How to hire laundry and dry-cleaning workers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment. • Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types. • 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. • 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. • 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. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential] • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $16.78 an hour ($34,890 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for laundry and dry-cleaning workers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What laundry and dry-cleaning workers do
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Education, experience and outlook for laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4.3% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 28,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay laundry and dry-cleaning workers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $39,590 |
| Oregon | $37,800 |
| California | $37,790 |
| Colorado | $37,680 |
| Minnesota | $37,580 |
| Oklahoma | $28,170 |
| Louisiana | $27,460 |
| Mississippi | $27,190 |
See laundry and dry-cleaning workers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
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- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
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- Sewing Machine Operators
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.