What Does it Take to Be a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker?
Occupation 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.
Life As a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker
- Spread soiled articles on work tables, and position stained portions over vacuum heads or on marble slabs.
- Pre-soak, sterilize, scrub, spot-clean, and dry contaminated or stained articles, using neutralizer solutions and portable machines.
- Apply bleaching powders to spots and spray them with steam to remove stains from fabrics that do not respond to other cleaning solvents.
- Operate machines that comb, dry and polish furs, clean, sterilize and fluff feathers and blankets, or roll and package towels.
- Apply chemicals to neutralize the effects of solvents.
- Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
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Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker Required Skills
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Related Job Titles
- Dry Room Attendant
- Feeder
- Machine Fur Cleaner
- Color Matcher
- Detacher
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker Job Outlook
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 29,500 job openings in this field each year.

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
The average yearly salary of a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker ranges between $18,120 and $32,530.

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 different U.S. states?
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 & Technology 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
What kind of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker requirements are there?

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

Where do Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
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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