Wash at 40 °C, very gentle cycle
Machine wash up to 40 °C on a very gentle cycle with much reduced agitation (two bars) — the wool or delicates programme, for machine-washable wool and other fragile items.
What to do
Use the wool or delicates programme, fill the drum no more than about one-third, and choose the lowest spin.
- Maximum temperature
- 40 °C (104 °F) wash water
- Family
- Washing (tub)
- ISO 3758 name
- Washing, maximum 40 °C, very mild process
- Distinguishing mark
- 40 + 2 bars
On US and Canadian labels
North American version: two dots with two bars, called the delicate/gentle setting.
Often confused with
Machine wash up to 40 °C on a gentle cycle with reduced agitation (one bar) — the synthetics programme. Meant for viscose, modal, polyester, polyamide and acrylic.
Other washing symbols
Wash at 95 °C95Wash at 70 °C70Wash at 60 °C60Wash at 60 °C, gentle cycle60 + 1 barWash at 50 °C50Wash at 50 °C, gentle cycle50 + 1 barWash at 40 °C40Wash at 40 °C, gentle cycle40 + 1 barWash at 30 °C30Wash at 30 °C, gentle cycle30 + 1 barWash at 30 °C, very gentle cycle30 + 2 barsHand washhandHand wash in cool waterhand + 1 barDo not washcrossMachine wash, any temperatureempty tub · USDo not wringcrossed twist · US
Sources
- GINETEX — Care symbols (existing care symbols under ISO 3758:2023) — checked 2026-09-22
- Government of Canada, Office of Consumer Affairs — Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols (North American system) — checked 2026-09-22
Meanings are paraphrased from these sources, not quoted, and checked on the date shown.