About This Career

Operates or tends 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.

This career is part of the Human Services cluster Personal Care Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Loads articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or directs other workers to perform loading.
• Starts washers, dry cleaners, driers, or extractors, and turns valves or levers to regulate machine processes and the volume of soap, detergent, water, bleach, starch, and other additives.
• Operates extractors and driers, or directs their operation.
• Sorts and counts articles removed from dryers, and folds, wraps, or hangs them.
• Removes items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or directs other workers to do so.
• Cleans machine filters, and lubricates equipment.
• Examines and sorts into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
• Receives and marks articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
• Applies bleaching powders to spots and sprays them with steam to remove stains from fabrics that do not respond to other cleaning solvents.
• Sprays steam, water, or air over spots to flush out chemicals, dry material, raise naps, or brighten colors.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly up close
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel