# Machine wash, cold — Laundry Care Symbol | Launderwise

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Washing

![Machine wash, cold](/images/care-symbols/machine-wash-cold.svg)

# Machine wash, cold

An ISO 3758 washtub showing 30 °C (or a single dot), indicating the garment should be machine washed at a maximum water temperature of 30 °C.

## What it means

The figure 30 inside the tub, or a single dot, caps the wash water at 30 °C. Washing cooler protects colours and elastane and saves energy, but it also means heavily soiled or greasy loads may need a pre-treat or a longer cycle.

## What to do

Select a 30 °C programme and pair it with a detergent formulated to work in cool water (most modern enzymatic liquids are). Pre-treat oily or set-in stains separately, because 30 °C alone will not dissolve them.

## How to use this term

Use this washing symbol before choosing water temperature, cycle intensity or whether the item should go in the machine at all.

- Read machine wash, cold 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 upgrade to a hotter or heavier cycle because the stain looks stubborn; the strictest care symbol still sets the limit.

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

## Related terms

- [Machine wash, warm](/glossary/machine-wash-warm/index.md)
- [Machine wash, hot](/glossary/machine-wash-hot/index.md)
- [Enzymatic detergent](/glossary/enzymatic-detergent/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)