Clothing · Care labels
Laundry care symbol decoder.
Pick the base shape you see on the label (wash tub, triangle, square, iron or circle), then add what is on it: dots, bars, lines, a hand, a letter or a cross. The drawing updates as you go and you get the instruction in plain English. Read it the ISO 3758 way or the US care label way. It runs in your browser; nothing you pick is sent or saved.
Build the symbol
What it means
Common laundry symbols and what they mean
These are the ISO 3758 symbols in the same drawing style as the decoder, each read by the same code that powers it. Drawings are our own simplified line art for identification, not the official artwork.
Washing: the wash tub
Wash tub with the number 30
Machine wash, max 30°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 30°C (86°F), normal cycle.
Wash tub with the number 40
Machine wash, max 40°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 40°C (104°F), normal cycle.
Wash tub with the number 60
Machine wash, max 60°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 60°C (140°F), normal cycle.
Wash tub with the number 95
Machine wash, max 95°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 95°C (203°F), normal cycle.
Wash tub with the number 40 and one bar underneath
Machine wash, max 40°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 40°C (104°F), mild cycle with reduced mechanical action.
Wash tub with the number 30 and two bars underneath
Machine wash, max 30°C. Machine wash, water no hotter than 30°C (86°F), very mild cycle with much reduced mechanical action.
Wash tub with a hand and the number 40
Hand wash, max 40°C. Hand wash only, water no hotter than 40°C (104°F). Do not machine wash.
Wash tub with a hand
Hand wash, ambient temperature. Hand wash only in water at ambient temperature, around 20 to 30°C (68 to 86°F). Do not machine wash.
Wash tub with a cross through it
Do not wash. Do not wash. The item may be sensitive to any wet treatment, or too large for a domestic machine.
Bleaching: the triangle
Empty triangle
Any bleach. Any bleach is allowed, chlorine or oxygen.
Triangle with two diagonal lines
Oxygen bleach only. Only oxygen (non-chlorine) bleach is allowed. Never chlorine bleach.
Triangle with a cross through it
Do not bleach. Do not bleach. Use a bleach-free detergent.
Drying: the square
Square with a circle inside and 1 dot
Tumble dry, low heat. Tumble dry on a mild, reduced-heat setting, maximum 60°C (140°F).
Square with a circle inside and 2 dots
Tumble dry, normal heat. Tumble dry on a normal setting, maximum 80°C (176°F).
Square with a circle inside, crossed out
Do not tumble dry. Do not tumble dry. Dry it another way, as the other symbols or the label say.
Square with a vertical line
Line dry. Hang on a line or bar to dry while damp.
Square with two vertical lines
Drip line dry. Hang on a line while still dripping wet, without wringing or spinning.
Square with a horizontal line
Dry flat. Lay flat to dry, on a horizontal surface.
Square with two horizontal lines
Drip dry flat. Lay flat to dry while still dripping wet.
Square with a vertical line and a diagonal line in the corner
Line dry in the shade. Hang on a line or bar to dry while damp, out of direct sunlight.
Ironing: the iron
Iron with 1 dot
Iron, max 120°C. Iron with a soleplate no hotter than 120°C (248°F).
Iron with 2 dots
Iron, max 160°C. Iron with a soleplate no hotter than 160°C (320°F).
Iron with 3 dots
Iron, max 210°C. Iron with a soleplate no hotter than 210°C (410°F).
Iron with 1 dot and a crossed-out steam mark underneath
Iron, max 120°C, no steam. Iron with a soleplate no hotter than 120°C (248°F), without steam.
Iron with a cross through it
Do not iron. Do not iron. An iron can cause irreversible damage.
Professional care: the circle
Circle with the letter P
Professional dry clean, P. Professional dry cleaning only, in perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon solvents, normal process, no restrictions.
Circle with the letter P with one bar underneath
Professional dry clean, P, mild. Professional dry cleaning only, in perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon solvents, mild process, with stringent limits on added moisture, mechanical action and/or temperature.
Circle with the letter F
Professional dry clean, F. Professional dry cleaning only, in hydrocarbon solvents only (heavy benzines), normal process, no restrictions.
