# Do not dry — Laundry Care Symbol | Launderwise

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Drying

![Do not dry](/images/care-symbols/do-not-dry.svg)

# Do not dry

An ISO 3758 drying square crossed out, indicating the garment should not be subjected to the natural-drying process shown — a general prohibition on that drying method.

## What it means

A cross over the plain drying square forbids the associated drying process. It is most often seen together with a wet-cleaning or dry-clean instruction, signalling that ordinary domestic drying is not appropriate for the item.

## What to do

Do not dry the item by the prohibited method. Read the rest of the label for the approved care route — frequently professional cleaning — and follow that instead of improvising a home drying method.

## How to use this term

Use this drying symbol before choosing tumble heat, line drying, flat drying or shade drying.

- Read do not dry with the other symbols on the same care label; the strictest symbol wins.
- Match the instruction to the garment's most fragile part, including trims, lining, prints and finishes.
- If the label, fabric behaviour and stain method disagree, test a hidden area or choose the lower-risk route.

### Common mistake

Do not treat drying as a harmless final step; heat and hanging tension can shrink, stretch or set a remaining stain.

For the broader method, use the [Beginner laundry guide ](/blog/getting-started-laundry/index.md)and then return to this term when the label changes the safe option.

## Related terms

- [Do not tumble dry](/glossary/do-not-tumble-dry/index.md)
- [Dry clean](/glossary/dry-clean/index.md)
- [Professional wet cleaning (W)](/glossary/professional-wet-cleaning/index.md)

## Sources

- [ISO 3758:2012 Textiles — Care labelling code using symbols ](https://www.iso.org/standard/42918.html)— International Organization for Standardization

[ Back to the full glossary](/glossary/index.md)