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.
Also called: Dry Cleaner · Laundry Aide · Laundry Assistant · Laundry Attendant · Laundry Housekeeper · Laundry Technician
Median pay (national)
$33,800
$26,270–$42,370 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
195,360
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.4%
~31,900 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for laundry and dry-cleaning workers shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $42,370 versus $26,270 at the bottom 10% — 1.6x. The median of $33,800 leaves roughly 25% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.4% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 31,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $39,220, +16% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $22,040 — a 78% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Monitoring, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
- Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
- Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
- Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
- Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- Immerse articles in bleaching baths to strip colors.
- Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Windows
- Cents
- Curbside Laundries Wash and Fold POS Software
- Property management system PMS software
- Sales processing software
- Wash-Dry-Fold POS
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
- Law and Government