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.
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.
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