A Suffolk dry cleaner’s this week celebrated one of its employees graduating in the top of her class at the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute.

Kristin Latta, whose father owns Master Cleaners on West Washington Street, took a two-week, 80-hour course in advanced drycleaning at the institute. Her small class of 12 had people from Australia, Kuwait, Nigeria and Malaysia in addition to across the United States.

Despite the fact she’s only 26 years old, it was hardly surprising that Latta earned top honors, since she has apprenticed under her father, Ben Latta, for eight years.

She and her siblings, Amy and David, grew up in the store, Kristin Latta said. She has been drawn more to the technical aspects of equipment maintenance and drycleaning, while David Latta has gravitated toward marketing and website design.

“When we put our two heads together, we can do anything in here,” she said.

Amy felt called to be a teacher and now teaches third grade, Kristin Latta said.

Latta said her favorite part of her job is customer service, but she also gets a lot of gratification when she manages to lift difficult stains, especially from precious garments.

“Working with customers is probably the best thing,” she said. “But most everything in here, I enjoy doing.”

Kristin and Ben Latta are the fourth generation in their family to be in the drycleaning business. Their great-grandfather, on their father’s father’s side, started the family business. Master Cleaners has existed since 1966, but the Latta family didn’t take it over until 1984.

It’s truly a family affair at Master Cleaners, with Kristin and David’s mother, Tori, also working there. An uncle used to work there, and his daughter still does.

The business once had five locations but now is down to two, including its North Suffolk location on Bridge Road, in favor of its free pickup and delivery service.

“It’s a very enjoyable business,” Kristin Latta said. “It’s a lot of fun.”