The circle on a care label is the dry-cleaning symbol, and it tells you whether a garment can go to a professional dry cleaner. Most labels use a small set of these signs, so once you know what each one means, the whole label becomes easy to read. Mistakes usually happen when people mix up the letter inside the circle or miss the bar underneath it.
The letters and bars change the rules quite a bit. A plain circle allows any solvent, while the A, P and F versions limit the cleaner to specific solvents. Knowing the difference can protect a favorite jacket from damage.
11 symbols
Dry-cleaning symbols
Dry clean
May be professionally dry cleaned in any solvent.
Take the garment to a professional dry cleaner rather than washing it at home. Tell the staff what the label says so they can choose the right process.
Dry clean, letter A (any solvent)
Any dry-cleaning solvent.
This is the most flexible dry-cleaning sign, so a standard cleaner can handle the item. You do not need to ask for a special solvent.
Dry clean, letter P (petroleum solvent only)
Petroleum solvent only.
Ask the cleaner to use a petroleum-based process only, and point out the letter P before the item goes in. Do not let it go through a cleaner that relies on other solvents.
Dry clean, letter F (not trichloroethylene)
Any solvent except trichloroethylene.
Make sure the cleaner does not use trichloroethylene, since that solvent is ruled out for this item. Any other dry-cleaning solvent is fine.
Dry clean, gentle process (bar under circle)
Dry cleaning with limits on moisture, mechanical action or heat.
A bar under the circle means the cleaning needs to be gentler, so mention it at the counter. Ask for limited moisture, less mechanical action and lower heat.
Dry clean, reduced moisture
Added instruction used with an A, P or F symbol.
This added instruction is always paired with an A, P or F symbol, so look for one of those letters nearby. Ask the cleaner to keep moisture low for that item.
Do not dry clean
Do not dry clean commercially.
Do not take this item to a commercial dry cleaner. Check the label for a W symbol before you choose another way to clean it.
Professional wet clean (W)
Normal professional wet cleaning with no restrictions.
A plain W means a professional wet cleaner can handle the item with normal care. Pick a wet cleaner and tell them the W is there.
Mild professional wet clean (W, 1 bar)
Wet cleaning with reduced mechanical action.
One bar under the W means the wet cleaner should use less mechanical action than normal. Mention it when you drop the item off.
Very mild professional wet clean (W, 2 bars)
Wet cleaning with much reduced mechanical action.
Two bars under the W call for very gentle wet cleaning, so ask the shop to use the gentlest setting it has. Mention both bars when you hand the item over.
Do not wet clean
No professional wet cleaning.
Keep this item away from professional wet cleaners, even if the shop offers water-based cleaning. Choose dry cleaning or another method the label allows.
Tips
Read the symbols together
Treat the circle, the letter inside it and any bars as one instruction. A circle alone says dry cleaning is allowed, but the letter narrows the solvent.
The bar under the circle adds a limit on moisture, mechanical action or heat. Reading them as a group prevents the most common mistakes.
What the bars mean
Bars appear in two places on care labels. A bar under the dry-clean circle means a gentle process.
Bars next to a W mean the wet cleaner uses reduced mechanical action, where one bar is mild and two bars is very mild. A reduced moisture instruction is a separate added note that sits alongside an A, P or F symbol.
What to do with no clear label
Some labels are torn, faded or hard to read. Check the rest of the garment for another label before you assume anything.
If you cannot find a dry-clean circle at all, do not assume the item is safe to dry clean. Ask the cleaner before you go ahead.
Common mix-ups to avoid
The letters P and F are easy to confuse, but they mean different things. P means petroleum solvent only, while F means any solvent except trichloroethylene.
A plain circle with no letter means any solvent, so it is not the same as F either. Matching the letter to the cleaner's process avoids damage.
Do not dry clean is not the same as do not wet clean
A do-not-dry-clean sign is different from a do-not-wet-clean sign. The first rules out commercial dry cleaning, and the second rules out professional wet cleaning.
Check both before you pick a service. A W with a bar still allows wet cleaning, so it is not a do-not sign.
Questions
What does the circle symbol mean on clothes?
A circle on a care label means the garment may be professionally dry cleaned. It is the dry-cleaning symbol, but it does not by itself say which solvent to use. A letter inside the circle or a bar underneath it adds more detail.
What is the symbol for do not dry clean?
The do-not-dry-clean sign means the item should not be dry cleaned commercially. Check the label for a W symbol first, since that shows a wet-cleaning option. Skip the dry cleaner for that item.
What does the letter A mean in the dry clean circle?
A means any dry-cleaning solvent can be used. It is the broadest of the letter symbols. You do not need to ask the cleaner for a special process.
What does P in a circle mean?
P in a circle means petroleum solvent only. Ask the cleaner to use a petroleum-based process before they start. Other solvents are not allowed for that item.
What does F in a circle mean?
F means any solvent except trichloroethylene. The cleaner can use other dry-cleaning solvents without that restriction. Only trichloroethylene is ruled out.
What does the bar under the dry clean circle mean?
A bar under the circle means a gentle process. The cleaner should limit moisture, mechanical action or heat. Mention it at drop-off so the shop can follow it.
What is the difference between a plain W and a W with bars?
A plain W means normal professional wet cleaning with no restrictions. One bar means mild wet cleaning with reduced mechanical action, and two bars means very mild with much less mechanical action. Choose the level that matches the bars on the label.
What does reduced moisture mean on a care label?
Reduced moisture is an added instruction that appears with an A, P or F symbol. It asks the cleaner to keep moisture low during processing. Look for it next to one of those letters.