Elementary cleaning occupations

How to become a launderer, dry cleaner or presser

Official title: Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers

Also called: Cleaner, Presser, Launderer, Dry cleaner, Fur cleaner, Cap presser, Top presser, Hand presser, Seam presser, Shirt presser, Steam presser, Carpet cleaner

Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers supervise and undertake the washing, dry cleaning, ironing and pressing of clothing, household and other linen, carpets, curtains and other articles.

Main tasks

Receives garment or item from customer for cleaning, checks pockets, buttons, zips, etc. and issues receipt
Sorts articles by fabric, colour and type and determines appropriate cleaning process
Removes difficult stains using chemicals or steam gun
Loads articles into washing and dry cleaning machines or electrically operated drum cleaning machine, operates controls to admit cleaning fluids and starts machine
Sets and operates drying machines and smooths and shapes washed garments using hand iron or machine press
Allocates washing machines to customers, ensures correct use of equipment and gives change
Performs a variety of laundering, dry cleaning and pressing tasks, including beating carpets and shaping starched collars, cuffs and hats

How to become one

Academic qualifications are not required. Training is mainly on?the-job. Vocational qualifications in Laundry Operations and Textile Care Services are available at level 2.

Ways in

Apprenticeship (England): Commercial laundry operative (level 2). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0604.

Pay · Outlook

Median full-time pay: £23,331 a year The middle half earn £21,758 to null.
About 19,600 people work in this job now, and about 18,800 are projected by 2035. (-3.7%)

Questions people ask

How do I become a launderer, dry cleaner or presser?

Academic qualifications are not required. Training is mainly on?the-job. Vocational qualifications in Laundry Operations and Textile Care Services are available at level 2.

How much does a launderer, dry cleaner or presser earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £23,331 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a launderer, dry cleaner or presser a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 4% by 2035, from about 19,600 to about 18,800 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a launderer, dry cleaner or presser?

Usually not. Only 14% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Commercial laundry operative (level 2).

Sources

Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03