HOW TO READ LAUNDRY SYMBOLS: A COMPLETE GUIDE
Laundry symbols can be a little confusing. What do those lines and dots mean and how do you use them to keep clothes looking their best? First, check your clothing label to find the fabric information followed by a series of symbols. Be careful to distinguish between the washing and drying symbols. If your item is stained, browse this stain removal guide before deciding how to wash it. If you’re not sure which washing machine setting to use, check out this guide for tips.
The chart below breaks down the most common clothing care symbols—from washing to drying, dry cleaning and even ironing.
Print this cheat sheet for easy reference next time you wash:
washing symbols
Using the right temperature and wash cycle can help keep items in good condition and help prevent damage. When figuring out how to wash an item, look for the wash tub icon on the tag, as well as what's inside and below it.
Black dots indicate water temperature and one or two lines beneath the tub represent cycle choice. For instance, an item that can be washed with a Sanitize Cycle will feature a wash tub with five black dots on its care label. This means the item can be washed at up to 160°F. An X means your item shouldn't be machine washed: look for a hand symbol indicating hand washing or a circle for dry cleaning. If you want to use bleach, look for a triangle symbol to determine if it's safe for your fabric.
Read on for help understanding these common care label icons and their meanings.
WASHER CYCLE SYMBOLs
Do Not Wash - This symbol indicates the garment should not be washed. It's shown as a wash tub with an X over it.
Hand Wash - This symbol means the item should be hand washed only. It's represented by a wash tub with a hand inside.
Machine Wash - This symbol indicates the garment can be machine washed. It's shown as a simple wash tub.
Machine Wash: Permanent Press - This symbol means to use the Permanent Press cycle. It's depicted as a wash tub with one line underneath.
Machine Wash: Gentle or Delicate - This symbol indicates to use the Gentle or Delicate cycle. It's shown as a wash tub with two lines underneath.
WASHING TEMPERATURE SYMBOLS
Cold Wash - This symbol means to wash in cold water, around 30°C or 85°F. It's depicted as a wash tub with one dot inside.
Warm Wash - This symbol indicates to wash in warm water, around 40°C or 105°F. It's shown as a wash tub with two dots inside.
Warm/Hot Wash - This symbol means to wash in warm to hot water, around 50°C or 120°F. It's represented by a wash tub with three dots inside.
Hot Wash - This symbol indicates to wash in hot water, around 60°C or 140°F. It's depicted as a wash tub with four dots inside.
Sanitize Wash - This symbol means to wash at a sanitizing temperature, around 70°C or 160°F. It's shown as a wash tub with five dots inside.
BLEACH SYMBOLs
OK to Bleach - This symbol indicates that bleach can be used on the item. It's represented by an empty triangle.
Do Not Bleach - This symbol means you should not use bleach on the garment. It's shown as a triangle with an X over it.
Non-chlorine Bleach if Needed - This symbol indicates that non-chlorine bleach can be used if needed. It's depicted as a triangle with two diagonal lines inside.
DRYING SYMBOLS
Drying your item correctly can also help ensure its quality and help prevent it from being damaged. Look for a square on your item's care tag when deciding how to dry. A circle inside the square means it can be tumble dried in the dryer, while straight or curved lines mean it should be air dried. Just like washing symbols, black dots represent heat and lines beneath the square indicate cycle choice. Some clothes may be dried but should not have dryer sheets added. Learn more about dryer sheets and when to use them.
Proper drying is crucial for maintaining the quality and longevity of your clothes. Read on to learn more about common drying symbols you might encounter on your garment care tags.
AIR DRYING SYMBOLs
Drip Dry - This symbol indicates the item should be hung wet to dry without wringing or twisting. It's represented by a square with three vertical lines inside.
Dry in the Shade - This symbol means the garment should be dried away from direct sunlight. It's shown as a square with two lines in the upper left corner.
Hang Dry - This symbol indicates the item should be hung to dry. It's depicted as a square with a curved line inside resembling a hanger.
Dry Flat - This symbol means the garment should be laid flat to dry. It's represented by a square with one horizontal line inside.
BASIC DRYER CYCLE SYMBOLs
Tumble Dry - This symbol indicates the item can be tumble dried. It's shown as a square with an empty circle inside.
Do Not Tumble Dry - This symbol means the garment should not be tumble dried. It's depicted as a square with a circle and X inside.
No Heat Dry - This symbol indicates to tumble dry without heat. It's represented by a square with a black circle inside.
Normal Cycle Low Heat - This symbol means to use the Normal dry cycle with low heat. It's shown as a square with a circle and one dot inside.
Normal Cycle Medium Heat - This symbol indicates to use the Normal dry cycle with medium heat. It's depicted as a square with a circle and two dots inside.
Normal Cycle High Heat - This symbol means to use the Normal dry cycle with high heat. It's represented by a square with a circle and three dots inside.
