The care label in your collar is a tiny international code with Dutch words wrapped around it. The symbols are the same across Europe, but the settings on your washing machine and the words on the label are in Dutch. Here is how to read both and keep your clothes their original size.
The five symbols (international)
Care symbols are standardised by GINETEX, so they look the same whether the shirt came from Amsterdam or Antwerp:
| Symbol | Meaning | Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| Tub of water (wastobbe) | machine washing, max temp inside | wassen |
| Triangle | bleaching | bleken |
| Square | drying | drogen |
| Square with a circle | tumble drying | drogen in de droger |
| Iron | ironing, dots = heat | strijken |
| Circle | professional dry cleaning | chemisch reinigen |
Two universal rules: a bar under a symbol means a gentler, reduced cycle, and a cross through a symbol means do not do it. So a tumble-dry symbol with a cross is niet in de droger (do not tumble dry).
The Dutch words on the label and the machine
The pictures tell you what; the Dutch tells you the detail:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| wassen op 30 graden | wash at 30 C |
| fijne was / fijnwas | delicates cycle |
| handwas | hand wash only |
| niet in de droger | do not tumble dry |
| niet bleken | do not bleach |
| binnenstebuiten wassen | wash inside out |
| apart wassen | wash separately |
| strijken op lage temperatuur | iron on low |
Your machine dial will show some of these: katoen (cotton), synthetisch (synthetics), fijne was (delicates), wol (wool), centrifugeren (spin), voorwas (pre-wash).
Wash cool, on purpose
Most everyday laundry comes clean at 30 or 40 graden. Milieu Centraal, the Dutch sustainability information body, recommends washing cool, because heating the water is most of a cycle’s energy use, and cooler washes protect colours and elastane. Reserve 60 graden for towels, bedding, and heavily soiled items. The number printed inside the wastobbe is the maximum, not a target, so you can always go cooler.
Reading a clothing tag before you buy
The same vocabulary appears on the swing tag in the shop, so a quick read before buying tells you whether something is high-maintenance. Alleen chemisch reinigen (dry clean only) or handwas means ongoing cost and effort. The Dutch consumer body Consumentenbond publishes guides on reading these symbols and getting stains out without damaging fabric.
Where it connects
Laundry labels are part of the household and shopping Dutch you build daily: matching clothing sizes from the maattabellen when buying online, reading the ingredient and product labels at the supermarket, and the everyday kitchen vocabulary you meet when following a Dutch recipe.
The bottom line
The symbols are international: the wastobbe for washing (max temp inside), the triangle for bleach, the square for drying, the iron for ironing, the circle for dry cleaning, with a bar for gentle and a cross for “do not”. The Dutch fills in the rest, wassen op 30 graden, fijne was, niet in de droger, handwas. Wash cool to save energy and your colours, and read the tag before you buy.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the household Dutch around your washing machine and care labels, wassen op 30 graden, niet in de droger, fijne was, in five-minute lessons built on real chores, so you never ruin a favourite jumper again.
Frequently asked questions
What do the laundry symbols on Dutch clothes mean?
The symbols are international, so they match what you may already know: the tub (wastobbe) is for machine washing with the max temperature inside, the triangle is bleaching, the square is drying (a circle inside means tumble dry), the iron shows ironing with dots for heat, and the circle means professional dry cleaning. A bar under a symbol means a gentler treatment, and a cross through any symbol means do not do it.
What does ‘niet in de droger’ mean?
Niet in de droger means ‘do not tumble dry’. On the symbol it is the square-with-a-circle crossed out. Other common Dutch care phrases are wassen op 30 graden (wash at 30 C), fijne was or fijnwas (delicates cycle), handwas (hand wash only), niet bleken (do not bleach), and chemisch reinigen (dry clean). Following these stops shrinking and colour bleeding.
What temperature should I wash clothes at in the Netherlands?
Most everyday laundry washes well at 30 or 40 degrees, and Milieu Centraal recommends washing cool to save energy, since heating the water is most of a wash cycle’s energy use. Use 60 graden mainly for towels, bedding or heavily soiled items. Always follow the maximum on the wastobbe symbol: the number inside the tub is the hottest you should go.
What is the best app to learn everyday household Dutch?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the practical home vocabulary you meet daily, wassen, drogen, strijken, fijne was, plus the appliance and label words, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so chores and product labels stop being a guessing game.