Circle with the letter F with one bar underneath
Professional dry clean, F, mild. Professional dry cleaning only, in hydrocarbon solvents only (heavy benzines), mild process, with stringent limits on added moisture, mechanical action and/or temperature.
Circle with the letter W
Professional wet clean, normal. Professional wet cleaning only, normal process.
Circle with the letter W with two bars underneath
Professional wet clean, very mild. Professional wet cleaning only, very mild process.
Circle with a cross through it
Do not dry clean. Do not dry clean. Avoid stain removers that contain solvents.
Circle with a W, crossed out
Do not wet clean. Do not have it professionally wet cleaned.
How the symbols are read
Care symbols are built from five base shapes, and the position of everything else follows from that shape. Each shape answers one question, and the marks added to it narrow the answer.
- Wash tub: can it be washed, and how. A number (ISO) or dots (US) give the maximum water temperature. A bar under the tub means a milder cycle; two bars is milder still. A hand means hand wash only. A cross means do not wash.
- Triangle: bleach. Empty is any bleach, two diagonal lines is oxygen or non-chlorine bleach only, a cross is no bleach.
- Square: drying. A circle in the square is tumble drying, with dots for the heat and a cross for “do not tumble dry”. Lines in the square, with no circle, are natural drying: one vertical line is line dry, two is drip line dry, one horizontal line is dry flat, two is drip dry flat, and a diagonal line in the corner means in the shade.
- Iron: dots set the maximum iron temperature, a crossed-out steam mark under it means no steam, and a cross on the iron means do not iron.
- Circle: professional care. P and F are dry cleaning solvents, W is professional wet cleaning, a bar under the circle means a milder process, and a cross means not allowed.
How a combination is checked
The decoder does not guess. Each combination you build is checked against the symbols the source lists. If you build something that is not a listed symbol, for example a tumble dry circle with three dots in the ISO system, the page says so instead of inventing a meaning. The ISO reading follows what GINETEX publishes for ISO 3758:2023. The US reading uses the words of the FTC Care Labeling Rule glossary, which are the legal terms for what a US care label must say.
Where ISO and US readings differ
| Item | ISO 3758:2023 (GINETEX) | US (FTC rule, ASTM D5489) |
|---|---|---|
| Wash temperature | Number in the tub: 30, 40, 60, 70 or 95 °C maximum | 1 to 6 dots in the tub: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 95 °C*. The CFR calls up to 86°F cold, 87 to 111°F warm and 112 to 145°F hot. |
| Bars under the tub | One bar mild, two bars very mild | One bar permanent press cycle, two bars delicate or gentle cycle |
| Tumble dry heat | One dot: max 60 °C. Two dots: max 80 °C. | One, two or three dots: low, medium, high heat. The CFR gives no dryer temperatures. |
| Iron temperature | 120, 160, 210 °C for one, two, three dots | About 110, 150, 200 °C for one, two, three dots*. CFR words: cool, warm, hot. |
| Natural drying icons | Square with one or two vertical or horizontal lines | ASTM draws line dry, drip dry and dry flat with different icons; the CFR terms are the same ideas |
| Bare circle or tub | Not a listed symbol | Bare circle is dry clean with any solvent; bare tub is machine wash, hot up to 145°F allowed |
* The ASTM dot scales are not in the CFR, and the ASTM text is paywalled. Those numbers come from the secondary source listed below and are marked that way in the decoder. Check them against the words on your label if it matters.
Limits of this tool
- A care label is an instruction from the maker for that garment. If the symbol and this page ever seem to disagree with the label’s own words, follow the label.
- This page reads symbols. It does not know the fibre, dye or condition of your item, and it cannot tell you whether a garment will survive a wash.
- The care symbols are protected trademarks and copyright of GINETEX in most countries. The drawings here are our own simplified illustrations, made to help you identify a symbol. They are not the official artwork and must not be used to print or produce care labels.
- Canada and other regions have their own care labelling standards and may use either the number style or the dot style. This page covers ISO 3758 and the US system only.
