How to Read Clothing Care Labels (So You Don’t Ruin Your Favourite Garments)
Caring for clothes starts before you even turn the washing machine on — it starts with that tiny care label sewn inside the seam. Ignore it, and you risk shrinkage, colour fade, bobbling or misshapen clothes. Follow it, and your garments look fresher for longer and spend less time in the “emergency repair” pile.
Here’s a simple guide to understanding clothing care labels, plus when it’s safer to hand things over to the professionals.
1. The Basics: What’s On a Care Label?
Most labels will tell you:
Fibre content – e.g. 100% cotton, wool, silk, polyester blend
Washing instructions – machine wash, hand wash, or do not wash
Drying instructions – tumble dry, line dry, dry flat
Ironing instructions – what temperature (if any) is allowed
Professional care – dry clean only, or specific dry-clean symbols
If you only remember one rule, make it this:
When in doubt, follow the most gentle instruction printed.
2. Decoding the Washing Symbols
On most labels, washing is shown as a little bucket of water:
Plain bucket symbol – safe to machine wash.
Bucket with a number (e.g. 30, 40) – maximum temperature in °C. Going hotter can shrink or damage fibres.
Bucket with a hand in it – hand wash only. The agitation of a machine can stretch, snag or felt delicate fabrics.
Bucket with a cross through it – do not wash in water at all. That usually means dry clean only.
Tip: If you see “hand wash” on something expensive, delicate or sentimental, many people feel safer sending it to a professional cleaner rather than risking the sink.
3. Spin & Cycle: Those Little Lines Under the Bucket
Under the washing bucket, you might see one or two lines:
No line – normal / cotton cycle is fine.
One line – synthetic / easy-care cycle. Use a gentler spin and shorter wash.
Two lines – delicate or wool cycle. Very gentle, low agitation.
These lines are the label’s way of saying: “Be kind to me, please!” If you ignore them and use a heavy spin, you can stretch or distort the garment, especially knits and blended fabrics.
4. Bleach Symbols: Keep Whites White (Without Ruining Them)
Bleach is shown as a triangle:
Empty triangle – you can use bleach if needed (usually chlorine-free is still safer).
Triangle with two diagonal lines – oxygen-based / non-chlorine bleach only (many colour-safe bleaches fall into this category).
Triangle with a cross through it – no bleach at all. Using it can weaken fibres or strip colour.
If you’re ever unsure, skip the bleach and use a stain remover suitable for colours or leave it to professionals who can test safely.
5. Drying Symbols: Tumble or Not to Tumble?
Drying is shown as a square. When there’s a circle inside the square, that means tumble drying:
Square with a circle, no dots – tumble dry allowed, any temperature.
One dot inside – tumble dry on low heat.
Two dots inside – tumble dry on medium heat.
Square with a circle crossed out – do not tumble dry.
You might also see:
Square with a curved line at the top – line dry.
Square with three vertical lines – drip dry (hang straight from the wash).
Square with one horizontal line – dry flat (perfect for knits that can stretch).
If you’ve ever pulled a tiny, shrunken jumper or twisted dress out of the dryer, you’ve met the consequences of ignoring these symbols!
6. Ironing Symbols: Avoid Shiny Patches and Scorch Marks
The iron symbol looks like… an iron (thankfully):
One dot – low heat (synthetics, delicate items).
Two dots – medium heat (most blends).
Three dots – high heat (cotton, linen).
Iron crossed out – do not iron (often due to prints, coatings, or heat-sensitive finishes).
For delicate garments, use a pressing cloth (a light cotton cloth between the iron and fabric) or steam gently from a short distance. If you’re nervous about melting or marking the fabric, steaming at Snazzy’s is built into the service — we can handle the finishing for you.
7. Dry Cleaning Symbols: When to Call the Professionals
Dry cleaning is shown as a circle:
Plain circle – can be dry cleaned.
Circle with a letter inside (P, F, etc.) – tells the cleaner what solvents to use (this is for us, not you!).
Circle crossed out – do not dry clean.
You’ll often see “Dry clean” or “Dry clean only” written on:
Suits and tailored jackets
Wool or cashmere coats
Silk blouses and dresses
Velvet, viscose, and some delicate blends
Beaded, sequinned or embellished garments
Special occasion wear (wedding outfits, evening gowns)
If the label says “dry clean only”, putting it in the washing machine is a gamble — colours can bleed, linings can warp, and the shape can be permanently ruined.
8. Common Label Phrases (And What They Really Mean)
“Dry clean only” – Do not wash in water. Take it to a professional cleaner.
“Dry clean recommended” – You might be able to wash carefully at home, but dry cleaning will give safer, longer-lasting results.
“Wash with like colours” – the dye may run, especially in the first few washes. Keep darks, brights and lights separate.
“Wash inside out” – helps protect prints, embroidery and colour on the outside of the garment.
“Reshape whilst damp” – especially on knits. Gently lay flat and nudge it back into its original shape before it dries.
9. When to Let Snazzy’s Handle It
Even if you understand the label, some garments are still best left to professionals — especially if they are:
Expensive or sentimental (wedding outfits, occasion dresses, tailored suits)
Made from delicate fibres (silk, wool, cashmere, mohair, viscose, velvet)
Heavily stained (wine, oil, makeup, ink, food grease)
Structured items (blazers, coats, lined dresses, pleated skirts)
At Snazzy’s Dry Cleaning, Laundry & Alterations in Westerhope, Newcastle, we:
Follow your care labels and apply our professional judgment
Use specialist stain treatments suited to delicate fabrics
Press and steam your garments so they’re ready to wear
Offer pick-up and delivery, so caring for clothes is fast and hassle-free
Final Thought
Care labels might look confusing at first, but once you know what the symbols mean, they become a handy cheat sheet for keeping your wardrobe looking sharp.
If you’re ever unsure what your label is telling you — or you just don’t want to risk a favourite item in the wash — let Snazzy’s take care of it. Pop into our shop in Westerhope or book a collection online, and we’ll give your garments the expert clean they deserve.