How to read laundry symbols

Before washing any garment, check the care label first. Every piece of clothing should carry laundry symbols, and while those symbols are standardized across the world, they're not always easy to decode at a glance. The guide below makes it quick.

If your garment has lost its care label, our care guide covers general advice for the most common textile types.

A quick note before you start: hand washing and air drying are always worth choosing when you can. Both are gentler on fabric and easier on the environment than machine washing and tumble drying. And the temperature printed on a label is a maximum, not an instruction. Choose cooler settings whenever the garment allows it.

Follow these when machine washing to keep garments from shrinking or losing their shape. Two things matter most: whether the item is machine washable at all, and what the maximum temperature is.

Machine washable. A tub symbol with no additional markings means the garment is safe for a standard washing machine cycle. It doesn't mean any temperature goes. Always check the number inside the tub before you start.

Hand wash only. A hand inside the tub means the garment should be washed by hand, or on a dedicated hand wash cycle if your machine has one. Hand washing is always the gentler option, and we recommend it whenever possible.

Wash at max. 30°C (86°F). Do not exceed this temperature. Higher heat will likely cause the garment to shrink.

Wash at max. 40°C (104°F). The upper limit here is firm. Stay at or below 40°C to keep the item in shape.

Wash at max. 60°C (140°F). Higher temperatures are rarely necessary for everyday clothing. Reserve them for durable items like linen bedsheets or tablecloths.

Gentle wash cycle. Two horizontal lines beneath the tub symbol mean the garment can be machine washed, but only on a gentle or wool cycle.

Not machine washable. If you see the tub with an X through it, skip the machine entirely. Hand wash or dry clean only.

Following drying instructions keeps garments in their intended shape. The general tumble drying symbol is a square with a circle inside. Variations to look for on your care label:

1. Tumble Drying Allowed, 2. Tumble Dry on Gentle Program, 3. Tumble Dry on High Program, 4. Hang Dry, 5. Drip Dry, 6. Flat Dry, 7. No Tumble Drying Allowed

The dry clean only symbol means your garment needs professional cleaning. It may include letters or lines that tell the dry cleaner which process to use. Worth knowing: many garments marked dry clean only can still be hand washed with care.

1. Dry Clean Only, 2. Do Not Dry Clean

Always check the ironing symbol before you press. Applying too much heat to the wrong textile can cause damage that can't be undone.

1. Iron at max. 110°C, 2. Iron at max. 150°C, 3. Iron at max. 200°C, 4. Do Not Iron, 5. Do Not Steam

We recommend skipping bleach altogether. It's hard on textile fibers and harder on the environment. For white garments, our White Laundry Detergent keeps things bright without it. If you do need to bleach, here are the symbols to follow.

1. Bleaching Allowed, 2. Non-Chlorine Bleachable, 3. Not Bleachable

The single most useful thing you can do for your clothes is to wash them less. Airing, steaming, misting, and brushing off surface dirt can all restore that fresh feeling without putting a garment through a full cycle. When a wash is necessary, keep it as gentle as the label allows. If something is stained but otherwise clean, hand wash the spot. No need to treat the whole garment to something it doesn't need.