Production
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.
MAY 2025 · OCCUPATIONAL WAGES
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
Source wage group: Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Median annual wage$34,890USD per year · Published 50th percentile
Median hourly wage$16.78USD per hour · Published 50th percentile
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,440 | $13.19 |
| 25th | $30,360 | $14.60 |
| 50th · Median | $34,890 | $16.78 |
| 75th | $37,560 | $18.06 |
| 90th | $43,190 | $20.77 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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THE WORK BEHIND THE TITLE
What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Bag WasherBenzene WasherBenzene WorkerBlanket WasherCarpet CleanerCleanerCleaning Machine OperatorCleaning Technician (Cleaning Tech)Clothes SeparatorClothes ShakerCurtain CleanerDrier
Expand more title examples (48)
Drier OperatorDry CleanerDry-Cleaning Machine OperatorDry-Cleaning Machine TenderDryer OperatorDrying Machine OperatorDyerFolderFolding Machine OperatorFur CleanerFur Glazing and Polishing Machine OperatorFur GlosserFur PolisherFurniture CleanerGarment SorterGlove CleanerHand LaundererHandy WorkerHat CleanerHotel Laundry AttendantHousekeeping Laundry AideIndustrial Laundry AttendantLaundererLaundressLaundromat WorkerLaundry AideLaundry AssistantLaundry AssociateLaundry AttendantLaundry Equipment OperatorLaundry HelperLaundry HousekeeperLaundry Machine OperatorLaundry Machine TenderLaundry OperatorLaundry PersonLaundry Press OperatorLaundry Room AttendantLaundry SorterLaundry Technician (Laundry Tech)Laundry WorkerLeather CleanerLinen FolderMachine FillerMachine Fur CleanerMachine Rug CleanerMachine WasherMarking Machine Operator
Typical tasks
- 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.
Expand more tasks (26)
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
- Sprinkle chemical solvents over stains, and pat areas with brushes or sponges to remove stains.
- Inspect soiled articles to determine sources of stains, to locate color imperfections, and to identify items requiring special treatment.
- Apply chemicals to neutralize the effects of solvents.
- Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
- 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.
- Pre-soak, sterilize, scrub, spot-clean, and dry contaminated or stained articles, using neutralizer solutions and portable machines.
- Mix and add detergents, dyes, bleaches, starches, and other solutions and chemicals to clean, color, dry, or stiffen articles.
- Wash, dry-clean, or glaze delicate articles or fur garment linings by hand, using mild detergents or dry cleaning solutions.
- Match sample colors, applying knowledge of bleaching agent and dye properties, and types, construction, conditions, and colors of articles.
- Operate dry-cleaning machines to clean soiled articles.
- Iron or press articles, fabrics, and furs, using hand irons or pressing machines.
- Hang curtains, drapes, blankets, pants, and other garments on stretch frames to dry.
- Spray steam, water, or air over spots to flush out chemicals, dry material, raise naps, or brighten colors.
- Mend and sew articles, using hand stitching, adhesive patches, or sewing machines.
- Dye articles to change or restore their colors, using knowledge of textile compositions and the properties and effects of bleaches and dyes.
- Test fabrics in inconspicuous places to determine whether solvents will damage dyes or fabrics.
- Mix bleaching agents with hot water in vats, and soak material until it is bleached.
- Clean fabrics, using vacuums or air hoses.
- Start pumps to operate distilling systems that drain and reclaim dry cleaning solvents.
- Rinse articles in water and acetic acid solutions to remove excess dye and to fix colors.
- Immerse articles in bleaching baths to strip colors.
- Identify articles' fabrics and original dyes by sight and touch, or by testing samples with fire or chemical reagents.
- Spread soiled articles on work tables, and position stained portions over vacuum heads or on marble slabs.
Skills used in this 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.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Expand more skills (29)
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
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