What do the main laundry symbol shapes mean?
A wash tub covers washing, a triangle bleaching, a square drying, an iron ironing, and a circle professional textile care. Dots, lines, crosses, numbers, and letters modify the instruction.
Calculator categories
Laundry Symbols Chart
Clothing care
Laundry Symbols Chart & Decoder
Match the mark on your care label, click it, and get a direct instruction. Search by action, filter by stage, or print the complete quick-reference chart.
Find a symbol, then see exactly what to do
Search 28 common care marks or browse by laundry step.
28 symbols shown
Care-label systems vary slightly by region and brand. Read every symbol on the garment together and follow the manufacturer's written instructions when present.
How to read a clothing care label
- 01
Start with the shape
Tub = wash, triangle = bleach, square = dry, iron = iron, and circle = professional care.
- 02
Read the modifier
Dots set heat, underlines reduce mechanical action, numbers cap temperature, and letters guide cleaners.
- 03
Respect the X
A crossed symbol prohibits the entire process. Check the other marks for the safe alternative.
Why the whole label matters
One garment may allow cool washing but prohibit tumble drying and high heat. Interpret the wash, bleach, dry, iron, and professional-care instructions as one complete sequence.
When the label is unclear
Use the gentlest plausible treatment: cool water, low agitation, no bleach, and air drying. Valuable, structured, lined, or mixed-material garments are safer with professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
What do dots inside laundry symbols mean?
Dots indicate heat level. One dot means low, two medium, and three high. Always read the dots inside the relevant dryer or iron shape rather than on their own.
What does a crossed-out laundry symbol mean?
A large X means do not use that process. For example, a crossed dryer means do not tumble dry, while a crossed triangle means do not bleach.
Are laundry symbols the same in every country?
The major systems share many shapes, but details and labeling rules vary by region. Treat this decoder as a guide and follow all written instructions from the garment manufacturer.
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