Wash at 60 °C maximum
Wash at 60 °C maximum
Machine wash at 60 °C (140 °F) or cooler.
60
What it looks like
A tub of water with 60 inside it. Four dots on US labels.
What it means
The lowest temperature that reliably kills most bacteria and the dust mites in bedding, which is why towels, sheets and underwear carry it. A full 60 °C cotton cycle uses roughly twice the energy of the same load at 30. Note that a 60 °C rating on a synthetic garment is unusual and worth double-checking against the fibre content, because polyester and elastane blends generally will not survive it undistorted.
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 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. |
| Do not tumble dry | Do not put this in a tumble dryer at any temperature. |
Common questions
- What does the wash at 60 °c maximum symbol mean?
- Machine wash at 60 °C (140 °F) or cooler.
- What does it look like?
- A tub of water with 60 inside it. Four dots on US labels.
Related pages
- Wash at 40 °C maximum Machine wash at 40 °C (104 °F) or cooler.
- Wash at 95 °C maximum Machine wash at 95 °C (203 °F) or cooler — a boil wash.
- Wash at 30 °C maximum Machine wash at 30 °C (86 °F) or cooler.
- 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 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.
Sources
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place