ClothTraceClothTrace

How to read laundry symbols: the complete care-label guide

The little symbols on a care label are an international code (ISO 3758) for how to wash, dry, iron and clean a garment. Learn the five families below and you will never shrink or ruin a piece again. Or scan the tag with ClothTrace and it reads them for you instantly.

In this article

The wash tub: temperature and method

A tub of water means machine washable. Dots inside show temperature: one dot is cold (about 30C), more dots mean hotter. A number is the maximum in Celsius. A hand in the tub means hand wash only. A tub with a cross through it means do not wash, usually dry clean only. Lines under the tub call for a gentler cycle.

The triangle: bleaching

A plain triangle means bleach is allowed. A triangle with two diagonal lines means only non-chlorine, colour-safe bleach. A triangle with a cross means do not bleach at all.

The square: drying

A square is drying. A circle inside the square is a tumble dryer: one dot is low heat, two dots is normal, and a crossed-out circle means do not tumble dry. Lines or curves in a plain square indicate line drying or flat drying instead.

The iron: pressing

An iron symbol with dots sets the temperature: one dot is cool (for synthetics and silk), two is warm (wool, polyester), three is hot (cotton, linen). An iron with a cross means do not iron.

The circle: dry cleaning

A circle is professional cleaning. Letters inside (P or F) tell the cleaner which solvent to use. A crossed-out circle means do not dry clean. You usually do not need to decode the letters; they are instructions for the cleaner.

The shortcut

You do not have to memorise all of this. Point ClothTrace at the care label and it turns every symbol into a plain sentence, builds an ordered wash plan, and even flags when a dry-clean-only label is overcautious for the fabric.

See what your clothes are really made of

Scan any care label. ClothTrace reads the real fibre, decodes the wash symbols, and flags what it puts against your skin. Free to scan.

Download for iPhone

Frequently asked

What do the dots on laundry symbols mean?

Dots indicate intensity. In the wash tub and iron, more dots mean higher temperature. In the tumble-dry circle, one dot is low heat and two dots is normal heat.

What does a crossed-out symbol mean?

A cross through any care symbol means do not do that action: do not wash, do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not iron, or do not dry clean.

Do I have to follow dry-clean-only labels?

Not always. Many dry-clean-only labels are cautious. For sturdy, washable fibre mixes a cold hand wash is often fine. ClothTrace flags when a dry-clean label is likely overcautious, but test a hidden seam first.