Laundry Symbols PDF: Printable Care Label Chart
Download the Careonova laundry symbols PDF to quickly check washing, drying, bleaching, ironing, and dry cleaning symbols before you wash or dry clothes.
Free 5-page PDF · No email required · Printer-friendly · or use the symbol scanner instead
Laundry Symbols Printable Guide
- Washing symbols
- Drying symbols
- Bleach, iron, and dry clean icons
- Fabric-specific warnings
Safe default when unsure
Use cool water, gentle action, low heat, and air drying. Skip bleach and high heat unless the label clearly allows it.
Important note
These are plain-language reference icons, not scanned manufacturer artwork. Always confirm against the sewn-in label on the garment itself.
What's Inside the Printable Laundry Symbols Guide?
How to Read Laundry Symbols Before Washing
Start with the main shape. A tub means washing, a triangle means bleach, a square means drying, an iron means ironing, and a circle means professional cleaning. Then check the smaller details: dots usually show heat level, numbers show water temperature, lines show gentler cycles, and an X means do not use that method.
Washing Symbols Cheat Sheet
Washing symbols help you choose the right water temperature and cycle before the fabric shrinks, fades, stretches, or loses shape.
- Machine wash: The item can usually go in the washer at the temperature and cycle shown.
- Hand wash: Wash gently by hand with cool water — do not scrub, twist, or wring.
- 30°C / cold wash: Safer for delicate, dark, or shrink-prone clothes.
- 40°C / warm wash: Useful for normal soil when the fabric allows it.
- Gentle / very gentle cycle: Lower agitation, lighter loads, reduced or low spin.
- Do not wash / do not wring: Follow professional care, or press water out with a towel instead of twisting.
Drying Symbols Cheat Sheet
Drying symbols matter because heat can shrink cotton, damage synthetics, stretch knits, and set odors into polyester or activewear.
- Tumble dry (low / medium / high): Dryer use is allowed at the heat level the label shows.
- Do not tumble dry: Air dry, line dry, or dry flat instead of using dryer heat.
- Line dry / drip dry: Hang the item, wet or damp, in a ventilated area — don't wring it first.
- Dry flat: Lay flat on a towel or rack to protect sweaters, knits, and shape-sensitive fabrics.
- Dry in shade: Keep darks, prints, and fade-prone clothes out of direct sun.
- Reshape while damp: Smooth seams and reshape before the item fully dries; remove promptly to cut wrinkles and odor.
Bleach, Iron, and Dry Clean Symbols
Bleach
A triangle shows bleach instructions. Chlorine and non-chlorine bleach have separate symbols — if the triangle is crossed out, skip bleach entirely to avoid fading or fiber damage.
Iron
Dots inside the iron show heat level: low for synthetics, medium or high only when the label allows it. A crossed-out iron means no steam or direct heat at all.
Dry Clean
A circle gives professional cleaning instructions. Letters like P, F, or W (wet clean) are mainly for the cleaner — not for home washing guesses.
How to Use This PDF in Your Laundry Room
- Save the PDF on your phone for quick label checks.
- Print it and keep it near your washer or laundry basket.
- Check new clothes before the first wash.
- Use it before drying delicate, dark, synthetic, wool, or rayon items.
- Open the scanner when the label has several symbols or you need fabric-specific advice.
Common Mistakes This Chart Helps Prevent
- Using hot water when the label needs cold or gentle washing.
- Putting odor-heavy polyester or activewear in the dryer before the smell is gone.
- Bleaching colors, prints, wool, silk, spandex, or delicate fabrics without checking safety.
- Hanging heavy wet knits instead of drying them flat.
- Ignoring dry-clean-only or professional-care symbols on structured or expensive clothing.
Still unsure about one symbol on your label?
Print the full chart for reference, or open the scanner to match a single symbol to fabric-specific care advice in seconds.
These are plain-language reference icons, not scanned manufacturer artwork — always confirm against the sewn-in care label on the garment itself.