Show the formula and working
This free laundry symbols decoder turns the small care symbols on a clothing label into plain instructions for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning, for anyone in the UK, Ireland, Europe and beyond. Pick each symbol you see on the label and it writes out a complete care routine, with the maximum temperatures and the cycle to use.
Quick answer: The tub shows washing, with the number as the maximum °C. The triangle covers bleach, the square covers drying, the iron’s dots set its heat (110, 150 or 200 °C) and the circle is for professional cleaning. A cross means do not. This laundry symbols decoder combines all five into one routine.
What Is a Laundry Symbols Decoder?
A laundry symbols decoder is a tool that translates the standard care symbols on textile labels into words. The system has five basic shapes, used in the international standard ISO 3758 and promoted in Europe by GINETEX: a washtub, a triangle for bleaching, a square for drying, a hand iron and a circle for professional cleaning. Dots show heat, lines under a symbol call for a gentler process, and a cross through any symbol means that treatment must not be used.
How Do You Use the Laundry Symbols Decoder?
- Find the care label, usually in a side seam or the neck, then choose the Washing symbol (tub) and the Lines under the tub.
- Choose the Bleaching symbol (triangle).
- Choose the Tumble drying symbol (circle in a square) and any Natural drying symbol (square), and tick Diagonal line in the top left corner (shade) if it is there.
- Choose the Ironing symbol (iron) and the Professional cleaning symbol (circle).
- Read the result, then open “Show the formula and working” for the full care routine step by step.
Laundry Symbols and Their Meanings
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tub with a number (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 95) | Machine wash at that maximum temperature in °C, normal cycle |
| One line under the tub | Gentle cycle, such as synthetics, with reduced spin |
| Two lines under the tub | Very gentle cycle, such as wool or delicates |
| Tub with a hand | Hand wash only, not above 40 °C |
| Empty triangle | Any bleach allowed |
| Triangle with two diagonal lines | Oxygen (non chlorine) bleach only |
| Circle in a square, two dots | Tumble dry at normal temperature |
| Circle in a square, one dot | Tumble dry at low temperature |
| Square with a curved line at the top | Line dry |
| Square with three vertical lines | Drip line dry, hang up wet without spinning |
| Square with one horizontal line | Dry flat |
| Diagonal line in the top left corner | Dry in the shade |
| Iron with one, two or three dots | Maximum sole plate 110 °C, 150 °C or 200 °C |
| Circle with P or F | Professional dry cleaning; F means hydrocarbon solvents only |
| Circle with W | Professional wet cleaning |
| Any symbol crossed out | Do not use that treatment |
What Do the Dots on Laundry Symbols Mean?
Dots show the heat allowed: more dots means hotter. On the iron, one dot is up to 110 °C, two dots up to 150 °C and three dots up to 200 °C, as listed in the laundry symbol article on Wikipedia. On the tumble dryer symbol, one dot means low heat and two dots normal heat. Some labels from the United States and Canada also use dots inside the tub instead of a number, where more dots again mean a warmer wash.
What Does the Line Under the Washing Symbol Mean?
One line under the tub means a gentle cycle and two lines mean a very gentle cycle, usually a wool or delicates programme. Gentler cycles reduce drum movement and spin speed so fabrics do not stretch, crease or felt. Always stay at or below the number in the tub: modern detergents clean well at 30 °C or 40 °C, which also cuts the electricity each wash uses. The washing machine running cost calculator shows the difference.
Can I Wash a Dry Clean Only Item at Home?
If the tub is crossed out, do not wash it in water at home; take it to a professional cleaner and show them the circle symbol. A circle with P or F means dry cleaning in solvent, and W means professional wet cleaning. If the label shows a tub as well as a circle, home washing is allowed within the tub’s limits, and professional cleaning is simply an extra option.
Worked Example: Decoding a Five Symbol Label
Example: a label shows a tub with 40, a crossed out triangle, a circle in a square with one dot and an iron with two dots, with no circle. The decoder reads this as: machine wash at 40 °C or below on a normal cycle, do not bleach, tumble dry at low temperature, and iron at up to 150 °C, the warm setting for wool, silk and polyester. With no circle, there is no professional cleaning instruction.
Tumble drying on low takes longer than on high, so it is worth knowing what each cycle costs. The tumble dryer running cost calculator works it out, and more household running cost tools are on the energy bill calculators page.
Laundry Symbols Decoder FAQs
What does a tub with a hand in it mean?
It means hand wash only, in water no hotter than 40 °C. Wash gently without rubbing or wringing hard. Many machines have a hand wash programme that the maker says is suitable; check your manual before using it.
What does a triangle mean on a clothes label?
The triangle is about bleach. An empty triangle allows any bleach, a triangle with two diagonal lines allows only oxygen bleach, and a crossed out triangle means do not bleach. Never mix bleach with ammonia or acidic cleaners.
What does a square with a circle in it mean?
It is the tumble drying symbol. Two dots mean normal heat, one dot means low heat, and a cross through it means do not tumble dry. A square without a circle refers to natural drying, such as line drying or drying flat.
What temperature is a two dot iron?
Two dots mean a maximum sole plate temperature of 150 °C, the warm setting suited to wool, silk and polyester. One dot is up to 110 °C and three dots up to 200 °C. Most irons mark these dots on the dial.
What if a clothing label has no symbols?
Treat it gently: wash cool on a delicate cycle or by hand, avoid bleach and tumble drying, and test any ironing on a hidden area first. If the item is valuable, ask the retailer or a professional cleaner for advice.
Is the number in the tub the temperature I must use?
No, it is the maximum. You can always wash cooler than the number shown, which saves energy and is kinder to colours. Washing hotter than the number risks shrinking, fading or damaging the fabric.
Checked October 2026. Sources: Laundry symbol (Wikipedia), GINETEX, the international care labelling association.