
| Fabric | Wash | Dry | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Machine warm (40°C) | Tumble dry medium | High (200°C) |
| Polyester | Machine warm (40°C) | Tumble dry low | Low (110°C) |
| Wool | Hand wash cold (30°C) | Flat dry (no tumble) | Medium (150°C), steam |
| Silk | Hand wash cold (30°C) | Line dry in shade | Low (110°C), no steam |
| Linen | Machine warm (40°C) | Line dry or tumble low | High (200°C), steam |
| Denim | Machine cold (30°C) | Tumble dry medium | Medium (150°C) |
| Cashmere | Hand wash cold (30°C) | Flat dry (no tumble) | Low (110°C) |
| Nylon / Lycra | Machine cold (30°C) | Line dry (no tumble) | Do not iron |
Click the symbols you see on your label
Select each symbol that appears on your garment's care label. Your combined care instructions will appear below.
Your Care Instructions
How to Read Laundry Care Symbols
Every garment sold in most countries is required by law to carry a care label. These labels use standardized ISO laundry symbols — small icons that tell you exactly how to wash, bleach, dry, iron, and dry-clean that specific item. Knowing what each symbol means can save your clothes from shrinking, fading, or falling apart.
Step 1: Identify the symbol shape
Each laundry care symbol is built around a base shape that tells you which process it applies to. A tub of water means washing. A triangle means bleaching. A square means drying. An iron shape means ironing. A circle means professional dry cleaning. A symbol with an X through it means that process is prohibited — doing it anyway can permanently damage the garment.
Step 2: Look for temperature and intensity marks
Inside the base shape, you will find additional marks. Dots indicate temperature or heat level — one dot is low/cool, two dots is medium/warm, and three dots is high/hot. A number inside a washing tub (like 30, 40, or 60) gives the maximum water temperature in Celsius. Lines beneath a symbol indicate gentler handling: one line means permanent press/synthetic cycle, two lines means delicate/gentle cycle.
Step 3: Check for prohibition marks
An X overlaid on any symbol means "do not do this." This is one of the most important symbols to recognize on a care label. A crossed-out iron means do not iron. A crossed-out triangle means no bleach of any kind. A crossed-out tub means the item cannot be washed in water at all and must go to a dry cleaner. Never ignore a prohibition mark.
Step 4: Use the Decode My Label mode
If you have a garment with multiple care symbols and are unsure what they mean together, switch to the Decode My Label tab. Click each symbol you see on your label, and the tool will build a combined care summary in plain English. This is especially useful for items with 4–5 symbols that span washing, drying, and ironing all at once.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common laundry mistakes include washing wool in hot water (it shrinks), tumble drying silk or delicate synthetics (they melt or warp), using chlorine bleach on colored fabrics (they fade or discolor), and ironing synthetic fabrics on a high setting (they can melt or scorch). When in doubt, the care label always wins — and when a label says "dry clean only," it means exactly that.
FAQ
Is this laundry symbols guide free to use?
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What are ISO laundry care symbols?
ISO laundry symbols are standardized icons printed on clothing care labels, defined by ISO standard 3758. Each symbol shape represents a category — a tub for washing, a triangle for bleaching, a square for drying, an iron shape for ironing, and a circle for professional care. Additional marks like dots, lines, and X marks indicate temperature, intensity, or prohibition.
What does a crossed-out symbol mean on a care label?
A symbol with an X over it means that process is prohibited for that garment. For example, a crossed-out triangle means do not use bleach, and a crossed-out tub means do not wash in water at all. Ignoring these can permanently damage your garment.
What do the dots inside a tumble dryer symbol mean?
The number of dots inside the square-with-circle dryer symbol indicates heat level. One dot means low heat (ideal for delicates and synthetics), two dots means medium heat (good for cotton and mixed fabrics), and three dots means high heat (for heavy cotton and towels). No dot or an empty symbol means any heat is acceptable.
How hot is cold, warm, and hot wash?
Cold wash is typically 30°C (86°F) or below. Warm wash is around 40°C (104°F). Hot wash is 50–60°C (122–140°F). Very hot is 70–95°C (158–203°F). The number inside the washing tub symbol shows the maximum temperature in Celsius.
What fabrics require hand washing?
Delicate fabrics like silk, wool, cashmere, lace, and some synthetics often require hand washing. These fibers can shrink, stretch, or lose their shape when machine washed, even on gentle cycles. The hand wash symbol (a hand dipping into water) means the item should be washed gently by hand in cool to lukewarm water.
Can I use the decode mode to identify care instructions from my garment?
Yes. The 'Decode My Label' tab lets you click the symbols you see on your care label to build a combined care instruction summary. This is useful when you are unsure what a combination of symbols means together.