---
title: "Do not tumble dry — what it means"
description: "Do not put this in a tumble dryer at any temperature. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and where its meaning differs by country."
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-do-not-tumble-dry/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Do not tumble dry

**Do not tumble dry: Do not put this in a tumble dryer at any temperature.**

## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Do not tumble dry]*

A square with a circle inside it and a cross through the whole thing.

## What it means

The commonest reason is shrinkage that the wash alone would not cause: wool felts, cotton knit relaxes and then contracts, and anything with elastane loses its recovery permanently. It also covers items the dryer would damage mechanically — beading, sequins, foam-backed fabrics, waterproof membranes and bras with underwires. This symbol always appears with a natural-drying symbol telling you what to do instead; if it does not, dry flat is the safe default.

> Defined by ISO 3758. Where a symbol differs between standards, the difference is described above rather than resolved — both versions are in circulation on real labels.

## Other laundry and care labels symbols

| Symbol | Means |
| --- | --- |
| Wash (plain tub) | The item can be machine washed. |
| Wash at 30 °C maximum | Machine wash at 30 °C (86 °F) or cooler. |
| Wash at 40 °C maximum | Machine wash at 40 °C (104 °F) or cooler. |
| Wash at 50 °C maximum | Machine wash at 50 °C (122 °F) or cooler. |
| Wash at 60 °C maximum | Machine wash at 60 °C (140 °F) or cooler. |
| Wash at 70 °C maximum | Machine wash at 70 °C (158 °F) or cooler. |
| Wash at 95 °C maximum | Machine wash at 95 °C (203 °F) or cooler — a boil wash. |
| Mild wash — one bar under the tub | Wash at the stated temperature but with reduced mechanical action — the permanent press or synthetics cycle. |
| Very mild wash — two bars under the tub | Wash at the stated temperature on the gentlest machine cycle, with a much reduced load and spin. |
| Hand wash only | Wash by hand at 40 °C (104 °F) or cooler. No machine washing. |
| Do not wash | Do not wash in water at all, by machine or by hand. |
| Do not wring | Do not twist the item to squeeze water out. |
| Any bleach allowed | Any bleach may be used, including chlorine bleach. |
| Non-chlorine bleach only | Oxygen bleach only — no chlorine bleach. |
| Do not bleach | No bleach of any kind, chlorine or oxygen. |
| Tumble dry (circle in a square) | The item may be tumble dried. |
| Tumble dry low — one dot | Tumble dry on a low-heat setting. |
| Tumble dry normal — two dots | Tumble dry at normal heat. |
| Tumble dry high — three dots | Tumble dry at high heat. |
| Tumble dry, no heat | Tumble dry with the heat off — the air-fluff or air-dry setting. |

## Common questions

### What does the do not tumble dry symbol mean?

Do not put this in a tumble dryer at any temperature.

### What does it look like?

A square with a circle inside it and a cross through the whole thing.

## Related pages

- [Line dry](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-line-dry/)
- [Dry flat](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-dry-flat/)
- [Tumble dry (circle in a square)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-tumble-dry/)
- [Wash (plain tub)](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-normal/)
- [Wash at 30 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-30/)
- [Wash at 40 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-40/)
- [Wash at 50 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-50/)
- [Wash at 60 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-60/)
- [Wash at 70 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-70/)
- [Wash at 95 °C maximum](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-95/)
- [Mild wash — one bar under the tub](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-mild/)
- [Very mild wash — two bars under the tub](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-wash-very-mild/)
- [Hand wash only](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-hand-wash/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)