The little symbols on a fabric or garment label tell you how to wash, dry, and press it. This chart decodes the five symbol families.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Washtub | Washing. A number gives the maximum temperature in Celsius; a hand means hand wash; an X means do not wash. |
| Triangle | Bleaching. Plain allows bleach; lines mean non-chlorine only; an X means no bleach. |
| Square | Drying. A circle inside means tumble dry; dots show heat level; lines mean line or flat dry. |
| Iron | Ironing. Dots show the temperature, from one (cool) to three (hot); an X means do not iron. |
| Circle | Professional cleaning. Letters indicate dry or wet cleaning method; an X means none. |
Dots mean heat, X means never. Across the symbols, more dots means more heat is allowed, and a crossed-out symbol always means do not do that step.
See the Fabric Prewashing Guide and the Fabric Types Explained.