"Do not tumble dry" sign

Every garment comes with a special care label from the manufacturer, which lists care instructions, illustrated with symbols. The washing instructions are probably familiar to everyone, but what about tumble drying? There are signs that allow tumble drying, prohibit it, or even recommend a specific setting. Let's start with the "Do not tumble dry" symbol. What does it represent?

A sign that strictly prohibits automatic drying.

These days, there are almost as many clothing care instructions specifically related to drying as there are to machine washing. If you mess up and machine dry an item that's strictly not recommended for this, you're effectively throwing all clothing care instructions out the window—in the worst case, you could even ruin the item. So, the "Do not tumble dry" sign looks like a circle inside a square, with a line through it.

In principle, it’s not that difficult to remember this symbol for yourself – after all, an image crossed out usually always means a prohibition, so it’s always worth being attentive and paying attention to the details.

Other signs of drying

Naturally, the symbol described above isn't the only one in the spectrum of images illustrating clothing care instructions. Let's explore the ones you're most likely to see on your garment's label.

• A circle inscribed in a square, without a line through it, symbolizes that the item is automatically allowed to dry. Furthermore, this symbol on your item indicates that it is very easy to dry: you can choose any of the available settings, and the item will dry perfectly without being damaged.
• An uncrossed circle with a dot in the center within a square indicates automatic drying, but only at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees Celsius. You can use the standard program, but be sure to check the temperature setting! If your dryer doesn't have a temperature control, find a setting with a preset temperature.
• If you add a single solid line below the symbol above, you'll see the gentle drying symbol. This means the item can only be tumble dried using a special program for delicate fabrics. Hot air can be just as damaging to the item as washing it in hot water, hence the restrictions.
• The same symbol, but with two lines under the square, indicates the use of the most delicate drying cycle available on your dryer. Silks, satins, lace lingerie, and other delicate items are typically dried on these cycles.
• If you see a circle with two dots inscribed in a square, you can dry your item at a medium temperature (meaning the air can heat up to 60 degrees Celsius without risk of damaging the item). Again, if you don't have a temperature controller, select a setting that matches this setting.
• A circle with two dots in a square and one line under the square allows drying at a temperature of up to 60 degrees, but at the same time, it is gentle.
• A circle in a square with three dots indicates the user is allowed to use high-temperature settings. This marking is typically found on children's items or bedding, where hot air treatment is used in addition to hot water washing.
• A black circle inside a square prohibits heating the garment, but allows fan drying. If your machine can dry without heat, it's safe to use. Otherwise, you'll need to dry the garment as usual: on the balcony or in a well-ventilated area.
• An envelope-shaped square indicates that the garment should be dried vertically, meaning after spinning, you'll need to hang it on a hanger until completely dry. Please note that this symbol allows for machine spinning, but in fact prohibits machine drying.
• A square with two stripes in the upper left corner prohibits drying the item in direct sunlight (the item should be air-dried, vertically, in the shade). If you see an envelope-shaped square with two stripes in the upper left corner, it means the same thing: hang it upright in the shade.
• A square with a stripe in the middle and two stripes in the upper left corner indicates that the garment should be hung flat to dry, away from direct sunlight. For this purpose, you can use a table or hang the garment on a folding drying rack.
• A square with three stripes in the middle strictly prohibits spinning. This means you should remove the laundry from the washing machine, hang it upright without spinning, and leave it there until completely dry. Drying in the sun is also acceptable.
• A square with three stripes in the middle and two stripes in the upper left corner means not only no spinning, but also that the item should be placed away from sunlight, which essentially means “Dry without spinning, away from sunlight.”

Please note: Sometimes manufacturers don't provide drying information for their products. In this case, you can read the ingredients and check online to see if the fabric can be tumble dried and on what settings.

In fact, memorizing all these symbols isn't necessary at all. Moreover, hints can be found in the already familiar symbols associated with washing. For example, if a fabric can withstand high temperatures when washed (usually indicated by a basin of water with a 90°C sign inside), then it is logical to assume that drying it with hot air will also be painless. However, it's always best to double-check the instructions to be sure. After all, it's quite frustrating to wash an expensive item correctly and then have it ruined by improper drying.

   

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