Sources
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423 (Section 423.8(g) allows the ASTM D5489 symbol system; Appendix A is the glossary of standard terms used for the US reading): ecfr.gov, 16 CFR Part 423. Read 2026-10-02.
- GINETEX, care symbols under ISO 3758:2023 (the ISO reading, including all wash, bleach, drying, ironing and professional care meanings and temperatures): ginetex.net care symbols. GINETEX states that ISO 3758:2023, the fourth edition, cancels and replaces ISO 3758:2012. Read 2026-10-02.
- ISO 3758:2023, Textiles: Care labelling code using symbols. Cited by number; the standard is not reproduced here.
- ASTM D5489, Standard Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on Consumer Textile Products. Cited by number; the 16 CFR 423.8(g) text names edition D5489-96c. Not reproduced here.
- Secondary, for the ASTM dot temperatures only: Wikipedia, Laundry symbol (30, 40, 50, 60 °C for 1 to 4 dots, 110/150/200 °C iron). The 70 and 95 °C dot steps extend the same scale and are not independently confirmed.
Cite this page: TNAADO Tools, “Laundry Care Symbol Decoder,” tools.tnaado.ca/calculators/general/laundry-care-symbol-decoder/.
Laundry symbol FAQ
What does the square with a vertical line mean on a laundry label?
It means line dry: hang the item on a line or bar to dry. In the ISO 3758 system a square is the drying symbol, and lines inside it mean natural drying instead of a machine. One vertical line is line dry, two vertical lines is drip line dry (hang it while still dripping wet), one horizontal line is dry flat, and two horizontal lines is drip dry flat. A diagonal line in the top corner of any of these means dry it in the shade. ISO 3758:2023, as published by GINETEX, lists these symbols.
What does the square with a circle inside mean?
It means tumble dry. The circle stands for the drum of a tumble dryer. Dots inside the circle give the heat: one dot is a mild, reduced-heat setting (maximum 60 degrees C) and two dots is a normal setting (maximum 80 degrees C) in ISO 3758. US labels use up to three dots for low, medium and high heat. If the circle in the square has a cross through it, the item must not be tumble dried.
What do the dots on laundry symbols mean?
Dots are a temperature scale, and more dots always means hotter. On a US-style wash tub, 1 to 6 dots stand for 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 95 degrees C, where ISO writes the number instead. On a tumble dry symbol the dots are the dryer heat. On an iron, one dot is the coolest setting and three dots is the hottest: ISO 3758:2023 gives maximum soleplate temperatures of 120, 160 and 210 degrees C for one, two and three dots.
What do the lines or bars under a symbol mean?
A bar under a wash tub, a dry clean circle or a tumble dryer symbol means gentler treatment. In ISO 3758 one bar under a wash tub is a mild cycle with reduced agitation and two bars is a very mild cycle, for example for machine-washable wool. On US labels one bar is a permanent press cycle and two bars is a delicate or gentle cycle. Under a dry clean circle, a bar means a mild process with limits on moisture, mechanical action or heat.
What do the letters P, F and W in a circle mean?
The circle is professional care, and the letter is a message for the professional cleaner. P means dry cleaning in perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon solvents. F means hydrocarbon solvents only. W means professional wet cleaning, a water process that cannot be copied in a home washing machine. A circle with a cross through it means do not dry clean. These are instructions for the cleaner, so you can hand the garment over and mention the label.
Are US and European laundry symbols different?
Mostly the shapes are shared: tub, triangle, square, iron and circle. The differences are in the details. ISO 3758 writes the wash temperature as a number and US-style labels use dots. ISO tumble dry has two heat levels and the US has three. ISO iron temperatures are 120, 160 and 210 degrees C, and the older scale used by ASTM D5489 is 110, 150 and 200. The US also draws line dry, drip dry and dry flat with different icons, and US labels follow the Federal Trade Commission Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423. Use the toggle in the decoder to see both readings of the same symbol.
What this decodes, and what it does not
This tool explains what a care symbol means according to the sources above. It does not inspect your garment. When in doubt, follow the wording on the label, or wash a hidden area first.