Laundry workers’ duties vary depending on the size and nature of the employer. Laundry workers may work for institutions such as hospitals or prisons, large hotel chains, diaper supply services, or commercial laundries that clean vast quantities of items such as uniforms, bedding, and towels.
In general, laundry workers:
- Receive and keep records of articles to be laundered
- Sort soiled linen and clothing
- Load and unload washing machines, extractors, and other computer-controlled equipment
- Feed linen into equipment for pressing
- Catch and count processed linen
- Note stains, tears, and wear
- Remove stains and mend items as needed
- Hand-fold certain linen items
- Count, sort, and package linen
- Place linen on carts for delivery to customers
In large-volume plants, workers may specialize in particular areas. For example, those completing mark-in or processing may:
- Sort, record, and mark linen and other articles
- Examine articles for defects and send them for repairs
- Count finished articles and verify the count with plant records
Stain removers or stain treaters may:
- Inspect articles for stains and colour imperfections
- Identify items requiring special treatment
- Determine the cleaning process required
- Use appropriate treatments to remove stains
Sorters, finishers, and folders may:
- Sort soiled linen into bins for washing
- Operate specialized finishing equipment
- Shake laundry before it is folded
- Fold finished articles
Cart packers select linen items from shelves according to a pick list and place the required number and type of linens on carts.
