# Laundry Symbols and What They Mean URL: https://homequicks.com/fabric-care/laundry-symbols-what-they-mean Category: Fabric & Leather Care Published: 2009-11-04T03:30:00 Updated: 2009-11-04T03:30:00 Seldom do we take interest in laundry symbols and their meaning, which is surprising considering that they drop hints which have a crucial role to play in the maintenance of clothes. Laundry symbols, also referred to as ‘care symbols’, are graphic symbols in the form of pictures, which represent a particular concept related to the maintenance of clothes. These symbols are printed on labels attached to the clothes, known as the ‘care labels’. Basically, they indicate the best way of cleaning clothes without harming the material. At times, these symbols are complemented by a set of written instructions. ### Universal Laundry Symbols Though they exist on almost all the clothes we wear, we are hardly aware of the presence of these symbols, or their meaning for that matter. These symbols are used to depict particular cleaning instructions. General symbols which are used on care labels universally include ... - Washing instructions, depicted by a bucket - Bleaching instructions, depicted by a triangle - Drying instructions, depicted by a square - Ironing instructions, depicted by the symbol of an iron - Dry cleaning instructions, depicted by a circle Grasping these symbols will definitely make your laundry work less intricate. The general symbols are further modified in order to depict the different methods of cleaning clothes. For instance, a bucket with a single black dot in the center means ‘wash in cold water’, while a bucket with three black dots means ‘wash in hot water.’ ### Washing Instructions Washing is symbolized by a ‘bucket’. The dots in the bucket indicate the temperature of water, i.e., 1 dot indicates 30 °C, 2 dots indicate 40 °C, and 3 dots indicate 50 °C. At times, these dots are replaced by numbers which represent the temperature of water to wash that particular linen. A bucket with the number 50 would mean wash it in 50 °C water. - _Bucket with 1 dot_ - Machine wash with cold water - _Bucket with 2 dots_ - Machine wash with warm water - _Bucket with 3 dots_ - Machine wash with hot water - _Bucket with 1 dot and a horizontal line_ - Machine wash, cold water, permanent press - _Bucket with 2 dots and a horizontal line_ - Machine wash, warm water, permanent press - _Bucket with 3 dots and a horizontal line_ - Machine wash, hot water, permanent press - _Bucket with 1 dot and 2 horizontal lines_ \- Machine wash with cold water and gentle cycle - _Bucket with 2 dots and 2 horizontal lines_ \- Machine wash with warm water and gentle cycle - _Bucket with 3 dots and 2 horizontal lines_ \- Machine wash with hot water and gentle cycle - _Bucket with a hand_ \- Hand wash - _Bucket with a cross_ \- Do not wash ### Bleaching Instructions A ‘triangle’ is used to symbolize bleaching. It makes dull and gray textiles more lively, but it has to be used carefully. There are basically three laundry symbols for bleaching. - _Triangle_ - Bleaching necessary - _Triangle with slanting lines within_ - Use only non-chlorine bleach - _Black triangle with cross_ - Do not bleach ### Drying Instructions Generally, a ‘square’ is used to show the correct method of drying. There are four methods of drying and hence, you will come across many drying symbols on care label. - _Square with a black circle_ - Tumble dry without heat - _Square with a circle and 1 dot_ - Tumble dry with low heat - _Square with a circle and 2 dots_ - Tumble dry with medium heat - _Square with a circle and 3 dots_ - Tumble dry with high heat - _Square with a black circle and a horizontal line below_ - Tumble dry and permanent press without heat - _Square with a circle, 1 dot and a horizontal line below_ - Tumble dry and permanent press with low heat - _Square with a circle, 2 dots and a horizontal line below_ - Tumble dry and permanent press with medium heat - _Square with a black circle and 2 horizontal lines below_ - Tumble dry and gentle cycle without heat - _Square with a circle, 1 dot and 2 horizontal lines below_ - Tumble dry and gentle cycle with low heat - _Square with a circle, 2 dots and 2 horizontal lines below_ - Tumble dry and gentle cycle with medium heat - _Square with circle within and a cross_ - Do not tumble dry - _Square resembling an envelope_ - Line dry - _Square with 3 vertical lines within_ - Drip dry - _Square with 1 horizontal line within_ - Flat dry ### Ironing Instructions Yet another significant part, ironing is symbolized by an ‘iron’. The dots in the ironing symbol represents the temperature at which the material can be ironed. One has to be careful though, as not all the cloth materials can be ironed. - _Iron with a cross_ - Do not iron - _Iron with 1 dot_ - Iron, steam, or dry with low heat - _Iron with 2 dots_ - Iron, steam, or dry with medium heat - _Iron with 3 dots_ - Iron, steam, or dry with high heat - _Iron with protruding line beneath and a cross on these lines_ - Do not iron with steam ### Dry Cleaning Instructions Dry cleaning is represented by a ‘circle’ on the care label. One should check the label before sending it to dry cleaners. - _Circle_ - Dry clean (You will have to take it to professional dry cleaners.) - _Circle with a cross_ - Do not dry clean Being well-versed with these laundry symbols is of a great help when it comes to maintenance of your clothes. At the same time, you need to note that the treatment indicated by these care labels is ‘the maximum permitted treatment’ and not a necessarily a compulsion. Treatment forms milder than the ones recommended on the care labels can be used. For instance, if the symbol says wash with hot water, you can also wash it in cold water.