Hand wash
The item can be washed by hand, not in a washing machine, in water up to 40°C (104°F).
Where a garment's own label or its manufacturer says otherwise, that takes precedence.
How to read it
A hand in the washtub marks washing by hand. GINETEX gives 40°C as the highest water temperature for this symbol, depending on the article. The Canadian government's guide lists two hand-wash symbols, for water up to 40°C and up to 30°C. Australia's consumer regulator, the ACCC, gives the same limit: washing by hand at a maximum temperature of 40°C.
More laundry symbols
Sources
- Textiles — Care labelling code using symbols, ISO 3758, ISO
- Textile Care Symbols, GINETEX, the International Association for Textile Care Labelling, p. 5
- Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols, CAN/CGSB-86.1-2003, Office of Consumer Affairs, Government of Canada, p. 2
- Care labelling on clothing and textiles guide, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC Product Safety)
Last reviewed September 24, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research