---
title: "Line dry — what it means"
description: "Hang the item up to dry after spinning. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and where its meaning differs by country."
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-line-dry/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Line dry

**Line dry: Hang the item up to dry after spinning.**

## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Line dry]*

A square with a single vertical line drawn inside it, representing a garment on a washing line.

## What it means

This assumes the item has been spun or is at least not dripping. Hanging is fine for shirts, trousers and most woven fabrics, but the weight of retained water is exactly what stretches knitwear out of shape, which is why heavy knits get the dry-flat symbol instead. Outdoors, wind does far more of the drying than warmth does; indoors, a full load of washing releases a couple of litres of water into the room, so an open window matters more than a warm radiator.

> 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 line dry symbol mean?

Hang the item up to dry after spinning.

### What does it look like?

A square with a single vertical line drawn inside it, representing a garment on a washing line.

## Related pages

- [Drip dry](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-drip-dry/)
- [Dry flat](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-dry-flat/)
- [Dry in the shade](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-dry-in-shade/)
- [Do not tumble dry](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-do-not-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/)