What do the numbers in washing symbols mean?

The number inside a washing symbol is the maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius (e.g. 30, 40, 60, 95). You must not exceed this temperature — exceeding it risks shrinkage, colour fading, fibre damage, or loss of elasticity. You may always wash at a lower temperature than the maximum shown.

What do lines under the washtub symbol mean?

One line under the washtub means use a gentle or delicate cycle with reduced agitation; two lines mean very gentle or extra delicate with minimal agitation. These are cycle type instructions, separate from any temperature number inside the tub.

Can I use a lower temperature than the label says?

Yes — washing at a lower temperature than the maximum shown is always safe and can help protect colours, prevent shrinkage, and extend garment life. The label shows the maximum permitted, not the required temperature.

What is the permanent press cycle on a washing symbol?

Permanent press (indicated by a single bar under the tub) means use a cool rinse and reduced agitation to limit wrinkles. On most machines this is labelled "Permanent Press", "Easy Care", or "Synthetics". Use it for polyester and mixed-fibre garments to reduce creasing coming out of the machine.

What does Machine Wash 50°C mean?

Washing122°F (50°C)low risk

Quick Answer

The wash 50 symbol (a washtub with the number 50 inside) means machine wash at a maximum of 50°C — equivalent to 122°F. It falls between the everyday 40°C and the sanitising 60°C wash and is used for coloured cotton, polyester, and synthetic blends that need a thorough clean without the risk of colour damage from a full 60°C hot wash.

Also known as: wash at 50, bucket with 50, 50 degrees wash symbol, 122°F wash, warm wash 50

Temperature comparison

Symbol	°C	°F
30°C	86°F	Dark colours, synthetics, delicates
40°C	104°F	Everyday cotton and mixed fabrics
50°C	122°F	Coloured cotton, moderately soiled items
60°C	140°F	Whites, towels, and bedding
70°C	158°F	Heavily soiled white cotton
95°C	203°F	Sterilisation of white cotton/linen

Detailed explanation

The wash 50 symbol specifies a maximum machine wash temperature of 50°C (122°F) — a warm wash sitting between the common 40°C and 60°C settings. At 50°C, biological detergents remain highly active and most cotton, linen, and robust synthetic fabrics clean thoroughly without the higher shrinkage and colour-fade risk of a 60°C wash. This temperature provides noticeably better stain removal than 40°C for moderately soiled items, particularly removing body oils and protein-based stains, while still being safer than 60°C for most coloured garments.

How to follow the Machine Wash 50°C symbol:

1
Verify that every item in the load is rated for 50°C
do not include 30°C or 40°C-only items
2
Select the 50°C setting on your machine; if unavailable, use 40°C rather than rounding up to 60°C
40°C is the safer direction to stay within the stated limit
3
Use a biological (enzyme) detergent
enzyme activity remains strong at 50°C; both powder and liquid are suitable
4
Add detergent at the correct dose for your water hardness and load weight
5
Use the cotton programme for robust cotton items, or the synthetic/permanent-press programme for polyester and blended fabrics
6
Set the spin speed to 1000–1200 rpm for cotton; 800–1000 rpm for synthetic and blended garments
7
Remove promptly at the end of the cycle and hang or dry as directed by the care label

When does this symbol appear on care labels?

For moderately soiled cotton and linen items in good colour condition
For items that need more thorough cleaning than 40°C provides but cannot tolerate a 60°C wash
For coloured towels and bedding where hygiene matters but 60°C would cause fading
For heavily soiled synthetic-cotton blends that are rated for this temperature

Tips and Best Practices

Many washing machines do not have a 50°C setting — use 40°C rather than defaulting to 60°C; 40°C is the safer direction if 50°C is unavailable
A biological detergent works well at 50°C — enzyme activity is strong in this range
Sort by colour carefully — 50°C is warm enough to cause some dye bleeding in less colourfast fabrics; wash darks separately
Check the spin speed in addition to temperature — 50°C-rated items may still benefit from a reduced spin speed to minimise creasing and mechanical stress

What happens if this symbol is ignored

Washing above 50°C risks the same damage as any over-temperature wash: colour fading, cotton shrinkage, and degradation of any synthetic or elastic content in the garment.

Common mistakes to avoid

Rounding up to 60°C when a 50°C setting is unavailable — the correct approach is to round down to 40°C to stay within the stated limit
Ignoring the wash temperature on mixed loads — 50°C exceeds the limit for most 30°C and 40°C-rated items

Regional Note (US)

122°F - Warm setting on most US machines

Common Materials

CottonPolyesterColored fabrics

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Frequently Asked Questions

Related Washing Symbols

Machine Wash Normal

Machine wash at any temperature with normal agitation

Machine Wash 30°C

Machine wash at maximum 30°C (86°F) - cold wash

Machine Wash 40°C

Machine wash at maximum 40°C (104°F) - warm wash

Machine Wash 60°C

Machine wash at maximum 60°C (140°F) - hot wash

Machine Wash 70°C

Machine wash at maximum 70°C (158°F) - very hot wash

Machine Wash 95°C

Machine wash at maximum 95°C (203°F) - boil wash

Often used together

Build the full care sequence:

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