Washing Machine Symbol Guide: What Works and What to Avoid

You see symbols on clothing care labels but you’re not sure what they mean. Those little icons tell you how to wash, bleach, dry, and iron your clothes. Ignoring them can shrink, fade, or damage your clothes. Here’s a guide to washing machine symbols without damage.

Washing machine symbols are standardized icons printed on clothing care labels that tell you how to care for a garment. Symbols cover washing (tub icon), bleaching (triangle icon), drying (square icon), and ironing (iron icon). Understanding these symbols prevents damage and extends the life of your clothes.

To use washing machine symbols, check the care label before washing, follow the washing symbol for water temperature and cycle, follow the bleach symbol for bleach type, follow the drying symbol for dryer settings, and follow the ironing symbol for iron temperature. Don’t ignore symbols, don’t use settings that contradict the symbols, and don’t remove care labels.

Washing Symbols (Tub Icon)

Symbol	Meaning	What to Do
Tub with water	Machine wash	Use machine wash
Tub with hand	Hand wash only	Wash by hand in cold water
Tub with X	Do not wash	Don’t machine or hand wash
Tub with 30C	Cold wash	Use cold water (30C or 86F)
Tub with 40C	Warm wash	Use warm water (40C or 104F)
Tub with 60C	Hot wash	Use hot water (60C or 140F)
Tub with one line	Permanent press	Use permanent press cycle
Tub with two lines	Gentle cycle	Use delicate cycle
Tub with number 30	Very gentle	Use very gentle cycle

Bleaching Symbols (Triangle Icon)

Symbol	Meaning	What to Do
Empty triangle	Any bleach OK	Use oxygen or chlorine bleach
Triangle with two lines	Oxygen bleach only	Use oxygen bleach only
Triangle with Cl	Chlorine bleach OK	Use chlorine bleach on white cotton
Triangle with X	Do not bleach	Don’t use any bleach

Drying Symbols (Square Icon)

Symbol	Meaning	What to Do
Square with circle	Tumble dry OK	Use dryer
Square with circle and dot	Low heat	Use low heat setting
Square with circle and two dots	Medium heat	Use medium heat setting
Square with circle and three dots	High heat	Use high heat setting
Square with circle and X	Do not tumble dry	Air dry only
Square with horizontal line	Dry flat	Lay flat to dry
Square with vertical lines	Hang dry	Hang on a line
Square with diagonal lines	Dry in shade	Keep out of direct sun
Square with curved line	Line dry	Hang on a clothesline

Ironing Symbols (Iron Icon)

Symbol	Meaning	What to Do
Iron with one dot	Low heat	Use low heat (110C or 230F)
Iron with two dots	Medium heat	Use medium heat (150C or 300F)
Iron with three dots	High heat	Use high heat (200C or 390F)
Iron with X	Do not iron	Don’t iron
Iron with steam lines	Steam OK	Use steam
Iron with X over steam	No steam	Use dry iron only

Dry Cleaning Symbols (Circle Icon)

Symbol	Meaning	What to Do
Circle	Dry clean	Take to dry cleaner
Circle with F	Dry clean with petroleum solvent	Use petroleum solvent
Circle with P	Dry clean with perchloroethylene	Use perchloroethylene
Circle with W	Wet clean	Use professional wet cleaning
Circle with X	Do not dry clean	Don’t dry clean

What Works

Check the Care Label Before Washing

Always check the care label before washing a new garment. The symbols tell you everything you need to know.

Follow the Washing Symbol

Use the right water temperature and cycle. Cold for darks and delicates, warm for most loads, hot for whites and heavily soiled.

Follow the Bleach Symbol

Use the right bleach type. Oxygen bleach for most fabrics, chlorine bleach for white cotton only.

Follow the Drying Symbol

Use the right dryer setting or air dry. Some fabrics need to be laid flat or hung to dry.

Follow the Ironing Symbol

Use the right iron temperature. Too much heat can scorch or shrink fabric.

Use the Right Products

Detergent: Tide Free and Gentle

Stain removers: OxiClean Max Force Spray, Dawn Ultra Dish Soap, Shout Advanced Grease Busting Foam

Odor absorber: Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

Machine cleaner: affresh Washing Machine Cleaner

Laundry sanitizer: Lysol Laundry Sanitizer

Ink remover: Amodex Ink and Stain Remover

What to Avoid

Don’t ignore symbols. Ignoring symbols can shrink, fade, or damage clothes.

Don’t use settings that contradict the symbols. If the label says cold wash, don’t use hot water.

Don’t remove care labels. Keep the labels for reference. If they bother you, write down the symbols before removing.

Don’t use chlorine bleach when the symbol says oxygen only. Chlorine bleach can damage the fabric.

Don’t tumble dry when the symbol says do not tumble dry. Dryer heat can shrink or damage the fabric.

Don’t iron when the symbol says do not iron. Ironing can scorch or melt the fabric.

FAQ

What do washing machine symbols mean? Washing machine symbols are standardized icons on care labels that tell you how to wash, bleach, dry, and iron clothes. A tub icon means washing, a triangle means bleaching, a square means drying, and an iron means ironing.

What does the triangle symbol mean on clothes? The triangle symbol tells you about bleaching. An empty triangle means any bleach is OK, a triangle with two lines means oxygen bleach only, and a triangle with X means do not bleach.

What does the square symbol mean on clothes? The square symbol tells you about drying. A square with a circle means tumble dry, a square with a circle and X means do not tumble dry, and a square with horizontal lines means dry flat.

What does the iron symbol mean on clothes? The iron symbol tells you about ironing. Dots indicate temperature: one dot is low, two dots is medium, three dots is high. An iron with X means do not iron.

Can you machine wash clothes with a hand wash symbol? No. The hand wash symbol means wash by hand in cold water. Use a gentle cycle with cold water if you must machine wash, but hand washing is safer.

References

1. Tide. “Care Label Guide.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “Laundry Symbols Guide.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Washing Symbols Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. American Cleaning Institute. “Care Label Guide.” cleaninginstitute.org.