What Does X Mean on a Laundry Symbol?
A cross (X) through any laundry symbol means DO NOT perform that process. It's one of the simplest rules in the entire ISO 3758 care labelling system — and one of the most important. An X through the wash tub means do not wash. An X through the iron means do not iron. An X through the dry cleaning circle means do not dry clean. This guide explains all five X symbols you'll encounter, what each means in practice, and what you should do instead.
All 5 X symbols: summary table
| Symbol with X | What it means | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| X through wash tub | Do not wash (no water) | Take to a dry cleaner |
| X through triangle | Do not bleach (no bleach at all) | Use non-bleach stain removers only |
| X through square with circle | Do not tumble dry | Air dry only (line dry or flat dry) |
| X through iron | Do not iron | Steam or hang to remove wrinkles |
| X through circle | Do not dry clean | Wash gently at home if other symbols allow |
X through the wash tub — Do Not Wash
The do not wash symbol is a wash tub (the standard trapezoid shape with a wavy water line) with a large X or cross drawn through it. It is one of the most serious warnings on a care label.
What it means: The garment must not be washed with water under any circumstances — not in a machine, not by hand, not with a damp cloth (for full immersion). Water will damage this item.
Why fabrics get this symbol: Materials like suede, structured leather, acetate, certain viscose weaves, heavily embellished garments, and items with permanent pleating or heat-sensitive finishes are damaged by water. The fibres may shrink, swell, dissolve, or permanently distort when wet.
What to do instead: Take the item to a professional dry cleaner. The do not wash symbol is almost always paired with a dry clean symbol (a circle), which tells the cleaner which solvent to use. If you see both a do not wash X and a do not dry clean X on the same label, the item requires specialist cleaning — contact the manufacturer for guidance.
X through the triangle — Do Not Bleach
The do not bleach symbol is a triangle (the bleach symbol base shape) with an X through it. The triangle is the universal care label shape for bleaching instructions.
What it means: Do not use any bleach on this item — not chlorine bleach, not oxygen bleach, not bleach-based stain removers. This is the strictest bleach instruction; a triangle with diagonal stripes means non-chlorine bleach only, but a crossed triangle means no bleach of any kind.
Why fabrics get this symbol: Bleach breaks down the dye in coloured fabrics, causing fading and patchy discolouration. It also weakens and degrades certain fibres — particularly wool, silk, spandex, and some synthetic fibres — even at low concentrations. Dark and vivid colours are especially vulnerable.
What to do instead: Use enzyme-based or oxygen-based non-bleach stain removers. For stubborn stains, pre-soak in warm water with a specialist fabric stain remover. White garments with a do not bleach symbol can be brightened with optical brightening agents or baking soda — not bleach.
X through the square with circle — Do Not Tumble Dry
The do not tumble dry symbol is a square (the drying symbol base) containing a circle, with an X drawn through the entire symbol. The square-with-circle is the standard tumble dryer icon, and the X cancels it entirely.
What it means: This item must not go into a tumble dryer under any conditions — not on low heat, not on the air-only cycle, not even briefly to de-wrinkle. Air drying is the only permitted method.
Why fabrics get this symbol: Tumble dryers use a combination of heat and mechanical tumbling that damages many fabrics. Wool and cashmere felt and shrink. Silk weakens and loses shape. Spandex and elastane fibres break down, causing the garment to lose its stretch permanently. Some structured garments warp. Prints, embellishments, and delicate weaves are also vulnerable to the physical tumbling action.
What to do instead: Air dry the item. Depending on the care label, you may line dry (hang), dry flat (lay horizontally), or dry in shade. Check for additional drying symbols on the label that specify the exact method. Most delicate fabrics should be dried flat to prevent stretching.
X through the iron — Do Not Iron
The do not iron symbol is the familiar iron shape (the household iron silhouette) with an X drawn through it. The iron symbol in care labels controls heat applied to the garment surface.
What it means: Do not apply a hot iron directly to this garment. The fabric will melt, scorch, develop permanent shiny marks, or otherwise be permanently damaged by the iron's heat.
Why fabrics get this symbol: Synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon, and acrylic melt under direct iron heat. Fabrics with special coatings, prints, heat-sensitive embellishments, or sequins will be melted or crushed by an iron. Some elastane blends also degrade under iron heat.
