Written by Foam Laundry | Salt Lake City's laundry pickup and delivery service.
Laundry symbols are standardized icons on care labels that tell you exactly how to wash, dry, bleach, iron, and dry clean a garment. Each symbol category uses a distinct shape: a tub for washing, a square for drying, a triangle for bleaching, an iron for ironing, and a circle for dry cleaning.
This guide covers every symbol you are likely to encounter, organized by category. If you own technical outdoor gear from brands like Patagonia, Smartwool, Arc'teryx, or Black Diamond, skip to the section on symbols for technical fabrics. Those labels often use symbols that general guides miss.
Washing Symbols (Tub Icon)
Washing symbols use a tub shape. The number of dots inside the tub indicates water temperature. A hand in the tub means hand wash only. A crossed-out tub means do not wash at all.
| Symbol | What It Means | What to Do | Common On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tub (no dots) | Machine wash, any temperature | Wash on normal cycle in any temp | Sturdy cotton, towels, denim |
| Tub with one dot | Machine wash cold (30°C / 86°F) | Cold cycle, normal or gentle | Synthetics, blends, colors |
| Tub with two dots | Machine wash warm (40°C / 104°F) | Warm cycle, normal | Cotton shirts, underwear, socks |
| Tub with three dots | Machine wash hot (50°C / 122°F) | Hot cycle, sturdy items only | White cotton, heavily soiled items |
| Tub with four dots | Machine wash very hot (60°C / 140°F) | Hot cycle; sanitizing | Bed linens, towels |
| Tub with hand | Hand wash only | Use cold water, gentle squeezing, no wringing | Merino wool, cashmere, delicate knits |
| Tub with underline | Gentle or delicate cycle | Use the delicate machine setting | Lightweight fabrics, activewear |
| Tub crossed out | Do not wash | Spot clean only, or dry clean | Leather, certain structured garments |
For SLC Residents with Outdoor Gear
Merino wool base layers from Smartwool, Icebreaker, and Ibex almost always show "hand wash" or "machine wash cold, delicate." Ignore this symbol once and you may not get a second chance. Merino felts under agitation and hot water, and felting is permanent.
Patagonia fleeces are usually machine wash cold with a tumble dry low or no heat symbol. The down jackets carry machine wash warm instructions with tennis ball tumble drying to re-loft the fill.
Drying Symbols (Square Icon)
Drying symbols use a square. A circle inside the square means tumble dry. A square with no circle means air dry. Lines inside the square indicate the drying position: flat, drip, or in the shade.
| Symbol | What It Means | What to Do | Common On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square with circle | Tumble dry (any heat) | Machine dry is fine | Sturdy cotton, synthetics |
| Square with circle, one dot | Tumble dry low heat | Use the low heat setting | Synthetics, activewear, fleece |
| Square with circle, two dots | Tumble dry medium heat | Standard dryer setting | Cotton shirts, jeans |
| Square with circle, three dots | Tumble dry high heat | Hot dryer; sturdy items only | Heavy cotton, towels |
| Square with circle crossed out | Do not tumble dry | Air dry only | Wool, cashmere, technical shells |
| Square with horizontal line | Dry flat | Lay on a clean flat surface | Wool sweaters, knit items |
| Square with three vertical lines | Drip dry | Hang while wet, let drip | Linen, structured shirts |
| Square with one curved line at top | Hang to dry | Hang on a hanger or line | Most garments |
| Square with diagonal lines | Dry in shade | Avoid direct sunlight | Items that fade, bright colors |
Salt Lake City's dry climate is an advantage here. Most garments labeled "do not tumble dry" will air dry indoors within 4 to 8 hours because of the low humidity. A merino base layer laid flat in a warm room is usually dry in under 6 hours.
Bleaching Symbols (Triangle Icon)
Bleaching symbols use a triangle. An empty triangle means any bleach is fine. A triangle with diagonal lines means non-chlorine bleach only. A crossed-out triangle means do not bleach at all.
| Symbol | What It Means | What to Do | Common On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty triangle | Any bleach allowed | Chlorine or non-chlorine bleach is safe | White cotton, some synthetics |
| Triangle with two diagonal lines | Non-chlorine bleach only | Use oxygen-based or color-safe bleach | Colors, synthetics, wool blends |
| Triangle crossed out | Do not bleach | No bleach of any kind | Silk, dark fabrics, wool |
Chlorine bleach damages wool and silk permanently. On technical fabrics, it degrades DWR (durable water repellent) coatings. When in doubt, use oxygen bleach or skip bleaching entirely.
Ironing Symbols (Iron Icon)
Ironing symbols use the shape of a clothes iron. Dots inside indicate temperature. A crossed-out iron means do not iron. A crossed-out iron with steam lines means no steam.
| Symbol | What It Means | What to Do | Common On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron with one dot | Iron on low heat (110°C / 230°F) | Use a cool iron | Synthetic fabrics, acrylic |
| Iron with two dots | Iron on medium heat (150°C / 302°F) | Warm iron | Wool, silk |
| Iron with three dots | Iron on high heat (200°C / 392°F) | Hot iron | Cotton, linen |
| Iron crossed out | Do not iron | Skip ironing; steam or hang instead | Down, sequins, plastic details |
| Iron with X over steam holes | Do not steam | Use dry iron only, no steam | Velvet, certain wool blends |
Ski and outdoor gear almost never needs ironing. If a shell jacket has a "do not iron" symbol, it is usually because the outer fabric or DWR coating cannot handle direct heat contact.
