Laundry Care Symbols: How to Read Care Tags on Clothing & Bedding

Laundry symbols can often seem difficult to read, but understanding them is crucial for maintaining the quality and longevity of your bedding and clothing. With this guide, you can easy identify what each icon means for best practices during laundry day. Make sure to save this so you can refer back to it whenever you need a refresher!

Full guide on laundry care symbols and how to read care tags

Washing Symbols

Machine Wash & Temperature Indicators

Tub with water indicates machine washing / machine washable. In the tub, there will either be dot(s) or a number that specifies the maximum water temperature.

Dots inside the Tub
- One dot: Cold water wash
- Two dots: Warm water wash
- Three dots: Hot water wash
Numbers inside the Tub
- 30° means wash at or below 30° Celsius (86°F)
- 40° means wash at or below 40° Celsius (104°F)
- 50° means wash at or below 50° Celsius (122°F)
- 60° means wash at or below 60° Celsius (140°F)
- 70° means wash at or below 70° Celsius (158°F)
- 95° means wash at or below 95° Celsius (194°F)

Infographic explaining wash temperature and wash cycle

Washing Cycle Symbols

Lines under the tub represents the wash cycle for how your laundry machine cleans your clothing and bedding.

No Line under Tub: Normal cycle is most intense and has higher agitation to ensure a deeper clean.
Single Line under Tub: Permanent press cycle is gentler and usually includes a cool-down phase to minimize wrinkles.
Double Line under Tub: Gentle or delicate cycle is ideal for minimal agitation to preserve fabrics and extend longevity.

Other Washing Symbols

Tub with Cross: Do not wash. Dry cleaning or cleaning professionals may be recommended for such items.

Hand in Tub: Hand wash only.

Drying Symbols

Tumble Dry

Square with Circle: This indicates tumble drying. Similar to washing symbols, dots indicate the temperature:
- One dot: Low heat
- Two dots: Medium heat
- Three dots: High heat
Circle with Cross inside Square: Do not tumble dry. Natural / air drying is recommended.
Square with Filled-in Circle: No heat.

Infographic explaining dryer temperature and dryer cycle

Drying Cycle Symbols

Lines under the square represents the dry cycle.

No Line under Square with Circle: Normal cycle. Suitable for durable fabrics that can withstand high agitation and temperature.
Single Line Below Square: Permanent press cycle. Designed to reduce wrinkles by using a cool-down period at the end of the drying cycle.
Double Line Below Square: Delicate cycle. Using a gentle tumble and low heat to minimize damage.

Natural Drying

Infographic explaining drying instructions like line dry, drip dry, etc.

Square with Curved Line: Line / hang dry.
Square with Three Vertical Lines: Drip dry. Hang while wet and avoid wringing out.
Square with One Horizontal Line: Dry flat. This is crucial for maintaining the shape of certain items.
Square with Diagonal Lines: Dry in the shade and avoid direct sunlight.
Square with Cross: Do not dry.
Knot with Cross: Do not wring.

Ironing Symbols

Infographic explaining iron temperature and other specifics

Iron Icon: Indicates ironing is permissible. Again, dots indicate the heat level:
- One dot: Low heat (110°C)
- Two dots: Medium heat (150°C)
- Three dots: High heat (200°C)
Iron with Vertical Lines: Steam ironing is allowed. Steam helps to remove wrinkles effectively.
Iron with Vertical Lines and Cross: Do not use steam. While ironing is permitted, steam can damage the fabric or cause shrinkage. Use a dry iron only.
Iron with Cross: Do not iron. High heat can damage some fabrics, particularly some synthetic materials.

Bleaching Symbols

Infographic explaining use of bleach for fabrics

Triangle: Bleach as needed. Chlorine bleach is acceptable.
Triangle with Diagonal Lines: Use non-chlorine bleach only.
Triangle with Cross: Do not bleach. Avoid all types of bleach to prevent fabric damage.

Dry Cleaning Symbols

Circle: Dry clean only. Letters inside the circle (A, P, F) indicate the type of solvent to use.
Circle with Cross: Do not dry clean. Cleaning professional may be recommended for advice.

Evercool®+ Cooling Sheet Set

Evercool® Cooling Comforter

How should I wash Rest Evercool® comforter and sheets set?

Evercool® bedding like the cooling comforter should be washed with cold water (max 30°C / 86°F) on the gentle / delicate cycle to minimize damage for long-lasting, night after night cool sleep.

How should I dry Rest Evercool® comforter and sheets set?

Evercool® cooling bedding should be tumble dry with low heat on a delicate cycle to ensure they maintain their structure and performance over time.