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Care Symbol Guide

Machine wash, cold (30°C / 1 dot)

Machine wash this in water up to 30°C. In the US this shows as one dot.

What to do

Wash at up to 30°C (one dot in the US).

What to avoid

That 30°C is a ceiling. Don't wash it hotter than the label shows.

How to spot it on a label

The washing symbol comes first, at the far left of the care-symbol row. Confirm either 30 printed inside the tub on an ISO label or one dot inside it on an ASTM label, then check that the mark is not a bar beneath the tub.

Easy to confuse with

  • Machine wash, cold (30°C / 1 dot)
    Machine wash, warm (40°C / 2 dots)

    Check the mark

    Count the marks inside the tub: this one has one dot or the number 30, not two dots or 40.

  • Machine wash, cold (30°C / 1 dot)
    Mild / permanent-press wash

    Check the mark

    Check the mark's position: the temperature mark sits inside the tub; the one-bar mild-process mark sits underneath it.

On a real label

Category
Washing
Appears on
US and international labels
Commonly seen on
Often appears on dark colors, delicates, and items labeled for cooler washing.

Related symbols

Common questions

Is 30 degrees the same as one dot?

Yes. A 30°C tub on an ISO label and a one-dot tub on an ASTM label both set a 30°C maximum wash temperature.

Can I wash a 30C garment below 30C?

Yes. The marked temperature is a maximum, so a cooler wash stays within the label's instruction.

Does one line under the tub mean cold wash?

No. A temperature dot goes inside the tub. A horizontal bar underneath changes the washing process, not the water-temperature limit.

Is one wash dot the same as one dryer dot?

No. Read the dot with its surrounding shape: a dot in a washtub sets wash temperature, while a dot in a circle inside a square sets tumble-dryer heat.

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