What does the triangle mean on a care label?
The triangle on a laundry care label is the bleach symbol. It tells you whether you can use bleach, and which type. Different triangle shapes mean “any bleach”, “non-chlorine bleach only”, or “do not bleach”. Here’s how to read them.
Bleach symbols (triangle) on care labels
Any Bleach Allowed
Any type of bleach can be used when needed
Non-Chlorine Bleach Only
Only non-chlorine (oxygen) bleach is safe - no chlorine bleach
Do Not Bleach
Do not use any type of bleach
An empty triangle usually means any bleach (including chlorine) is allowed—typical for white cotton and linen. A triangle with diagonal lines means only non-chlorine (color-safe) bleach. A triangle with an X means do not use any bleach; using bleach can damage the fabric or fade colours.
Always check the triangle before using bleach. Using the wrong type or bleaching when the label says not to can cause permanent damage.
Decode every care label symbol
Look up the triangle and all other laundry symbols in our free decoder.