PERMANENT PRESS SYMBOLs
Permanent Press No Heat - This symbol indicates to use the Permanent Press cycle with no heat. It's shown as a square with a black circle inside and one line below.
Permanent Press Low Heat - This symbol means to use the Permanent Press cycle with low heat. It's depicted as a square with a circle and one dot inside and one line below.
Permanent Press Medium Heat - This symbol indicates to use the Permanent Press cycle with medium heat. It's represented by a square with a circle and two dots inside and one line below.
GENTLE CYCLE SYMBOLs
Gentle Cycle No Heat - This symbol means to use the Gentle dry cycle with no heat. It's shown as a square with a black circle inside and two lines below.
Gentle Cycle Low Heat - This symbol indicates to use the Gentle dry cycle with low heat. It's depicted as a square with a circle and one dot inside and two lines below.
Gentle Cycle Medium Heat - This symbol means to use the Gentle dry cycle with medium heat. It's represented by a square with a circle and two dots inside and two lines below.
Ironing symbols
Ironing can make some clothing items look their best, while it can ruin other items that are not meant to be ironed. It’s important to check the label on your garment for the ironing symbol before ironing it. The ironing symbol isn't hard to spot—it looks just like an iron. Black dots will indicate heat while X's will tell you whether or not to use steam or skip ironing altogether. If you want to skip this step, select a wrinkle fighting setting on your dryer like the Wrinkle Prevent option with Steam by Maytag brand, which tumbles your clothes with steam for up to 150 minutes after the cycle ends.
Proper ironing can enhance the appearance of certain garments, while improper ironing may damage others. To ensure you're caring for your clothes correctly, always check the ironing symbol on the care label before pressing. Read on to learn more about ironing symbols.
Cool Dry - This symbol indicates that you should iron at a low temperature, around 110°C or 230°F. It's represented by an iron with one dot inside.
Warm Iron - This symbol means to iron at a medium temperature, around 150°C or 300°F. It's shown as an iron with two dots inside.
Hot Iron - This symbol indicates you should iron at a high temperature, around 200°C or 390°F. It's depicted as an iron with three dots inside.
No Steam - This symbol means to iron without steam. It's represented by an iron with an X below it.
Do Not Iron - This symbol indicates the garment should not be ironed at all. It's shown as an iron with an X over it.
Dry Cleaning symbols
Some items should not be machine washed or tumble dried and instead require dry cleaning. Fabrics that should be dry cleaned include linen, silk, leather and suede. If you see an empty circle on your tag, that means your item is best left to a dry cleaning professional. Each variation of this symbol provides important instructions for the dry cleaning process, including which solvents can be used and which should be avoided.
Understanding these symbols is important for maintaining the quality and longevity of delicate fabrics.
Dry Clean - This symbol indicates that the garment should be dry cleaned. It's represented by an empty circle, signaling that the item is best left to a dry cleaning professional.
Do Not Dry Clean - This symbol means the garment should not be dry cleaned. It's shown as a circle with an X over it, warning against professional dry cleaning.
Dry Clean - Any Solvent - This symbol indicates that any solvent can be used in the dry cleaning process. It's depicted as a circle with an A inside, giving dry cleaners flexibility in their choice of cleaning agents.
Dry Clean - Any Solvent Except Trichloroethylene - This symbol means the garment can be dry cleaned using any solvent except trichloroethylene. It's represented by a circle with an F inside, guiding dry cleaners on solvent restrictions.
Dry Clean - Petroleum Solvent Only - This symbol indicates that only petroleum-based solvents should be used in dry cleaning. It's shown as a circle with a P inside, specifying the type of solvent to be used.
ARE INTERNATIONAL LAUNDRY SYMBOLS DIFFERENT?
While laundry symbols are designed to be universal, there can be some variations in how they are used or interpreted across different countries and regions. Many countries have adopted the same standardized system of care labeling symbols.
The basic concepts behind the symbols (such as wash tubs for washing, squares for drying, irons for ironing and circles for dry cleaning) tend to be consistent across most systems. The main variations often come in the details or specific instructions.
It's important to note that imported garments may use symbol systems from their country of origin. If you're unsure about a symbol, it's always best to err on the side of caution and choose gentler washing and drying methods, or consult the manufacturer's website for specific care instructions.
PRINTABLE WASHING SYMBOL GUIDE
Now that you’re a pro at recognizing clothing care symbols, check out the features that can help you tackle load after load. Maytag® washers and dryers come with a variety of cycles and options for different load types. When you pair your new laundry-symbol knowledge with these cycles, you've got one powerful way to take on laundry day.
For even more ways to get the most out of laundry day, read about the types of detergent that are best for your loads and how to wash knitted clothes in a washing machine.
To learn more, download the printable laundry symbols guide.
EXPLORE MAYTAG® WASHERS AND DRYERS
Maytag® washers and dryers are built for powerful cleaning and are backed by a 10-year limited parts warranty, so you can fight tough stains, day after day, and keep your clothes fresh.
