A square with a large circle inside that is crossed out means do not tumble dry. A square with circle inside symbol and a single dot indicates normal machine drying on a low setting. A square with three vertical lines inside indicates to drip dry, usually by hanging a dripping wet garment on a line.
A tag that says "No Tumble Dry" means don't use a dryer but instead follow other directions, such as hanging the item to dry.
The square with a circle inside is the general symbol for tumble drying. If you see it on a laundry label, your item can be tumble-dried, and it's safe to put it in the dryer. If a laundry item should not be tumble-dried, you will see the same square with a circle, but it will be crossed out.
Tumble dry is when you put your laundry items into the dryer instead of air-drying them. Every setting you choose when using your dryer is considered a tumble dry setting. Pretty simple, right?
The spin dry cycle is often found on washing machines, while tumble dry is a dryer setting. Spin dry cycles remove excess water from your laundry without heat by quickly spinning the items in the washer drum to extract water.
Choosing the right drying cycle
Modern tumble dryers offer various cycles to suit different fabric types and drying needs. The cotton cycle uses high heat and is perfect for towels, bedding, and sturdy cotton items. For polyester and mixed fabrics, use the synthetics cycle, which operates at medium heat.
Read the Tags
"First, check the tags. Anything that says 'line dry' or 'lay flat to dry' can't tolerate the heat or the tumbling action of the dryer—or both," she says.
If you do not have any dryer, or you simply prefer the air drying, it is possible. To do so, we recommend you lay it flat on a towel in a warm area, but out of the direct sunlight. It is better that you choose a well-ventilated area, like a shady spot outdoor or an indoor area such as a laundry, for example.
Air dry, air fluff, or no-heat cycle
A clothes dryer doesn't need heat to operate, which is why many people call it a tumble dryer. Most dryers have a setting listed as "air dry," "air fluff," or "no-heat," which indicates the program adds no additional heat while spinning your garments.
A square with a circle inside it and 1 dot – means you can dry the garment on a low heat setting. A square with a circle inside it and 2 dots – means you can dry the garment on a high heat setting. A square with a circle inside it that's crossed through – means you cannot tumble dry this garment.
Those made of 100% cotton may shrink in a dryer so it's better to air-dry them. Heavy items like beddings and towels can be tumble dried at medium to high heat to ease the process. For smaller items like cotton tees and dresses, best to dry them on low for a shorter amount of time.
If your garment can be tumble dried, the laundry care label will indicate that with a dryer symbol (a square around a large circle). Laundry labels with a dryer symbol with an “X” drawn through it show that the item should not be dried using tumble dry.
Unlike air drying, where clothes dry through natural airflow, tumble drying uses heat and movement to reduce dry time and leave fabrics soft and wrinkle-free.
Wool jumpers, silk garments, and bras may often display the do not tumble dry symbol as they could become damaged in the machine, or the material could become weakened. Silk can shrink in high temperatures and wool can pile which affects the look of the fabric.
If a tag says “do not tumble dry,” that means you should not put the item in the dryer, regardless of the setting. Instead, follow the manufacturer's instructions. If there aren't any explicit instructions for how to dry it, play it safe and hang it up to air-dry.
Doorways, a shower rod or even simply laying the items out flat on top of a towel could all be used to air-dry clothing indoors. To make it easier and quicker, use portable drying racks and place them near radiators, heaters, or air conditioning vents.
The alternative to tumbling dry in an automatic dryer is hanging the clothes on a clothesline or rack to air dry. Dryers have multiple cycle and temperature settings.
Drying Symbols
A square with a large, empty circle inside indicates tumble dry normal. A square with a large circle inside that is crossed out means do not tumble dry. A square with circle inside symbol and a single dot indicates normal machine drying on a low setting.
You can put polyester in the dryer on a cool to medium setting. The dryer won't cause wrinkles, but polyester can be ironed on low or steamed. Air dry polyester or tumble dry at medium temperature. Polyester generally doesn't wrinkle.
The square with a circle inside is the general symbol for tumble drying. If you see it on a laundry label, your item can be tumble-dried, and it's safe to put it in the dryer.
How long should a dryer take to dry? A typical drying cycle takes about 45 minutes, but this time can vary depending on the cycle, heat setting and size of your load. Delicate cycles take roughly 15 minutes, while heavy cycles, like bedding, can take up to three hours to fully dry.
Avoiding heavy duty cycles, fast spins and high-heat drying can also prevent shrinkage. Use delicate cycles instead, and place delicate clothes in a mesh laundry bag for added protection. When drying, consider a low-heat or air dry setting. When in doubt, always follow the instructions on your garment's care tag.