When digging into the question “How Much Can You Claim for Laundry Expenses?”, the answer in the United States is unfortunately not as simple as tossing a coin into a washing machine. The IRS laundry expense deduction rules are notoriously strict, essentially dividing the workforce into two camps: the self-employed (Schedule C filers) who have a shot at these write-offs, and W-2 employees who—thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)—are currently out of luck for federal deductions. If you are a business owner, gig worker, or independent contractor, understanding the nuance of tax deductible work clothes is critical to lowering your taxable income. The “Golden Rule” here is that your clothing must be required for your job and not suitable for everyday wear, a standard that trips up many taxpayers hoping to write off suits or gym gear. This guide will walk you through the Schedule C laundry expenses you can actually claim, the documentation you need to survive an audit, and why “cleaning” your tax bill is harder than it looks.
The “Everyday Wear” Test: The Biggest Hurdle
The IRS applies a rigorous two-step test to determine if clothing and its upkeep (laundry/dry cleaning) are deductible. First, the clothing must be a condition of your employment—meaning you have to wear it. Second, and most importantly, the clothing must not be suitable for everyday use. This is where most people get hung up. A lawyer’s suit, even if required for court, is considered suitable for a wedding or a funeral, and therefore is not deductible. However, if you are a nurse wearing scrubs, a police officer in uniform, or a mascot in a giant furry suit, those items are clearly not street clothes. Only if your clothing passes this test can you deduct the cost of buying and cleaning it.
The Harsh Reality For W-2 Employees
If you are a traditional employee receiving a W-2, we have some bad news. Prior to 2018, employees could deduct unreimbursed employee expenses (including uniforms and laundry) if they exceeded 2% of their Adjusted Gross Income. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended these miscellaneous itemized deductions for tax years 2018 through 2025. This means that for your upcoming federal tax return, you generally cannot claim a dime for laundry, dry cleaning, or uniform costs, regardless of how specialized your gear is. Some states may still allow these deductions on state-level returns, so it is worth checking your local laws, but the federal door is currently shut.
Self-Employed Freedom: Schedule C Rules
For the self-employed, freelancers, and independent contractors, the door is still open. You can deduct the cost of qualifying work clothes and their cleaning on Schedule C as a business expense. There is no set “flat rate”; you deduct the actual cost. This includes the cost of dry cleaning bills, alterations, and even home laundry expenses if you can reasonably calculate them (e.g., cost of detergent, water, and electricity per load). However, the same “everyday wear” rule applies. You cannot deduct the laundry costs for the polo shirt you wear to meet clients if you could also wear it to a barbecue.
Business Travel: The Laundry Loophole
There is one major exception where laundry becomes much easier to claim: business travel. If you are traveling away from home for business (overnight), the IRS allows you to deduct “reasonable” laundry and dry cleaning expenses incurred during the trip. This applies to both employees (if reimbursed by their employer tax-free) and the self-employed. For the self-employed, this is a valid travel expense on Schedule C. If you are on a week-long business trip and need to dry clean your suit for a meeting, that cost is deductible as part of your travel expenses, even if the suit itself isn’t deductible back home.
Documentation And Keeping The IRS Happy
Since there is no standard deduction for laundry, record-keeping is your best defense. If you use a dry cleaner, keep every receipt and mark which items were business-specific. If you wash qualifying uniforms at home, you need to create a reasonable method for calculating the cost—the IRS won’t just accept a random guess of “$500.” A common method is to estimate the cost per load (factoring in energy and detergent) and keep a log of how many “business-only” loads you washed during the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I deduct the cost of my business suits if I only wear them for work?
A: No. The IRS considers suits “suitable for everyday wear,” so they are not deductible, even if you never wear them outside the office.
Q: I am a W-2 employee. Can I claim laundry expenses?
A: generally, no. Federal deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses are suspended through the 2025 tax year.
Q: Does the “everyday wear” rule apply to safety gear?
A: No, safety gear is different. Hard hats, safety goggles, and steel-toed boots required for work are almost always deductible for the self-employed.