Care Symbols Explained – How to Read the Care Label
By TaVare · updated 2026-07-27
The care label tells you exactly how a garment should be treated – if you know the symbols. There are five main groups, and each tells you one thing: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning. Here is what they mean, so you do not ruin a garment over a misread symbol.
The tub: washing
The symbol that looks like a little tub of water tells you about washing.
- A number in the tub = maximum wash temperature (for example 30 or 40 degrees).
- A hand in the tub = hand wash only.
- A bar under the tub = gentle wash (less movement and spin).
- A cross over the tub = the garment should not be washed in water – it usually needs cleaning.
The triangle: bleaching
The triangle is about bleach.
- A plain triangle = bleaching is allowed.
- A triangle with two diagonal lines = oxygen (colour-safe) bleach only, not chlorine.
- A cross over the triangle = do not use bleach.
The square: drying
The square tells you how to dry the garment.
- A circle in the square = tumble dry safe. Dots show the heat level (fewer dots = lower heat).
- A cross over the circle = do not tumble dry.
- Lines in the square = line or flat dry (a horizontal line often means flat dry, as for wool).
The iron: ironing
The iron symbol shows whether and how hot you can iron.
- One dot = low heat (synthetic fabrics).
- Two dots = medium heat (wool, silk – ideally with a cloth over).
- Three dots = high heat (cotton, linen).
- A cross over the iron = do not iron.
The circle: professional cleaning
A circle means professional care. The letters inside (P or F) tell the cleaner which solvent may be used, while W means wet cleaning – a gentle, water-based professional method. A cross over the circle means the garment should not be dry-cleaned. If a garment is labelled for cleaning, that is exactly when you take it to a cleaner. We clean according to the care label, and you see the price before you order.
You see the price before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What does the circle on the care label mean?+
Professional cleaning. A P or F tells the cleaner which solvent may be used, W means wet cleaning, and a cross means the garment should not be dry-cleaned.
What do the dots in the symbols mean?+
Heat or temperature level. More dots means higher heat, both for ironing and tumble drying.
What does a bar under the symbol mean?+
That the garment should be treated gently – less movement and a lower spin.
What do I do with a garment labelled 'dry clean only'?+
Take it to a cleaner rather than washing it at home. We clean according to the care label, and you see the price before you order.
Rather have us handle it?
You see the price before you order.