SERVICES

Laundress Services

What is a laundress? What are the duties and responsibilities of a laundress?

In an estate, the principal will often hire a laundress in addition to the housekeeper(s)the laundress’s main job is to care for fine clothing and linens in the home. The laundress will understand how to wash, handwash, press, steam, fold, starch, as well as mend and tailor as necessary. They will also keep the home’s closets organized- packing and storing items properly for each season, as well as keep a detailed inventory of items and their locations. They will typically also handle fine linens, sheets, and towels. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the process of hiring a laundress, contact our laundress agency today. 

If you’re looking for a laundress position, visit our job board.

Who can benefit from a laundress?

Any family who has couture clothing, which can carry values into the millions, or suits and items tailored by renowned professionals would benefit from a laundress. While a housekeeper can usually manage the basics, those with extremely fine clothing should opt for a laundress. On large estates, there is typically enough work to be done that the housekeeper(s) and laundress both have a set of full-time responsibilities. 

Laundresses often have experience with cleaning couture and designer clothing as well as having relationships with expert tailors (‘artisans’) who can help mend and fix rare, vintage or expensive items of clothing. Proper care extends the life of couture garments – if one has high-end clothing, as well as fine linens, it makes sense to invest in a laundress to keep these items in top quality shape over time. It also minimizes the risk of loss or damage that can occur when items are sent out of the home for cleaning. 

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What is the difference between a housekeeper and a laundress?

A housekeeper will have a range of tasks around the home - while many might have the knowledge to care for cashmere and silk, they likely do not have enough time to give top quality items the time and detailed attention required while managing the rest of the cleaning and upkeep of the home. When done properly, a single men’s shirt can take 30 minutes to iron. Furthermore, laundresses will have a deep understanding of various high-end fabric types and how to best care for each one. A laundress will be able to easily distinguish between high-end items that are best cared for in the home and those that can be sent out to dry cleaners.  A laundress will usually have previous seamstress experience as well as experience working in homes or estates. They will be highly skilled and organized individuals, ready to organize the closets, pack suitcases, and maintain inventory logs of high-value items.

What is the difference between a housekeeper and a laundress?

A housekeeper will have a range of tasks around the home – while many might have the knowledge to care for cashmere and silk, they likely do not have enough time to give top quality items the time and detailed attention required while managing the rest of the cleaning and upkeep of the home. When done properly, a single men’s shirt can take 30 minutes to iron. Furthermore, laundresses will have a deep understanding of various high-end fabric types and how to best care for each one.

A laundress will be able to easily distinguish between high-end items that are best cared for in the home and those that can be sent out to dry cleaners.  A laundress will usually have previous seamstress experience as well as experience working in homes or estates. They will be highly skilled and organized individuals, ready to organize the closets, pack suitcases, and maintain inventory logs of high-value items.

Laundress FAQ

  • What will a laundress cost me?

    As with all specialty roles, laundress rates will vary based on the cost of living in your city and each professional’s experience. Laundresses with high-end experience and seamstress abilities require competitive salaries and many are seeking benefits. If you’re seeking a laundress for hire, contact BAHS for up-to-date salary expectations in your area.

  • How can I hire a laundress?

    You do not need to seek out a specialty laundress agency – BAHS has many laundresses on our roster in major cities including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, London, Paris, and Dubai. We also work with many professionals who are willing to relocate for long-term or temporary roles. Contact us for laundress services.

Learn More About Hiring A Laundress

If you are looking for professional laundress services, please submit your information here.

If you want to explore more household services, visit this page.

 

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Testimonials

“This is a wonderful agency!!I have a seven-year-old daughter and the team at BAHS has helped me with different nannies for the different stages of her development and, tutors and occasional staffing needs. Once you are part of the BAHS family they will truly work with you to support your family and get you the best possible staff – and always make you feel understood and with respect for your privacy.”

-SR, Client

“I recently utilized this agency to help me find a nanny for my six year old son.  I can’t say enough good things about the quality of the service at BAHS.  They really listened to my needs, and only sent me candidates who met my criteria and who were really interested in working with my family.  The agency’s responsiveness, attention to detail and ability to be discrete was top notch.  While I hope our current nanny stays with us as long as we need, I would use this agency again if I ever have additional staffing needs.”

-CA, Client

“I cannot recommend this agency enough. I am a British Nanny with twenty seven years of experience so I have encountered many agencies both here and London during my working life. It did take time for me to find the right position as I am choosy, but each time I decided a job wasn’t right for me they didn’t criticize my reasoning but just persevered in finding what would eventually be the perfect fit for me.”

-KB, Career Nanny