Will laundry workers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Laundry workers score 13 of 100 for AI exposure. 77% of their task time still needs a person. AI speeds up the other 23%.
- 23% AI helps
- 77% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 92% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 23 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 5 and leaves 18 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types. Chemistry lookup for solvents suits AI; testing stays manual. | 40% AI helps |
| Match sample colors, applying knowledge of bleaching agent and dye properties, and types, construction, conditions, and colors of articles. Color matching formulas can come from AI but eyes decide. | 30% AI helps |
| Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required. Visual sorting by fabric and color; AI vision helps some. | 25% AI helps |
| Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers. Tagging items is physical; intake may use scanners and software. | 25% AI helps |
| Inspect soiled articles to determine sources of stains, to locate color imperfections, and to identify items requiring special treatment. AI can help diagnose stains, but inspection stays physical. | 25% AI helps |
| Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them. Folding and hanging are physical; AI only helps counting. | 15% Needs a person |
| Mix and add detergents, dyes, bleaches, starches, and other solutions and chemicals to clean, color, dry, or stiffen articles. Measuring and dosing chemicals can be partly automated by dispensers. | 15% Needs a person |
| Identify articles' fabrics and original dyes by sight and touch, or by testing samples with fire or chemical reagents. Touch and burn tests are manual; AI helps with lookups. | 15% Needs a person |
| 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. Starting machines and setting valves is manual equipment work. | 12% Needs a person |
| Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation. Operating extractors and dryers is physical machine tending. | 8% Needs a person |
Show the other 13 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Pre-soak, sterilize, scrub, spot-clean, and dry contaminated or stained articles, using neutralizer solutions and portable machines. Scrubbing contaminated articles with portable machines is physical. | 6% Needs a person |
| Mix bleaching agents with hot water in vats, and soak material until it is bleached. Mixing bleach baths and soaking fabric is manual chemical work. | 6% Needs a person |
| Operate machines that comb, dry and polish furs, clean, sterilize and fluff feathers and blankets, or roll and package towels. Fur, feather and towel machines need physical operation. | 6% Needs a person |
| Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading. Loading machines with hands is physical work people perform. | 5% Needs a person |
| Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so. Unloading hot machines with hands is physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment. Cleaning filters and oiling machines is manual maintenance. | 5% Needs a person |
| Apply bleaching powders to spots and spray them with steam to remove stains from fabrics that do not respond to other cleaning solvents. Applying powders and steam to stains is physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Spray steam, water, or air over spots to flush out chemicals, dry material, raise naps, or brighten colors. Spraying steam and air over spots is physical work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Sprinkle chemical solvents over stains, and pat areas with brushes or sponges to remove stains. Sprinkling solvents and patting stains is manual work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Iron or press articles, fabrics, and furs, using hand irons or pressing machines. Pressing garments is physical work; AI offers little help. | 4% Needs a person |
| Hang curtains, drapes, blankets, pants, and other garments on stretch frames to dry. Hanging drapes and blankets on frames is physical work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Immerse articles in bleaching baths to strip colors. Immersing fabric in bleach baths is manual chemical work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Spread soiled articles on work tables, and position stained portions over vacuum heads or on marble slabs. Spreading and positioning garments on tables is physical work. | 4% Needs a person |
How laundry workers compare
All occupations (923)
Production (107)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $34,890 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 198,040 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.3% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Determine spotting solvents by fabric and stain type
- Match dye and bleach shades by eye on samples
- Inspect soiled articles for stains and color damage
- Run intake and order tagging in Curbside Laundries POS
- Press garments and furs on hand irons and pressing machines
- Track job counts and billing in Microsoft Excel
Safer roles nearby
3 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about laundry workers and AI
Will AI replace laundry workers?
Partly. About 1 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly spotting solvent choice and color matching. AI can suggest solvents and color formulas, but the testing on the cloth is still done by a person. Pressing, hanging, and spotting manually stay with people.
Which laundry worker tasks can AI take over?
Spotting procedure and solvent selection carries the highest exposure score in this job, at 40. AI can look up solvent chemistry for a given fabric and stain type. Color matching formulas, at an exposure score of 30, can also come from AI, while the eye still makes the final call. Visual sorting by fabric and color, at 25, is helped by AI vision.
Which laundry worker tasks stay with people?
Pressing garments, hanging drapes on stretch frames, and spreading soiled articles on work tables all carry an exposure score of 4. These tasks need hands on the cloth and a person at the machine. Together they make up most of the 77% of task weight that stays human.
How can laundry workers stay valuable?
Get fast and accurate at hands-on spotting, since testing stains by eye stays manual work. Use Curbside Laundries Wash and Fold POS Software for intake and tagging, and Property management system PMS software for customer records. Track counts and rework in Microsoft Excel so you can show where stains and color losses happen.
Related jobs
Next steps for laundry workers
Check which roles in your team AI can take on
We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first.
Related topics
- Jobs AI can't replaceCement masons score lowest, at 8.
- Jobs most at risk from AIProofreaders score highest, at 76.
- High-paying jobs with low AI exposureRadiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.
- Entry-level jobs with low AI exposureCement masons need little prior training and score 8.
- Jobs AI speeds up the mostFor natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.
- AI and jobs in Malta15 iGaming roles graded task by task.
- Skills that keep work humanThe skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.
- Jobs A to ZEvery job we publish, by first letter.
- AI exposure by industryAverage scores for 22 occupation groups.
- Write a CV screening software can readHow applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.
- AI for businessesThe tasks to automate first in each team and industry.
- How we score AI exposureThe grading, the weights and every source.