Professional wet cleaning (W)
An unbarred W means normal professional wet cleaning, a controlled water-based process.
What to do
Ask a professional cleaner for the normal water-based process shown by the unbarred W.
What to avoid
The 'W' means a controlled professional process, not a run through your own machine.
How to spot it on a label
Look at the last position on the label for a circle with a capital W inside it. The W is a wide letter with two lower points, not a wash tub. It tells a professional cleaner to use wet cleaning and does not say the garment can go in your home washing machine.
Easy to confuse with
- Professional wet cleaning (W)Dry clean with "P" solvents
Check the mark
Read the letter's outline. W has two joined V shapes; P has a single upright with a rounded loop.
- Professional wet cleaning (W)Dry clean, petroleum solvent (F)
Check the mark
Check the lower half of the letter. W reaches down to two points; F has one vertical stem and straight horizontal arms.
- Professional wet cleaning (W)Do not dry clean
Check the mark
Check whether the dark strokes form a centered W or an X that extends past the circle. The W never touches the outline; on the prohibition symbol, two intersecting strokes continue through the circle.
On a real label
Unlined wool trousers
Read together: Do not wash, bleach, or tumble dry; iron on low and take the trousers to a cleaner for professional wet cleaning.
- Category
- Professional care
- Appears on
- US and international labels
Related symbols
Common questions
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Does W mean I can wash it at home?
- No. A W inside a circle means professional wet cleaning, a controlled water-based process. The garment's washtub symbol tells you whether home washing is allowed.
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What does a circle with a W mean?
- An unbarred W permits the normal professional wet-cleaning process. It is controlled and water-based, not a home-wash setting.
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Is professional wet cleaning the same as dry cleaning?
- No. Professional wet cleaning is water-based. The P and F circles describe solvent-based professional dry-cleaning processes.
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What does a bar under a W circle mean?
- A bar below the circle calls for a milder professional wet-cleaning process with reduced mechanical action. It does not turn the W into a home delicate-cycle instruction.