Wash-care symbols explain how a garment can be washed, bleached, dried, ironed or professionally cleaned. Read the whole label, including any written instructions: the shape identifies the process, while numbers, dots, bars and crosses add important limits.
This UK guide explains common laundry symbols and the questions that can be harder to answer from a picture alone.
What is the symbol for “do not use fabric softener”?
There is no dedicated “do not use fabric softener” symbol in the GINETEX care-symbol set. This instruction is normally written in words, such as “Do not use fabric softener” or “Do not add fabric conditioner”. Read the text alongside the symbols.
The flower often shown on a washing-machine drawer identifies its fabric-softener compartment. It does not tell you whether a particular garment can be treated with softener. See Bosch's guide to washing-machine symbols and check your own machine's instructions.
Some garments have product-specific restrictions. For example, GORE-TEX's outerwear guidance says not to use fabric softeners and to follow the garment manufacturer's care instructions. A missing softener symbol is not a substitute for those instructions.
The five main wash-care symbols at a glance
| Shape | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Wash tub or basin | Washing method and maximum temperature. |
| Triangle | Whether bleaching is permitted. |
| Square | Tumble drying or natural drying. |
| Iron | Ironing limits and any steam restrictions. |
| Circle | Professional dry or wet cleaning. |
A cross through a care symbol prohibits that treatment. A number in the wash tub is a temperature limit, not the length of a wash cycle. Bars underneath a symbol describe a gentler process; dots inside an iron or tumble-dryer symbol relate to heat.
Washing symbols: the tub or basin
In the UK/GINETEX system, a number such as 30 or 40 inside the tub gives the maximum washing temperature in degrees Celsius. Read it together with any bars beneath the tub.
| Mark on the tub | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Number, with no bar underneath | Normal washing process, within the indicated temperature limit. |
| One bar underneath | Mild process with reduced mechanical action. |
| Two bars underneath | Very mild process. |
| Hand in the tub | Hand washing; follow the indicated temperature and accompanying instructions. |
| Crossed-out tub | Do not wash. |
The current symbol set includes a hand-wash option for ambient-temperature water. Check the complete mark rather than assuming that every hand-wash instruction has the same temperature limit.
Bleaching symbols: the triangle
- Empty triangle: chlorine and oxygen bleach are permitted.
- Triangle with two diagonal lines: oxygen/non-chlorine bleach only.
- Crossed-out triangle: do not bleach.
Drying symbols: the square
A circle inside a square refers to tumble drying. In the GINETEX system, one dot indicates a lower-temperature tumble-drying process and two dots a normal-temperature process. A crossed-out tumble-dryer symbol means do not tumble dry.
Lines inside a square describe natural drying. A vertical line means line drying; a horizontal line means flat drying. Additional lines distinguish drip-drying methods, while a diagonal line in a corner specifies drying in the shade. Use the official GINETEX reference for the precise variation on your label.
Ironing symbols: the iron
One, two and three dots indicate progressively higher ironing settings. A crossed-out iron means do not iron.
| Dots | Maximum soleplate temperature in the current GINETEX reference |
|---|---|
| One | 120°C |
| Two | 160°C |
| Three | 210°C |
Older labels and charts may use 110°C, 150°C and 200°C. Do not increase the setting on an older garment simply because a newer chart shows a higher maximum. Follow its own label and the manufacturer's instructions, including any lower written limit.
The revised standard also includes a separate ironing-without-steam symbol. Steam restrictions matter: a low-temperature setting does not automatically make steaming suitable.
Professional cleaning symbols: the circle
Letters inside circles are instructions for a professional cleaner. F and P relate to dry-cleaning processes; W refers to professional wet cleaning, which is not the same as putting the garment into a domestic washing machine.
Bars underneath specify milder processes. They do not mean that all mechanical action is prohibited. A crossed-out dry-cleaning symbol means do not dry clean. Ask the cleaner to interpret unfamiliar letters or additional marks before treatment.
What if a label is missing or difficult to read?
Check the manufacturer's product information or ask them for care advice. A similar-looking garment may have a different fabric finish, lining, print or trim. For specialist cleaning, show the item and its remaining label to the cleaner.
Written instructions also matter when symbols are present. Read phrases such as “wash separately”, “reshape whilst damp” or “do not use fabric conditioner” alongside the pictograms.
Choosing symbols for your own clothing labels
If you are a clothing brand or maker, base your care instructions on reliable information about the finished garment, including decoration and trims. Our care-label planning guide for UK brands covers label content, layout and ordering checks.
Before using GINETEX symbols commercially, check the relevant licence arrangements with UKFT. Once your care information is confirmed, explore our personalised wash care label builder, or contact GB Labels for a bespoke specification.
Official references and further reading
- GINETEX: current care symbols and their meanings.
- GINETEX: changes introduced by ISO 3758:2023.
- UKFT: labelling support and care-symbol licensing.
- Clothing Labels and the Law: UK and EU overview.
Thanks for reading!
Pete
