Occupation information for

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.

Currently Employed: 630

Yearly Projected Openings: 20

Typical Hourly Wage: $9.20 - $17.04

Typical Annual Salary: $19,100 - $35,400

• Spray steam, water, or air over spots to flush out chemicals, dry material, raise naps, or brighten colors.
• Operate dry-cleaning machines to clean soiled articles.
• Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
• Test fabrics in inconspicuous places to determine whether solvents will damage dyes or fabrics.
• 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.
• Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
• Pre-soak, sterilize, scrub, spot-clean, and dry contaminated or stained articles, using neutralizer solutions and portable machines.
• Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
• Mix and add detergents, dyes, bleaches, starches, and other solutions and chemicals to clean, color, dry, or stiffen articles.