Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers - 51-6011.00

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.

Sample of reported job titles: Dry Cleaner, Laundry Aide, Laundry Assistant, Laundry Attendant, Laundry Housekeeper, Laundry Technician, Laundry Worker, Machine Operator, Personal Clothing Laundry Aide, Spotter

Tasks

• Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
• 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.
• Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
• Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
• Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
• Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
• 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.
• Apply bleaching powders to spots and spray them with steam to remove stains from fabrics that do not respond to other cleaning solvents.
• Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
• Spray steam, water, or air over spots to flush out chemicals, dry material, raise naps, or brighten colors.
• Pre-soak, sterilize, scrub, spot-clean, and dry contaminated or stained articles, using neutralizer solutions and portable machines.
• Mix bleaching agents with hot water in vats, and soak material until it is bleached.
• Apply chemicals to neutralize the effects of solvents.
• Mix and add detergents, dyes, bleaches, starches, and other solutions and chemicals to clean, color, dry, or stiffen articles.
• Sprinkle chemical solvents over stains, and pat areas with brushes or sponges to remove stains.
• Match sample colors, applying knowledge of bleaching agent and dye properties, and types, construction, conditions, and colors of articles.
• Inspect soiled articles to determine sources of stains, to locate color imperfections, and to identify items requiring special treatment.
• Operate dry-cleaning machines to clean soiled articles.
• Operate machines that comb, dry and polish furs, clean, sterilize and fluff feathers and blankets, or roll and package towels.
• 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.
• Clean fabrics, using vacuums or air hoses.
• Test fabrics in inconspicuous places to determine whether solvents will damage dyes or fabrics.
• Rinse articles in water and acetic acid solutions to remove excess dye and to fix colors.
• Identify articles' fabrics and original dyes by sight and touch, or by testing samples with fire or chemical reagents.
• Start pumps to operate distilling systems that drain and reclaim dry cleaning solvents.
• Immerse articles in bleaching baths to strip colors.
• Spread soiled articles on work tables, and position stained portions over vacuum heads or on marble slabs.
• 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.

Technology Skills

• Electronic mail software - Email software
• Internet browser software - Web browser software
• Office suite software - Microsoft Office
• Operating system software - Microsoft Windows
• Point of sale POS software - Sales processing software
• Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel
• Word processing software - Microsoft Word

Tools Used

• Air exhausters - Exhaust ventilation systems
• Canvas bags - Lint bags
• Cash registers - Electronic cash registers
• Centrifugal laundry extractor - Centrifugal laundry extractors
• Chemical tanks - Solvent tanks
• Cleaning brushes - Textile cleaning brushes
• Clothes dryers - Industrial clothes dryers
• Clothing hangers - Multipurpose clothing hangers
• Domestic clothing irons - Clothes pressing irons
• Dry cleaning machines - Dry-cleaning machines; Dry-to-dry closed loop machines; Tunnel finishers
• Folding machines - Automatic folding machines; Semi-automatic folding machines
• Garment steamer - Clothing steamers
• Gas detectors - Colorimetric detector tubes; Photoionization detectors
• Goggles - Safety goggles
• Identification markers - Hand markers; Machine markers
• Infra red or ultra violet absorption analyzers - Infrared gas analyzers
• Ironing machines or presses - Clothing presses
• Laundry type washing machines - Continuous tunnel washers; Industrial washing machines
• Leak testing equipment - Handheld refrigerant leak detectors
• Lint removers - Lint filters
• Molecular sieve - Carbon absorbers
• Multi gas monitors - Direct read air monitors
• Overhead track conveyor - Overhead conveyor racks
• Processing tanks - Filter tanks
• Protective aprons - Chemical protection aprons
• Protective gloves - Safety gloves
• Proximity sensors - Proximity monitors
• Remote reading thermometers - Temperature probes
• Respirators - Air purifying respirators
• Sponges - Garment sponges
• Vacuum cleaners
• Ventilation dampers - Exhaust dampers

Knowledge

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

• 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.

Abilities

• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Interests

• Interest code: RC
  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Context

• Spend Time Standing - 80% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - 54% responded “Very high responsibility.”
• Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - 55% responded “Extremely important.”
• Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - 64% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - 67% responded “Every day.”
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - 59% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - 40% responded “Extremely important.”
• Time Pressure - 69% responded “Every day.”
• Face-to-Face Discussions - 52% responded “Every day.”
• Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - 41% responded “Very high responsibility.”
• Work With Work Group or Team - 37% responded “Extremely important.”
• Spend Time Walking and Running - 35% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - 62% responded “Every day.”
• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - 32% responded “Very important results.”
• Level of Competition - 32% responded “Extremely competitive.”
• Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - 37% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Degree of Automation - 24% responded “Completely automated.”
• Contact With Others - 36% responded “Constant contact with others.”
• Exposed to Disease or Infections - 49% responded “Every day.”
• Structured versus Unstructured Work - 33% responded “A lot of freedom.”
• Physical Proximity - 42% responded “Moderately close (at arm's length).”
• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - 31% responded “Not important at all.”
• Exposed to Contaminants - 47% responded “Never.”

Education

Percentage of Respondents	Education Level Required
65%	Less than high school diploma
34%	High school diploma or equivalent
1%	Post-secondary certificate

Work Styles

• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Work Values

• Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
• Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Wages & Trends

• Median wages (2017)
  • $10.75 hourly, $22,370 annual
• Employment (2016)
  • 220,000 employees
• Projected growth (2016-2026)
  • Little or no change (-1% to 1%)
• Projected job openings (2016-2026)
  • 29,500