Laundry symbols explained: read your care label and build the symbols
Laundry symbols explained: for each of the five care symbols, choose what is printed on your label and you read the meaning in words straight away. At the same time a picture of the care label appears that you can save as PNG or SVG. Everything runs in your browser.
Source: Wikipedia – Laundry symbol (Wash, bleach, dry, iron, professional care). Updated: .
How it is calculated
How to read laundry symbols
Care symbols consist of five basic shapes in a fixed order: wash tub, triangle, square, iron and circle. Additions such as numbers, dots, bars or a cross change the meaning. Choose above what is printed on your label and the tool gives the meaning in words.
The five basic shapes
- Wash tub: washing. The number gives the maximum wash temperature, one bar underneath means a gentle cycle and two bars a very gentle cycle. A hand means hand wash, a cross means do not wash.
- Triangle: bleaching. Empty allows bleaching, two diagonal lines allow only oxygen bleach, crossed out forbids bleaching.
- Square: drying. With a circle it is the tumble dryer, one dot means low and two dots normal temperature. Lines inside a square describe natural drying.
- Iron: ironing. One dot means up to 110°C (no steam), two dots up to 150°C, three dots up to 200°C. Older sources give 120, 160 and 210°C.
- Circle: professional cleaning. P and F stand for dry-cleaning solvents, W for professional wet cleaning.
Good to know
The symbols describe what the item can take according to the maker. If in doubt, wash cooler and more gently than shown. The tool follows the international symbol series of ISO 3758; symbols can differ slightly by maker and age of the label. The drawn label does not replace the original in your garment.
Frequently asked questions
What does the number in the wash tub mean?
It is the maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius. A tub with 40 allows machine washing at no more than 40°C.
What do the bars under the wash tub mean?
One bar means a gentle programme with less agitation and spin, two bars a very gentle programme. No bar means the normal programme.
What does a crossed-out triangle mean?
The item must not be bleached. Also avoid detergents that contain bleach, for example heavy-duty powders.
What do the dots on the iron mean?
One dot means low temperature up to 110°C without steam, two dots medium up to 150°C and three dots high up to 200°C.
Are my choices stored?
No. The selection and the picture are created in your browser, with no upload and no account.
Sources and legal basis
- Wikipedia – Laundry symbol (Wash, bleach, dry, iron, professional care)
- GINETEX – International Association for Textile Care Labelling (owner of the trademark rights to the care symbols)
As of: · Editorial policy
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