Dry cleaning workers clean, repair, and press clothes, linens, and other fabric items that cannot be cleaned in water. Dry cleaning involves the use of a variety of chemicals to clean fabrics.
Responsibilities and Work Environment
Route workers pick up and deliver clothing at customers’ homes and collect money from them. They often solicit new customers along their routes.
A dry cleaning worker’s primary responsibility is to ensure proper cleaning of clothing or articles that customers bring in. They provide customer service, run registers, tag clothing, and process orders. In addition, they monitor and operate various industrial machines and equipment. This includes adjusting equipment or machines, ensuring proper chemicals are added, and following all cleaning instructions for each article or clothing item. At times, they may need to treat spots or stains prior to placing them into the machines. The work environments can be quite noisy and smelly.
Industry and Regulations
Most employers have high standards for the dry cleaning workers they hire. Although not every state imposes a sales tax, most that do require dry cleaners to collect and pay taxes on the dry cleaning and laundering services.
The dry cleaner industry is a rapidly growing sector that employs millions of people worldwide. Many dry cleaners are small businesses, with a staff of up to 50 people.