Laundry symbols chart

Every care symbol in the five ISO 3758 families, plus the North American ones with no ISO twin — 50 in all. Tap any symbol for its meaning, maximum temperature, what to actually do and where the definition comes from. Looking at a label right now? Find it by its shape.

Washing 17 symbols

The wash tub. A number is the hottest water allowed in °C; bars underneath ask for a gentler cycle; a hand means hand wash; a cross means do not wash.

Wash at 95 °C95 Wash at 70 °C70 Wash at 60 °C60 Wash at 60 °C, gentle cycle60 + 1 bar Wash at 50 °C50 Wash at 50 °C, gentle cycle50 + 1 bar Wash at 40 °C40 Wash at 40 °C, gentle cycle40 + 1 bar Wash at 40 °C, very gentle cycle40 + 2 bars Wash at 30 °C30 Wash at 30 °C, gentle cycle30 + 1 bar Wash at 30 °C, very gentle cycle30 + 2 bars Hand washhand Hand wash in cool waterhand + 1 bar Do not washcross Machine wash, any temperatureempty tub · US Do not wringcrossed twist · US

Bleaching 3 symbols

The triangle. Empty means any bleach, two slanted lines mean oxygen (non-chlorine) bleach only, a cross means no bleach at all.

Any bleach allowedempty Only non-chlorine (oxygen) bleach2 slanted lines Do not bleachcross

Drying 15 symbols

The square. A circle inside means tumble dryer, with dots for heat; lines inside mean natural drying — hanging (vertical) or flat (horizontal).

Tumble dry, normal heatcircle + 2 dots · max 80 °C Tumble dry, low heatcircle + 1 dot · max 60 °C Do not tumble drycircle + cross Tumble dry, high heatcircle + 3 dots · US · max 75 °C Tumble dry, any heatempty circle · US Tumble dry, no heat (air only)filled circle · US Do not drycrossed square · US Line dry1 vertical line Drip dry (hang wet)2 vertical lines Dry flat1 horizontal line Drip dry flat2 horizontal lines Line dry in the shade1 vertical line + corner Drip dry in the shade2 vertical lines + corner Dry flat in the shade1 horizontal line + corner Drip dry flat in the shade2 horizontal lines + corner

Ironing 6 symbols

The iron. One, two or three dots set the maximum soleplate temperature; a cross means do not iron.

Iron at high temperature3 dots · max 210 °C Iron at medium temperature2 dots · max 160 °C Iron at low temperature1 dot · max 120 °C Iron at low temperature, no steam1 dot + crossed steam · max 120 °C Do not ironcross Do not steamcrossed steam · US

Professional care 9 symbols

The circle is for the dry cleaner, not for you. P and F name the solvents allowed, W means professional wet cleaning, bars ask for a gentler process.

Dry clean (P)P Dry clean (P), gentle processP + 1 bar Dry clean (F), hydrocarbon onlyF Dry clean (F), gentle processF + 1 bar Do not dry cleancross Professional wet clean (W)W Professional wet clean (W), gentleW + 1 bar Professional wet clean (W), very gentleW + 2 bars Do not wet cleanW + cross

How to read a care label in 20 seconds

Five shapes, normally in this order: tub (washing), triangle (bleaching), square (drying), iron (ironing), circle (professional cleaning).
A cross through any shape means “don't”.
Bars under a tub or circle ask for a gentler process: one bar gentle, two bars very gentle.
Dots mean heat: on the iron and the dryer everywhere, and in the wash tub on US labels (where the number would be on a European one).
The number is a ceiling, not a target — a cooler, gentler treatment is always allowed.

ISO numbers vs North American dots

US and Canadian labels (ASTM D5489 system) draw the wash temperature as dots. The same dots in the dryer and on the iron do not map to the same temperatures in both systems:

Wash water
ISO number	Fahrenheit	US dots
95 °C	203 °F	6 dots
70 °C	158 °F	5 dots
60 °C	140 °F	4 dots
50 °C	122 °F	3 dots
40 °C	104 °F	2 dots
30 °C	86 °F	1 dot

Tumble dryer, maximum temperature
Dots	ISO 3758 (GINETEX)	North America
1	60 °C, low	55 °C, low
2	80 °C, normal	65 °C, medium
3	not used	75 °C, high

Iron soleplate, maximum
Dots	ISO 3758:2023 (GINETEX)	North America
1	120 °C	110 °C
2	160 °C	150 °C
3	210 °C	200 °C

North American figures from the Government of Canada's guide to the harmonised care symbols; ISO figures as published by GINETEX. Sources are linked on each symbol page.