Dry Cleaning Symbols (Circle Icon)
Dry cleaning symbols use a circle. A plain circle means dry clean. Letters inside indicate the solvent type your dry cleaner should use. A crossed-out circle means do not dry clean.
| Symbol | What It Means | What to Do | Common On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain circle | Dry clean | Any standard dry cleaning solvent is safe | Wool suits, silk, structured garments |
| Circle with F | Dry clean, petroleum solvents only | Tell your dry cleaner | Some synthetics, certain finishes |
| Circle with P | Dry clean, any solvent except trichloroethylene | Standard instruction | Most dry-clean garments |
| Circle with W | Wet clean only | Professional wet cleaning, not standard dry cleaning | Some "dry clean" labeled items |
| Circle crossed out | Do not dry clean | Home wash or specialist only | Down, some coated fabrics |
A "dry clean only" label is a legal protection for the manufacturer as much as a care instruction. Some items labeled "dry clean only" can be carefully hand washed in cold water. Structured garments like blazers, however, genuinely need dry cleaning to maintain their shape.
5 Symbols People Ignore (and What Goes Wrong)
These five are the most commonly skipped symbols, and the consequences are often irreversible.
1. Do not tumble dry (square with crossed-out circle)
This is the most ignored symbol in SLC households. People throw merino wool, cashmere, and technical shells in the dryer because it is faster. What happens: wool felts and shrinks permanently, sometimes losing 30 to 40 percent of its size. A $120 Smartwool base layer becomes unwearable in one cycle.
2. Hand wash only (tub with hand)
Normal machine wash is too aggressive for garments with this symbol. The agitation breaks down fibers in wool and delicate knits. Even a gentle machine cycle generates more mechanical stress than hand washing. The result is premature pilling, distortion, or felting.
3. Do not bleach (crossed-out triangle)
Chlorine bleach on non-bleachable fabrics causes immediate and visible damage: yellowing on synthetics, fiber breakdown in wool and silk, and color stripping on dyed fabrics. This is not recoverable.
4. Dry flat (square with horizontal line)
Hanging a knit sweater while wet causes gravity to stretch it permanently, especially in the shoulders and body length. A wool or cashmere sweater that should lay flat will distort into a stretched-out shape after one round of hang drying.
5. Dry clean only (plain circle)
Washing a "dry clean only" garment at home can cause shrinkage, color bleeding, and loss of structure. Wool suits and silk blouses are especially vulnerable. The structured components in blazers and tailored jackets are often bonded with heat-sensitive adhesives that water dissolves.
Technical Fabric Symbols for Outdoor Gear
If you ski, hike, or trail run, your gear labels include symbols general guides skip. Here is what to look for on brands like Arc'teryx, Patagonia, Black Diamond, and Rab.
Do not wring (circle with X): Common on wool and down. Wringing twists fibers and breaks fill clusters.
Do not dry clean (crossed-out circle): Common on down jackets and technical shells. Dry cleaning solvents strip insulation and DWR coatings.
Tumble dry low with dryer balls or tennis balls (circle inside square, one dot, with an additional note): Down needs agitation during drying to prevent fill from clumping. This symbol appears on most Patagonia and Arc'teryx down products.
Wash inside out (often a text instruction alongside symbols): Common on softshells and stretch fleece. Protects the outer surface from pilling.
At Foam, every garment gets its care label read before it enters the wash. For Salt Lake City customers who bring in Smartwool, Patagonia, or Arc'teryx, we follow the label exactly. Cold water, gentle cycle, low heat or no heat dry. The gear comes back in the same condition it left.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the symbol with a circle inside a square mean on a care label?
A circle inside a square means the item can be tumble dried. The number of dots inside the circle indicates heat level: one dot for low heat, two dots for medium heat, three dots for high heat. No dots means any heat setting is safe. If the circle inside the square has an X through it, do not tumble dry.
What does a crossed-out tub mean on a garment?
A crossed-out tub means do not wash the item in water. This appears on structured garments, leather items, and some wax-coated fabrics. These items usually need professional dry cleaning or spot cleaning only.
Are laundry symbols the same worldwide?
The symbols are standardized under the international GINETEX system and are used across the US, Europe, and most of the world. The symbols themselves are consistent. The US also uses ASTM standard D5489, which aligns closely. Some older American garments still use text instructions instead of symbols, but most new clothing uses the international icons.
What happens if you put something in the dryer that says do not tumble dry?
The consequences depend on the fabric. Wool and cashmere can felt permanently and shrink 20 to 40 percent in a single cycle. Merino base layers become stiff and boardlike. Spandex and lycra lose elasticity. Down jackets can have their fill damaged. Technical shells can delaminate or lose their DWR coating. In most cases, one cycle is enough to cause permanent damage.
Foam Laundry provides laundry pickup and delivery in Salt Lake City, Utah. Plans start at $24.99 per week with same-day turnaround and free pickup and delivery.