Private Laundress Job Description

A laundress takes charge of washing, ironing, and caring for clothes and linens in a private home. The role is normally carried out in large households or those with high-value garments, where clothing care needs full attention separate from a housekeeper’s daily tasks.

What does a laundress do?

The job focuses on fabric care. Washing, ironing, steaming, folding, and storing clothes and household linen exactly as the employer wants.

In luxury homes, that includes handling silk, cashmere, vintage lace, hand-embroidered tablecloths, and tailored clothing. A mistake can damage a shirt worth a lot of money.

Wardrobe care is often part of what a laundress does. Rotating clothes for each season, small repairs, clothing inventory, and making sure clothes that are out of season are stored well are part of daily work.

When the family moves between homes, the laundress makes sure each wardrobe is ready when they arrive. 

What skills and qualifications does a laundress need?

There are no formal qualifications for this role. Most laundresses build their experience through years in luxury hotels or private estates. 

Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet, explains that nearly all skilled candidates start in hospitality, often at five-star properties like the Dorchester, Four Seasons, or the Peninsula.

The technical knowledge is quite specific to the job. A laundress needs to know the difference between washing silk charmeuse and silk dupioni.

They also need to understand things like which stain treatments work on cashmere without damaging the fiber. Or for example when a vintage Chanel jacket can be hand-cleaned and when it should go to a specialist.

They also need to be able to use specialist equipment. Commercial steam presses, professional irons, and industrial washers all work differently from machines you would get in a standard household.

Personality can also be as important as technical skill. A laundress works in private areas like closets, dressing rooms, bedrooms. They see what principals wear, what gets worn a lot, what doesn’t.

It’s important for laundresses to keep everything they see to themselves all the time. This is really crucial when working in luxury homes.

That is for laundresses more than most roles. They work with personal belongings every day. 

How is a laundress different from a housekeeper?

Many housekeepers do laundry as part of their day. A dedicated laundress takes care of garment and linen work only.

Some families hire a laundress when laundry starts taking too much time away from the housekeeper’s other duties. In homes with large wardrobes, fine table linen, or garments that need specialist care, it becomes a full-time job on its own.

Household roles are often more specialized in the US than in Europe. In many European homes, one person might clean, do laundry, and help with childcare. US households more often split those duties into separate jobs.

The laundress usually reports to the house manager or estate manager.

How much does a laundress earn?

Salaries for a laundress in the US range from $60,000 to $100,000 a year, according to Morgan & Mallet International’s 2025/26 Household Staff Salaries Annual Report. In the UK, the range is £55,000 to £90,000, making it the country where laundresses earn the most globally.

• USA: $60,000 to $100,000
• UK: £55,000 to £90,000
• France: €45,000 to €60,000
• Switzerland: CHF 55,000 to CHF 70,000
• Monaco: €45,000 to €65,000
• UAE: AED 120,000 to 180,000
• Saudi Arabia: SAR 120,000 to 180,000
• Belgium: €40,000 to €55,000

The UK pays the most globally for this role. According to the annual report, British families value expert garment care highly, and laundress is the one role where the UK leads all other markets on salary.

Traveling laundresses who move between different properties earn 25 to 40% above these ranges, as well as travel expenses.

Sample laundress job description

Morgan Richez says clear job descriptions help placements last longer. When candidates hear the full picture from the start, including the good and the bad, they stay in the role longer.

Position: Laundress (full-time, live-out)

Location: [City, State/Country]

Reports to: House manager / Principal

Schedule: Monday to Friday, [hours]. Occasional weekend or evening work during events or travel.

Role summary

Responsible for all laundry, ironing, garment care, and wardrobe management across the household.

Responsibilities

• Wash, iron, steam, and press all clothing, bed linen, and table linen to the principal’s standards
• Hand-wash delicate, high-value, or vintage garments
• Maintain a full inventory of all garments and household linen
• Organize wardrobes by season, type, or principal preference
• Store off-season clothing with proper covers, mothproofing, and labeling
• Maintain all laundry equipment (commercial washers, dryers, steam presses, irons)
• Order and stock all laundry products and supplies
• Handle minor garment repairs (buttons, hems, small tears)
• Manage relationships with tailors, dry cleaners, and alterations specialists
• Care for the principal’s footwear (polishing, cleaning, arranging repairs)
• Pack and prepare wardrobes for travel between properties
• Handle staff uniforms if required

Requirements

• Minimum three years in a private household, luxury hotel laundry, or five-star laundry service
• Expert knowledge of fabric types, care labels, stain removal, and garment storage
• Experience with professional-grade laundry equipment
• Discretion and respect for household privacy
• Clean criminal background check
• At least three references from previous employers
• Legal right to work in [country]

Preferred

• Experience managing wardrobes across multiple properties
• Basic sewing and alterations skills
• Knowledge of organic or chemical-free cleaning products

Compensation

[Salary range] plus [benefits as applicable]

Looking to hire a laundress?

Morgan & Mallet International places laundresses for temporary, seasonal, and permanent positions. With a database of 200,000+ vetted candidates and eight offices worldwide, we can start a search in any region.

Call us or email contact@morganmallet.agency. We respond within 24 hours.

Looking for a laundress position?

You can apply through our job board. Every candidate goes through a 90-minute interview. If you make it through, your profile reaches families who are hiring now.