What does Tumble Dry Medium Heat mean?
Quick Answer
The tumble dry medium heat symbol (a square with a circle and two dots inside) means the item may be dried in a tumble dryer at a medium or permanent press heat setting. It suits a wide range of everyday cotton and cotton-polyester blend garments that need thorough drying without the risk of shrinkage from full high heat. Remove promptly when the cycle ends to prevent creasing.
Also known as: two dot dryer symbol, medium heat dryer symbol, permanent press dryer, tumble dry two dots, medium tumble dry
Detailed explanation
The tumble dry medium heat symbol (a square with a circle and two dots inside) means the item can be dried in a tumble dryer at a medium heat setting — commonly labelled "Permanent Press", "Wrinkle Guard", or "Medium" on most machines, with drum temperatures around 65°C (150°F). This setting suits a wide range of cotton and polyester-cotton blend garments that need effective, efficient drying without the shrinkage risk of full high heat. The two-dot symbol is associated with the permanent press cycle, which adds a cool-down period at the end to minimise creasing.
How to follow the Tumble Dry Medium Heat symbol:
- 1
Clean the lint filter before loading
- 2
Select the "Medium", "Permanent Press", or "Wrinkle Guard" cycle on your dryer
the permanent press cycle includes a cool-down phase that significantly reduces creasing in synthetic garments
- 3
Fill the drum to no more than two-thirds capacity
- 4
Do not mix heavy items (towels) with lightweight items
the heavy items will not be fully dry when the lightweight items are over-dried
- 5
Remove items promptly when the cycle ends and hang or fold immediately
even with a cool-down phase, items left in the warm drum will crease
- 6
For cotton-polyester blends, remove while very slightly damp and hang to finish drying flat
this reduces the need for ironing
When does this symbol appear on care labels?
- For cotton-polyester blended fabrics and most everyday mixed-fibre garments
- For wrinkle-resistant and permanent-press fabric items
- For items that tolerate warmth but not the highest dryer heat
- For cotton garments that are already preshrunk and do not require maximum heat
Tips and Best Practices
- Select the permanent press cycle if available — the built-in cool-down period significantly reduces creasing compared to a standard medium-heat cycle
- Remove items promptly when the cycle ends and hang or fold immediately to minimise creasing
- Do not combine heavy items (towels) with lightweight items at medium heat — the heavy items will not be fully dry when the lightweight ones are done
- Check for any elastane content — if the item contains significant stretch fibres, low heat is safer
What happens if this symbol is ignored
Using high heat on medium-rated items causes the same damage as tumble drying at the wrong temperature: shrinkage in cotton, distortion of synthetics, and breakdown of any elastic content.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using high heat thinking medium is not "efficient enough" — high heat on a medium-rated garment will cause shrinkage
- Not selecting the permanent press cycle when it is available — the cool-down phase makes a significant difference to creasing
- Mixing heavy and lightweight items — uneven drying means some items are over-dried while others remain damp
Regional Note (US)
Medium heat - Permanent press setting
Common Materials
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Frequently Asked Questions
Related Drying Symbols
Tumble Dry Normal
Tumble dry at normal/high heat setting
Tumble Dry Low Heat
Tumble dry on low heat setting only (one dot)
Tumble Dry High Heat
Tumble dry on high heat setting (three dots)
Tumble Dry No Heat
Tumble dry with no heat - air fluff only
Do Not Tumble Dry
Do not use tumble dryer - air dry only
Line Dry
Hang on clothesline or drying rack to dry
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