One of the most disliked chores around the home for many homeowners is laundry. Especially for those with children, the daunting task of load after load of laundry can be intimidating. Cleaning lint filters, troubleshooting weird smells in the machines, and finding that missing sock can seem like a large time suck. For those who feel that this is the case, one of the most effective ways to eliminate this time burden is by utilizing a laundry delivery service.

Below, we at Gyldi dive into what a laundry pickup and delivery service is. We also dig deeper into costs, pros and cons, and determine whether it is an effective expense based on a variety of factors.

Finally, if it is an effective expense, we cover four of the most common nationwide laundry delivery service options. If it is not an effective expense, we go over some things that can be done to make the process of doing laundry quicker and more efficient. We also provide some product recommendations to make the process of doing laundry faster and simpler.

As this is a long review and guide, feel free to use the section links below to snap to specific spots in the guide.

What is a laundry delivery service?

A laundry delivery service is a convenient way to get your laundry done without having to leave the comfort of your home. Instead of lugging dirty clothes and bedding down to the local laundromat or dry cleaners, you can use a laundry delivery service. They will pick up your items, launder them for you, and then deliver them back to your door.

This can be a great time saver for busy families or individuals who don’t have the time or energy to go through the chore of doing their own laundry.

What do laundry delivery services do?

With a professional laundry delivery service, you have access to high-quality washing machines and dryers. These vetted experts use laundering techniques that will ensure the cleanliness and freshness of your garments.

The staff knows how to properly sort clothes in order to prevent damage during launderings, such as color fading or shrinkage. Plus, most services offer stain removal, so even tough stains can be removed without leaving any trace behind. After clothes are clean and dry, they are carefully folded and put into bags so that each item remains wrinkle-free when it reaches your home.

Typical costs of laundry pickup and delivery services

In addition to being more convenient than doing laundry yourself at home or sending it out by yourself, many people choose this type of service because it is also affordable.

Prices depend on the number of items being laundered but usually start from around $10 to $20 per load, with discounts available for larger loads or regular customers. Many services also offer special deals on large orders or will add special treatments such as fabric softeners upon request for an extra fee.

Below, we will dive into the details of four nationwide laundry delivery services, including associated prices.

Laundry delivery service pros and cons

When comparing laundry delivery services to dry cleaning, laundromats, or doing laundry at home, there are advantages and disadvantages to consider.

Pros of laundry delivery services

• Convenience: no need to leave the comfort of your home.
• High-quality washing machines and dryers are used in almost all cases.
• Expert laundering techniques ensure the cleanliness and freshness of your garments and clothes.
• Clothes are sorted to prevent damage during the laundering process.
• Many associated services have stain removal services available if needed.
• Carefully folded items are delivered back to service users wrinkle-free.
• Many services have affordable prices, with discounts offered for larger loads or regular customers.
• Special deals on large orders and additional treatments (fabric softeners) are available for an extra fee in most cases.

Cons of laundry delivery services

• Laundry delivery services may be more expensive than doing the laundry yourself at home or utilizing a housekeeper.
• Some items may require special handling, and these nationwide services may not have the expertise to provide this service.
• Delivery times can vary depending on demand, which can make planning and scheduling difficult.
• If there is an issue with your order, you won’t get a refund or replacement until after the issue has been resolved.
• You don’t have control over how your clothes are handled during the laundering process, so certain garments could become damaged in transit or during cleaning if proper care isn’t taken.

Is a laundry delivery service worth it?

Add some basic information about your household and lifestyle into the calculator below. We use that information to determine if a laundry delivery service is worth the cost compared to doing laundry yourself at home.

Things to note about the above laundry delivery service effectiveness calculator as it has been developed:

• Monthly take-home income should be for the entire household, after tax.
• The time value per hour is determined based on total waking hours and taking 25% off of that for non-productive time.
• The cost of a load of laundry through a laundry delivery service is being considered at $15 for each load of laundry based on the average price per pound and the typical weight of a load of laundry.

