Machine wash, hot (50°C / 3 dots)
Machine wash this in water up to 50°C. Three dots in the US.
What to do
Wash at up to 50°C (three dots).
What to avoid
Stay at or under 50°C. The dots mark a limit, not a target.
How to spot it on a label
The washtub is first in the row, before the triangle and drying symbols. Look inside it for 50 on an ISO label or exactly three dots on an ASTM label, and count carefully so you do not stop at two or include a fourth dot.
Easy to confuse with
- Machine wash, hot (50°C / 3 dots)Machine wash, warm (40°C / 2 dots)
Check the mark
Count the dots inside the tub: this one has three, not two; the printed ISO number is 50, not 40.
- Machine wash, hot (50°C / 3 dots)Machine wash, very hot (60°C / 4 dots)
Check the mark
Count all the dots: this symbol stops at three, while the 60°C version has four.
- Machine wash, hot (50°C / 3 dots)Machine wash, boil (95°C)
Check the mark
Check the full count or printed number: this one has three dots or 50, not six dots or 95.
On a real label
White cotton sheet set
Read together: Machine wash at no more than 50°C. Any bleach may be used if needed, and high-heat tumble drying and high-temperature ironing are permitted.
Canvas kitchen apron
Read together: Machine wash at no more than 50°C. Use only non-chlorine bleach if needed, line dry, iron on high, and do not dry clean.
- Category
- Washing
- Appears on
- US and international labels
- Commonly seen on
- Often appears on sturdy whites, towels, and bedding.
Related symbols
Common questions
-
Is 50C the same as three dots?
- Yes. Three dots in an ASTM washtub and 50 in an ISO washtub both set a maximum of 50°C.
-
Can I wash a 50C garment at 40C?
- Yes. You can wash below the marked maximum. Do not go above 50°C.
-
Do three wash dots mean I have to use hot water?
- No. The dots give the highest permitted temperature, not a temperature you must reach.
-
Do the three dots set the wash cycle too?
- No. Dots inside the tub set temperature. Bars underneath the tub are the marks that change the washing process.