Laundry ironer
Also known as: clothes ironer, dry cleaning worker, laundry assistant, presser, dry cleaner, laundry attendant
About this occupation
Laundry ironers re-shape clothing items and linen and remove creases from them by using irons, presses and steamers. They clean and maintain the ironing and drying area and organise the items accordingly.
A specialisation of laundry worker.
Essential skills and knowledge
- distinguish fabrics
- iron textiles
- sort textile items
- distinguish accessories
- read care labels
- quality standards
- operate dry cleaning pressing machines
- identify cloth items
- maintain customer service
- collect items for laundry service
- handle linen in stock
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (O*NET 51-6011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
- Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
- 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.
- Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Enterprising
Top skills: Active Listening, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management
US median pay: US$34,890 a year (2025), 198,040 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- 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
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.