Laundry Worker
Laundry and dry cleaning workers clean cloth garments,
linens, draperies, blankets, and other articles. They also may clean leather,
suede, furs, and rugs. When necessary, they treat spots and stains on articles
before laundering or dry cleaning. They tend machines during cleaning and ensure
that items are not lost or misplaced with those of another customer. Pressers,
textile, garment, and related materials, shape and remove wrinkles from items
after steam pressing them or ironing them by hand. Workers then assemble each
customer’s items, box or bag them, and prepare an itemized bill for the
customer.
- Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry
cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or
machine markers.
- 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.
- 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.
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning
machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their
operation.
- Inspect soiled articles to determine sources of
stains, to locate color imperfections, and to identify items
requiring special treatment.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of
Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition,
Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Occupations, on the
Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos233.htm