How to Read Wash Symbols: Never Ruin Your Clothes Again [Simple Guide]

A single laundry error can cause irreversible damage, such as shrinking your wool clothing by two to three sizes. The most frequent garment mishaps arise from improper washing techniques.

Wash symbols have been guiding garment care practices since their introduction in Europe during the late 1950s, while the United States only adopted these standards in the 1970s. These symbols have since become a universal language for ensuring the correct care of apparel and are now featured on nearly every piece of clothing.

The international washing system employs five fundamental symbols. A washtub signifies washing instructions, a triangle provides guidance for bleaching, an iron indicates pressing requirements, a circle specifies dry cleaning needs, and a square outlines drying methods. Additional markers, such as dots or numbers within these symbols, articulate specific temperature and care requirements.

This guide elucidates the meaning behind wash symbols, enabling you to care for your garments effectively and avoid expensive laundry errors.

Understanding Basic Washing Symbols

Laundry care labels follow a standardized schema of five basic symbols that precisely inform you how to take care of your clothing. These symbols consistently appear in the same order from left to right: a washtub for washing, a triangle for bleaching, an iron for pressing, a circle for dry cleaning, and a square for drying instructions1.

The 5 Main Symbol Categories

The washtub symbol denotes washing instructions, with various representations indicating suitable water temperatures and cycle settings. A plain washtub permits regular machine washing. Lines underneath the symbol provide information about specific cycle requirements2. If a hand symbol appears inside the washtub, it indicates that the garment should be hand washed. An X across the symbol signifies that machine washing is not permitted14.

The triangle symbol conveys bleaching directives, while the iron symbol instructs on pressing methods. The circle informs about dry-cleaning requirements and may often include letters that assist cleaners in selecting appropriate cleaning agents4. The square provides drying directives, detailing whether to tumble dry, hang dry, or dry flat5.

How Temperature Dots Work

Temperature markers inside the washtub symbol are represented as numbers or dots, signifying the appropriate water temperature. European labels indicate Celsius temperatures through numbers, while American labels frequently utilize the dot system6.

The dot system operates as follows: