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Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

Operate or tend washing or dry-cleaning machines to wash or dry-clean industrial or household articles, such as cloth garments, suede, leather, furs, blankets, draperies, linens, rugs, and carpets. Includes spotters and dyers of these articles.

What you’d do

  • Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
  • Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
  • Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
  • Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
  • Start washers, dry cleaners, driers, or extractors, and turn valves or levers to regulate machine processes and the volume of soap, detergent, water, bleach, starch, and other additives.
  • Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
  • Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
  • Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Critical Thinking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Time Management

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Dry Cleaner
  • Laundry Aide
  • Laundry Attendant
  • Laundry Worker
  • Industrial Laundry Attendant
  • Laundry Assistant

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