What Does it Take to Be a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker?
Position Description 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.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker Responsibilities
- Clean fabrics, using vacuums or air hoses.
- Spread soiled articles on work tables, and position stained portions over vacuum heads or on marble slabs.
- Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
- Inspect soiled articles to determine sources of stains, to locate color imperfections, and to identify items requiring special treatment.
- Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
- Apply bleaching powders to spots and spray them with steam to remove stains from fabrics that do not respond to other cleaning solvents.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker?
When polled, Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Types of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker
- Wringer
- Assorter
- Carpet Renovator
- Laundry Sorter
- Hat Former
Are There Job Opportunities for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers?
There were about 220,100 jobs for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker. The BLS estimates 29,500 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker are Utah, Colorado, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, Missouri, or Georgia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers make between $18,120 and $32,530 a year.

Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers who work in District of Columbia, Hawaii, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $21,960 |
Alaska | $30,340 |
Arizona | $27,600 |
Arkansas | $21,500 |
California | $28,600 |
Colorado | $25,330 |
Connecticut | $26,850 |
Delaware | $23,870 |
District of Columbia | $36,870 |
Florida | $22,740 |
Georgia | $21,850 |
Hawaii | $31,870 |
Idaho | $22,650 |
Illinois | $24,140 |
Indiana | $23,100 |
Iowa | $24,510 |
Kansas | $22,450 |
Kentucky | $21,650 |
Louisiana | $22,690 |
Maine | $25,490 |
Maryland | $23,920 |
Massachusetts | $27,820 |
Michigan | $24,770 |
Minnesota | $28,180 |
Mississippi | $20,210 |
Missouri | $21,920 |
Montana | $24,790 |
Nebraska | $25,460 |
Nevada | $24,750 |
New Hampshire | $24,070 |
New Jersey | $23,820 |
New Mexico | $21,560 |
New York | $26,610 |
North Carolina | $22,020 |
North Dakota | $27,600 |
Ohio | $23,030 |
Oklahoma | $21,020 |
Oregon | $27,520 |
Pennsylvania | $24,240 |
Rhode Island | $28,090 |
South Carolina | $22,640 |
South Dakota | $23,570 |
Tennessee | $21,540 |
Texas | $23,400 |
Utah | $24,720 |
Vermont | $24,790 |
Virginia | $22,280 |
Washington | $28,910 |
West Virginia | $24,090 |
Wisconsin | $24,520 |
Wyoming | $23,940 |
What Tools do Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Microsoft Windows
Becoming a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker
Individuals working as a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker?

Where Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Are Employed

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those who work as a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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