Care symbols
Laundry care symbols, explained
Laundry care symbols follow a simple grammar: a tub means washing, a triangle means bleaching, a square means drying, an iron means ironing, and a circle means dry cleaning. A number gives a temperature, bars under a symbol mean be gentler, and a cross through any symbol means do not. Here is the full set in plain English.
Last updated July 2026
Washing (the tub)
Tub with water
Machine washable on a normal cycle.
Tub with a number (30, 40, 60)
Maximum wash temperature in Celsius. Wash at or below this.
Tub with one bar underneath
Use a gentle or synthetics cycle, reduced agitation.
Tub with two bars underneath
Use a delicate or wool cycle, very gentle.
Tub with a hand
Hand wash only, cool water, no machine.
Tub crossed out
Do not wash. Dry clean or wipe only.
Bleaching (the triangle)
Plain triangle
Bleach allowed when needed.
Triangle with two diagonal lines
Only non-chlorine, colour-safe bleach.
Triangle crossed out
Do not bleach.
Drying (the square)
Square with a circle
Tumble dry allowed.
Circle with one dot
Tumble dry on low heat.
Circle with two dots
Tumble dry on normal or high heat.
Circle crossed out
Do not tumble dry.
Square with a horizontal line
Dry flat (best for wool and knits).
Square with a vertical line
Hang to dry.
Ironing (the iron)
Iron with one dot
Iron on low, up to about 110C (silk, wool, synthetics).
Iron with two dots
Iron on medium, up to about 150C.
Iron with three dots
Iron on high, up to about 200C (cotton, linen).
Iron crossed out
Do not iron.
Dry cleaning (the circle)
Plain circle
Dry clean only. Take it to a professional.
Circle with a letter (P or F)
Dry clean with a specific solvent. Information for the cleaner.
Circle crossed out
Do not dry clean.
Label faded or cut out?
You do not need to decode anything. Lavo reads the garment itself from a photo and gives the exact setting for your machine, no care label needed.
Questions
What does the triangle symbol mean on clothes?
The triangle is the bleaching symbol. A plain triangle means bleach is allowed, two diagonal lines mean only non-chlorine (colour-safe) bleach, and a crossed-out triangle means do not bleach.
What do the dots inside the iron or circle mean?
Dots indicate temperature. On the iron, one dot is low (about 110C), two is medium (150C), three is high (200C). Inside the tumble-dry circle, one dot is low heat and two dots is normal or high heat.
What if the care label is faded or missing?
You do not need the symbols at all. Lavo reads the garment itself from a photo and gives the exact programme, temperature and spin for your machine, even when the label is faded, cut out or missing.