Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols

Note: The apparel and textile care material below is for information purposes only. The “Care Labelling of Textiles” National Standard was withdrawn by the Canadian General Standards Board in October 2017.

Five basic symbols identify care treatments for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning.

The temperature of a treatment either appears in degrees Celsius, or is defined by a series of dots. Bars help show the severity of the treatment and other symbols define techniques for professional cleaning, hand washing and natural drying—dry flat, line dry, drip dry and dry in the shade.

Index of basic symbols

Washing Symbols

Symbol Description
Washing symbol: Wash in commercial machine in water not exceeding 95°C, at normal setting
Wash in commercial machine in water not exceeding 95° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in commercial machine in water not exceeding 95°C, at permanent press setting
Wash in commercial machine in water not exceeding 95° C, at permanent press setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 70°C, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 70° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 60°C, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 60° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 60°C, at permanent press setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 60° C, at permanent press setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50°C, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50°C, at permanent press setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50° C, at permanent press setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50°C, at delicate/gentle setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 50° C, at delicate/gentle setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40°C, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40°C, at permanent press setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40° C, at permanent press setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40°C, at delicate/gentle setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 40° C, at delicate/gentle setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30°C, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30° C, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30°C, at permanent press setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30° C, at permanent press setting.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30°C, at delicate/gentle setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine in water not exceeding 30° C, at delicate/gentle setting.
Washing symbol: Wash gently by hand in water not exceeding 40°C
Wash gently by hand in water not exceeding 40° C.
Washing symbol: Wash gently by hand in water not exceeding 30°C
Wash gently by hand in water not exceeding 30° C.
Washing symbol: Wash in domestic or commercial machine at any temperature, at normal setting
Wash in domestic or commercial machine at any temperature, at normal setting.
Washing symbol: Do not wash
Do not wash.

Bleaching Symbols

Symbol Description
Bleaching symbol: Use any bleach when needed
Use any bleach when needed.
Bleaching symbol: Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed
Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed.
Bleaching symbol: Do not bleach
Do not bleach.

Drying Symbols

Symbol Description
Drying symbol: Tumble dry at high heat (not exceeding 75°C) at normal setting
Tumble dry at high heat (not exceeding 75° C) at normal setting.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry at medium heat (not exceeding 65°C) at normal setting
Tumble dry at medium heat (not exceeding 65° C) at normal setting.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry at medium heat (not exceeding 65°C) at permanent press setting
Tumble dry at medium heat (not exceeding 65° C) at permanent press setting.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry at low heat (not exceeding 55°C) at permanent press setting
Tumble dry at low heat (not exceeding 55° C) at permanent press setting.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry at a low heat (not exceeding 55°C) at delicate cycle
Tumble dry at a low heat (not exceeding 55° C) at delicate cycle.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry any heat
Tumble dry any heat.
Drying symbol: Tumble dry no heat/air dry
Tumble dry no heat/air dry.
Drying symbol: Do not tumble dry
Do not tumble dry.
Drying symbol: After extraction of excess water, line dry/hang to dry
After extraction of excess water, line dry/hang to dry.
Drying symbol: Hang up the soaking wet article to "drip" dry
Hang up the soaking wet article to “drip” dry.
Drying symbol: After extraction of excess water, dry the article on a suitable flat surface
After extraction of excess water, dry the article on a suitable flat surface.
Drying symbol: Dry in the shade
Dry in the shade (symbol added to line dry, drip dry, or dry flat).
Drying symbol: Do not dry
Do not dry. To be used with “Do not wash” symbol.

Ironing/Pressing Symbols

Symbol Description
Ironing/pressing symbol: Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a high temperature (not exceeding 200°C)
Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a high temperature (not exceeding 200° C). Recommended temperature for cotton and linen textiles.
Ironing/pressing symbol: Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a medium temperature (not exceeding 150°C)
Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a medium temperature (not exceeding 150° C). Recommended temperature for polyester, rayon, silk, triacetate and wool textiles.
Ironing/pressing symbol: Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a low temperature (not exceeding 110°C)
Iron with or without steam by hand, or press on commercial equipment, at a low temperature (not exceeding 110° C). Recommended temperature for acetate, acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, polypropylene and spandex textiles.
Ironing/pressing symbol: Do not steam
Do not steam.
Ironing/pressing symbol: Do not iron or press
Do not iron or press.

Professional Textile Care Symbols

Symbol Description
Professional textile care symbol: Dry-clean, normal cycle. Any solvent except trichloroethylene
Dry-clean, normal cycle. Any solvent except trichloroethylene.
Professional textile care symbol: Dry-clean, normal cycle. Petroleum solvent only
Dry-clean, normal cycle. Petroleum solvent only.
Professional textile care symbol: Do not dry-clean
Do not dry-clean.

Use of Dots For Defining Temperature of Water for Washing Symbol

Symbol Definition Description
6 dot symbol
95° C Near boil
5 dot symbol
70° C Extremely hot
4 dot symbol
60° C Very hot
3 dot symbol
50° C Hot
2 dot symbol
40° C Warm
1 dot symbol
30° C Cool

Supplementary Care Symbol

Symbol Description
Supplementary Care Symbol: Do not wring
Do not wring.
Supplementary Care Symbol: Wet-clean
Wet-clean.
Supplementary Care Symbol: Do not wet-clean
Do not wet-clean.

For more information: Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB)