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Short guide to wash and dry symbols

On the care labels, washing precautions are represented by symbols in a specific order. These include instructions for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning.

Short guide to wash and dry symbols

  1. General washing: The garment can be machine washed as well as hand washed. The specified number indicates the ideal washing temperature (see also no. 4).
  2. No washing allowed: The articles designated with this symbol do not withstand washing, either by machine or by hand, for example leather garments.
  3. Washing by hand: Hand wash only. Machine washed; the garment may be damaged.
  4. Washing at 30 °Celsius: The garment must be washed at 30 degrees maximum.
  5. Delicate washing at 30 degrees and short spin-drying: The garment must be washed at 30 degrees maximum. Spin at low speed.
  6. Sensitive or woolen cloths at 30 degrees: Sensitive or woolen clothes can be washed at 30 degrees maximum. Do not wring out.
  7. Oxygen bleaching: The garment can only be bleached with oxygen.
  8. Chlorine bleaching: The garment can be bleached with chlorine.
  9. Bleaching prohibited: The garment cannot be bleached, otherwise it will discolor and damage the fabric.
  10. Normal tumble drying: Machine drying is possible without restrictions.
  11. Tumble drying at low temperature: Machine drying is only possible at low temperatures.
  12. Tumble drying at high temperature: The garment can be dried at high temperature.
  13. Not suitable for tumble drying: Garment does not withstand tumble drying; it may be damaged.
  14. Ironing allowed: The garment can be ironed.
  15. Iron at low temperature: The garment should only be ironed at low temperatures; high temperatures can damage it.
  16. Iron at medium temperature: The garment can only be ironed at medium temperature.
  17. Ironing at high temperature: The garment can be ironed at high temperature. For this type of fabric, the iron must be very hot in order to make the folds disappear.
  18. Ironing prohibited: The garment does not withstand ironing, even at low temperatures. It may be damaged.
  19. Ironing without steam: The garment can be ironed without steam.
  20. General drying: The garment can be air-dried without restriction.
  21. Drying on wire: The garment must be dried on a thread.
  22. Drying on yarn in the shade: The garment can be dried on a thread in the shade. Direct sunlight can damage it.
  23. Drying flat: The garment must be dried flat. If it is hung, it might be lose its shape.
  24. Drying flat in the shade: The garment should not be hung but dried flat and in the shade, otherwise it will warp and may be damaged by direct sunlight.
  25. Drying in the shade: The garment should be dried in the shade, especially black garments whose color may fade if exposed to direct sunlight.
  26. Drying without first wringing: The garment should not be wrung out by machine or by hand. Hang it wet.
  27. Dry in the shade without wringing out first: The garment should not be wrung out by machine or by hand. Hang wet in the shade.
  28. Wash cold: The garment must be washed at less than 30 degrees. Use a detergent suitable for cold washing.
  29. Hand washing prohibited: The garment does not become clean when hand washed.
  30. Do not hand wring: This symbol is originally found on Japanese textiles. But it is more and more often found on imported items as well. It means to not wring clothes by hand.