Stop guessing. Stop shrinking sweaters. This reference decodes every laundry and textile care symbol so your clothes last longer.
Type a keyword or pick a symbol to see what it means in seconds.
Every standardized care symbol, organized so you can find what you need fast.
Different fabrics get different care labels. Here is what you will usually see on each.
Pin this inside your laundry room cabinet. The most common symbols on one page.
Every care label uses five base shapes. A tub means washing. A triangle means bleaching. A square with a circle inside means drying. An iron means ironing. A circle means professional cleaning. Once you know these five shapes, you can read any label.
Inside the washing tub and iron symbols, dots indicate heat level. One dot is low (around 30°C). Two dots are medium (around 40-50°C). Three dots are high (around 60-90°C). No dots means the temperature is not specified.
A single line under the washing tub means a reduced spin cycle (permanent press). Two lines mean a very gentle cycle with minimal agitation. These lines appear on labels for synthetics, knits, and anything that might stretch or pill.
When any base symbol has an X through it, that action is forbidden. Do not wash. Do not bleach. Do not tumble dry. Do not iron. Do not dry clean. Ignoring a cross is the fastest way to ruin a garment.
Replacing a shrunken wool sweater costs $40 to $120. A melted synthetic blouse is gone for good. Following care symbols adds years to every garment in your closet. This is one of the easiest ways to spend less on clothing over time.
Using hot water on a cold-wash label. Tumble drying something that says line drying only. Ironing silk at cotton temperature. Skipping the pre-wash step for dark colors. Each of these mistakes causes real damage that you cannot undo.