 Federal and state laws regulating hours , wages , and working conditions changed markedly in the United States during the early 20th century . The state 's Industrial Welfare Commission , established in 1913 , ruled in 1914 that women could not work in laundries for more than 54 hours a week and that work days were not to exceed 9 hours . The commission established a minimum weekly wage of $ 8 @.@ 25 for women working in Portland 's laundries . By 1917 , the work day was reduced to an eight @-@ hour maximum . In 1920 , to lower costs related to regulations and the rise of organized labor , several industrial laundries in Portland combined to form the Home Services Company . The new company lowered overhead by sharing resources and added a pickup and delivery service popular among middle @-@ class families . The company acquired the Yale Union Laundry in 1927 . 