YES, a laundry delivery service is worth it

So, you (and we at Gyldi) have determined that a laundry delivery service is worth the cost trade-off compared to the time saved. At this point, the question becomes: what is the best laundry delivery service?

Many larger cities have ample local options available. However, below we have outlined four services operating throughout much of the United States, with far more convenient options and features. Those services are Hampr, HappyNest, Rinse, and Sudshare.

Most Trustworthy Laundry Delivery Services

Hampr

Hampr is one of the fastest-growing national laundry delivery services around. They currently operate in dozens of cities around the United States, and their footprint is growing rapidly.

Through the Hampr app, users can quickly book laundry pickup and delivery. With their Hampr Loaded membership, at $39 per year, users receive four antimicrobial hampers to utilize for the service (additional hampers can be purchased for $10 each). Conversely, pay-as-you-go Hampr Lite options allow users to use their own 13-gallon kitchen trash bags. One bag is considered one load, and Hampr charges by the load.

There is no delivery fee and only a $2.99 service fee on orders of three or fewer Hamprs. Users of the service can select to have their deliveries picked up in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Deliveries are made in 24 hours or less, and some locations have a same-day turnaround.

HappyNest

HappyNest is a faster-growing option for a laundry delivery service. Currently, their availability footprint far exceeds Hampr’s footprint above. Their pricing strategy is also far more transparent to non-users.

Per their pricing page, “Pricing varies by location and averages about $1.90 per pound but could be as low as $1.70 in your neighborhood.”

HappyNest’s user-friendly online platform, competitive pricing, and flexible scheduling options are appreciated by its customers. Additionally, the company’s customer service is praised for being responsive and helpful, with many customers reporting positive experiences with the support team.

Although some customers have reported rare incidents of lost or damaged items, overall, HappyNest is considered a reputable laundry delivery service that offers a convenient and affordable option for busy individuals and families.

Rinse

Based on online reviews and customer feedback, Rinse appears to be a reliable and convenient laundry service that offers pickup and delivery services for both laundry and dry cleaning.

Customers appreciate Rinse’s easy-to-use online platform, competitive pricing, and flexible scheduling options. Rinse also receives praise for their customer service, with many customers reporting positive experiences with their friendly and responsive support team.

For laundry, Rinse charges by the pound, with prices starting at around $1.75 per pound, though prices may vary depending on location and specific services selected. For dry cleaning, Rinse charges per item, with prices varying depending on the type of item and its material.

Rinse also offers additional services such as hang-dry, folding, and special treatment for delicate items, which may come at an additional cost. Rinse has a website and mobile app that customers can use to get a pricing estimate for their specific laundry and dry cleaning needs.

One potential downside to Rinse is that some customers have reported occasional issues with lost or damaged items, though these complaints appear to be relatively rare. Overall, Rinse seems to be a well-regarded laundry delivery service that provides a convenient and affordable option for busy individuals and families.

Sudshare

Based on online reviews and customer feedback, SudShare appears to be a reliable and convenient laundry service that offers pickup and delivery services for both laundry and dry cleaning.

Customers appreciate SudShare’s easy-to-use online platform and competitive pricing, which charges by the pound, with prices starting around $1 per pound. SudShare also receives praise for its flexible scheduling options and prompt pickup and delivery times.

However, some customers have reported occasional issues with lost or damaged items, and the company’s customer service has been criticized as unresponsive in some cases.

Overall, SudShare seems to be a well-regarded laundry delivery service that provides a convenient and affordable option for busy individuals and families, but customers should be aware of the potential for issues with customer service and lost or damaged items.

NO, a laundry delivery service is not worth it

This happens for a variety of reasons. Heck, maybe you just don’t want someone else handling your laundry. Personally, I don’t use a laundry delivery service at the moment. My reasoning is that I actually like doing, washing, and folding laundry. Not even kidding, check out my morning routine. It’s therapeutic.

