---
title: "Tumble dry, no heat — what it means"
description: "Tumble dry with the heat off — the air-fluff or air-dry setting. What the symbol looks like, what happens if you ignore it, and where its meaning differs by country."
url: https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-tumble-dry-no-heat/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Tumble dry, no heat

**Tumble dry, no heat: Tumble dry with the heat off — the air-fluff or air-dry setting.**

## What it looks like

*[Symbol drawn on the page: Tumble dry, no heat]*

A square with a circle inside it, the circle filled in solid black.

## What it means

The drum turns and room-temperature air moves through it, so the load is agitated but never warmed. It is used to fluff pillows and duvets, shake dust out of curtains and finish items that have already air-dried stiff. As a drying method it is slow and largely ineffective on a wet load; as a finishing step on something heat-sensitive it is the only dryer setting that is genuinely safe.

> Defined by ASTM D5489. 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. |
| Do not tumble dry | Do not put this in a tumble dryer at any temperature. |

## Common questions

### What does the tumble dry, no heat symbol mean?

Tumble dry with the heat off — the air-fluff or air-dry setting.

### What does it look like?

A square with a circle inside it, the circle filled in solid black.

## Related pages

- [Tumble dry low — one dot](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/laundry-tumble-dry-low/)
- [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/)