How to make sense of the symbols on your clothes’ care labels?Updated a year ago

You’d be forgiven if you mistake some of these for ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, if so here’s our Rosetta stone to make sense of them all.

Washing

	Do not machine wash.
	Wash by hand or at a low temperature without spin cycle.
	Wash at 30°c or less with similar colours.
	Wash at 30°c or less with similar colours and a reduced spin cycle.
	Wash at 30°c or less with similar colours and a delicate spin cycle.
	Wash at 40°c or less with similar colours.
	Wash at 40°c or less with similar colours and a reduced spin cycle.
	Wash at 40°c or less with similar colours and a delicate spin cycle.
	Wash at 60°c or less with similar colours.

Bleaching

Do not use bleach.

Drying

	Do not tumble dry.
	Tumble dry at a low temperature.
	Tumble dry at a medium temperature.

Ironing

	Do not iron.
	Iron on a low temperature (110°c max), a few gentle presses should do it.
	Iron on a medium temperature (150°c max), again a few gentle presses should do it.

Special care and cleaning

	Do not dry clean.
	Professionally dry-clean only.