Line dry
Hang this on a line to dry. One vertical line.
What to do
Hang it on a line or hanger to air dry. One vertical line marks it.
What to avoid
Hang it instead of tumbling it. The single line means line dry.
How to spot it on a label
Find the square in the third position of the standard care row. A circle inside that square means machine tumble drying, while lines inside it mean air drying. Line dry has exactly one upright line through the square and no circle.
Easy to confuse with
- Line dryTumble dry, any heat
Check the mark
Inspect the center of the square: line dry has one straight vertical stroke, while tumble dry has a circular outline.
- Line dryDrip dry
Check the mark
Count the vertical lines inside the square: line dry has one, while drip dry has three.
- Line dryDry flat
Check the mark
Check the line's direction: line dry uses a vertical line, while dry flat uses a horizontal one.
On a real label
Cotton poplin shirt
Read together: Wash at up to 40°C, use only non-chlorine bleach, line dry, iron on high (three dots), and dry clean when needed.
Nylon windbreaker
Read together: Wash at up to 30°C, do not bleach, line dry, do not iron, and do not dry clean.
- Category
- Drying
- Appears on
- US and international labels
Related symbols
Common questions
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What does one vertical line in a square mean?
- It means line dry. The straight line makes it an air-drying instruction rather than a circle-based tumble-drying mark.
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What's the difference between line dry and drip dry?
- Count the upright lines. One means line dry, while three mean drip dry and call for hanging the item without first removing the wash water.
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Does a vertical line mean dry flat?
- No. A vertical line means hang on a line or hanger. Dry flat uses one horizontal line across the square.
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How do I know this is not a tumble-dry symbol?
- The square contains one straight line and no circle. Every tumble-dry symbol keeps a circle inside the square.