For those of you who have determined that a laundry delivery service is not a good time/money trade-off, there are still things you can do to make your laundry process more effective.

Making laundry less of a hassle

Increasing or decreasing laundering frequency

Consider doing laundry more frequently (or less frequently), depending on your current schedule. I used to only do laundry for my wife and I once every four to five days. Now, I do laundry 4-5 times per week and wash our sheets twice a week. I consider it part of my morning routine, and it has helped quite a bit with reframing the idea of doing laundry.

Use divided hampers to eliminate sorting needs before washing

If you sort your laundry, consider cutting a step from the process by utilizing divided hampers. They range from extremely inexpensive like this option from WowLive, to this high-quality option from Birdrock Home. Even saving five minutes a week results in hours per year. If you value your time at $50 per hour, that’s hundreds of dollars saved in time value.

Cut down on the sock hunt with individual mesh bags

Use mesh laundry bags for delicates such as these from Amazon for all family members in your household to keep their dirty socks in. Every week or so, toss the bags in with the rest of the laundry. Everything will be washed, and then the bags can be unzipped and socks paired up without worrying about individual socks going missing. Highly recommended!

Fold your clothes quickly upon them finishing in the dryer

This is a simple productivity tip. Hear the dryer stop? Grab the clothes and fold them. Not only does this cut down on wrinkles, but it also cuts down on the dread that comes with knowing that there’s laundry done in the dryer waiting to be folded. Get it done, and move on to the next thing. You’ll be happy that you did.

Use the most effective products and equipment possible

We at Gyldi are all about the most effective processes possible. Rethinking what products and equipment you use for your laundry can make a world of difference in your overall experience. Adjusting these processes and products can save you hours upon hours per year.

Here are our recommendations for specific products to use to bring your overall laundry effectiveness closer to the level seen with a laundry delivery service:

• Best Washer/Dryer Combo: LG WSEX200HNA Studio Single Unit Front Load WashTower, $2,799.00 from LG
• Best Laundry Detergent: Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Soap Pods, Original Scent, $11.97 from Amazon
  • Incredible Smelling Laundry Detergent: Laundry Sauce, subscription
• Best Static Prevention: Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls, $11.94 for 6 dryer balls on Amazon
• Best Washing Machine Cleaner: Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner, $11.98 from Amazon
• Safest Dryer Vent Cleaner Attachment: Sealegend Dryer Vent Cleaner Kit, $11.95 from Amazon

Our final thoughts on laundry pickup and delivery

As far as tradeoffs that can be made to save time in the long run, utilizing a laundry delivery service instead of doing laundry on your own at home is a quick and simple opportunity.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, the average person spent 0.17 hours, or ten minutes, every day doing laundry. Imagine if this process was streamlined to ten minutes every week putting away laundry that was processed by a laundry delivery service.

The savings would be an hour every week, or over two full days each year.

Is laundry pickup and delivery worth it?

Whether or not a laundry pickup and delivery service is worth it depends on a variety of factors, including your personal circumstances and preferences.

For busy individuals or families, laundry pickup and delivery services can be a convenient and time-saving option. Rather than spending time doing laundry, driving to a laundromat or dry cleaners, and waiting for machines, you can have your laundry picked up, professionally cleaned, and delivered back to your doorstep.

Additionally, laundry pickup and delivery services can be helpful for individuals with mobility issues, those who lack access to transportation, or those who prefer not to handle their laundry themselves.

However, laundry pickup and delivery services may be more expensive than doing laundry yourself, and some services may have occasional issues with lost or damaged items. Additionally, some people enjoy doing laundry as a way to unwind or find it satisfying to have control over the laundry process.

Ultimately, whether or not a laundry pickup and delivery service is worth it depends on your individual circumstances, preferences, and priorities. It may be helpful to research and compare different services to determine which one best fits your needs and budget.