What to do instead: To remove wrinkles from a do-not-iron garment, hang it in a steamy bathroom, use a handheld clothes steamer held slightly away from the fabric surface, or simply smooth it by hand while damp and allow it to air dry flat in the desired shape. Steaming at a safe distance (not direct contact) is usually safe even on fabrics that cannot be ironed.
X through the circle — Do Not Dry Clean
The do not dry clean symbol is a circle (the standard dry cleaning base shape) with an X through it. It is less common than the other X symbols — most garments that cannot be machine washed can still be dry cleaned. When this symbol appears, it means dry cleaning is specifically contraindicated.
What it means: The dry cleaning solvents used by professional cleaners will damage this garment. Do not take it to a dry cleaner.
Why fabrics get this symbol: Some synthetic materials, rubberised fabrics, certain PVC or polyurethane coatings, and some water-resistant technical fabrics are dissolved or degraded by dry cleaning solvents. The solvent strips protective coatings or attacks the polymer structure of the fabric.
What to do instead: Check the other symbols on the care label — if a wash tub symbol is present, follow those instructions for home washing. If the label shows both do not wash and do not dry clean, the item requires specialist cleaning by a conservation professional, or the manufacturer should be contacted for guidance.
Why does the X exist? The ISO standard notation
The X (cross) as a "do not" modifier is defined in ISO 3758 — the international standard for care labelling. ISO 3758 was first published in 1971 (building on earlier GINETEX work from 1963) and has been updated several times, most recently in 2012.
The standard defines five base symbols (wash tub, triangle, square, iron, circle) that represent the five categories of textile care. Within each category, additional marks communicate severity:
- Numbers or dots inside symbols indicate intensity levels (e.g. temperature for washing, heat setting for ironing).
- Lines under symbols indicate reduced agitation or special cycles (one line = gentle, two lines = very gentle).
- An X through a symbol means the entire process is prohibited — the most important negative modifier in the system.
This system is deliberately visual and language-independent. A garment manufactured in Japan with care labels following ISO 3758 can be correctly cared for by a consumer in Brazil or Germany without reading a single word. The X is the universal "no" that works across all languages and cultures.
The US ASTM D5489 standard uses a similar but not identical system — some symbols differ in appearance, and text instructions are often also required in North America. However, the X-means-do-not rule applies in both systems.
Frequently asked questions
What if there's an X through ALL symbols?
If a garment has an X through the wash tub, an X through the dry clean circle, and X symbols through all other care symbols, it typically means the item should not be cleaned by any conventional method. This is rare and usually occurs with highly delicate decorative items, certain leather goods, items with electronic components, or collectible/archival textiles. In these cases, spot cleaning with a barely-damp cloth on the specific soiled area (avoiding saturation), using a professional textile conservator, or contacting the manufacturer are your options.
Does an X mean the garment can never be cleaned?
An X on a specific symbol means that specific process is prohibited — not all cleaning. A do not wash X usually pairs with a dry clean symbol (a clean circle). A do not dry clean X usually pairs with washing instructions. Only when X symbols appear across multiple incompatible processes does it suggest the item has very limited cleaning options. Always read the full label before concluding an item cannot be cleaned.
What if I ignore an X symbol by mistake?
The severity of the result depends on which X you ignored and what the fabric is. Ignoring a do-not-tumble-dry symbol on a cotton jumper might cause mild shrinkage. Ignoring a do-not-wash symbol on a structured blazer or an acetate dress can cause permanent and irreversible damage — delamination, fibre dissolution, or total distortion of the garment's shape. In general, X symbols exist because real testing showed real damage at those conditions. Treat them as genuine warnings, not conservative suggestions.
Quick summary: X on laundry symbols
- • X = DO NOT — a cross through any laundry symbol prohibits that entire process.
- • Five X symbols exist: do not wash, do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not iron, do not dry clean.
- • The X notation comes from ISO 3758 — the international care labelling standard.
- • Always read the whole label: an X on one symbol is often paired with an alternative instruction on another symbol.
- • Ignoring X symbols risks permanent, irreversible damage to the garment.
Look up any laundry symbol
Browse all 79+ care label symbols by category — wash, dry, iron, bleach, and dry clean — including all X (do not) variants.