For many of us, doing laundry is a dreaded, time-consuming chore, but now there’s another, easy way to clean your clothes. Laundry delivery services will pick up your clothing, wash and organize items, and deliver them back to your doorstep neat and folded within a few days. A number of laundry service providers are also incorporating eco-friendly practices into the cleaning process by utilizes the latest green technologies and non-toxic cleaners.
- Best Overall: Tide Cleaners
- Best Dry Cleaning: Press
- Best for Specialty Items: Lapels
- Best Subscription: Rinse
- Best for Fast Delivery: HamperApp
- Best for Flexible Delivery: ByNext
With a quick online subscription or push of a button on a phone app, you can reclaim some free time. No more tracking down quarters, hauling laundry down city blocks to the laundromat, or waiting for clothes to dry when you could be enjoying your weekend off.
Doing laundry at home will usually be the greenest choice, but for anyone who opts to use a delivery service, we like these ones for their charity partnerships and eco-friendly practices. But after researching the options available, here are the best laundry delivery services.
Best Overall: Tide Cleaners
Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Tide Cleaners debuted “Loads of Hope,” a free laundry program for front-line workers and they also accept clothing donations for charity.
What We Like:
- There’s no minimum order amount- Affordable- Philanthropy aspect to Tide Cleaners
What We Don’t Like:
- Pick-up times are usually determined by the operators
Since 1949, Tide has been a household name in laundry detergents, and now the company has brought its expertise to the laundry delivery market.
Tide Cleaners operates through a massive network of local operators across the country, including colleges and universities, private apartment buildings, and other laundry facilities. Services include wash and fold, PERC-free dry cleaning, household items, shoe cleanings, alterations, and more.
Visiting the Tide Cleaners website is helpful for learning the basics about the service, but you’ll have to download the app for pricing, special preferences, and to place an order. Some options include starch level, folding or returning on hangers, and the preferred type of Tide detergent.
Tide Cleaners utilizes a four-step cleaning process and seven-point inspection process (including sorting and pressing) to ensure clean, organized clothing. Pricing depends on your location and type of service, but averages around $2 per pound for “wash and fold.” There’s also a wash and fold subscription rate (about $36 per month for small loads and $100 for large).
Best Dry Cleaning: Press
Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Press participates in the Salvation Army’s “Socks for Souls” program to donate clean socks and other clothing items to those in need.
What We Like:
- Flexible pickup times for dry cleaning- Philanthropy aspect to Press
What We Don’t Like:
- Currently only in major cities
Gone are the days of making separate trips to the dry cleaners and the coin laundromat. Press takes care of everything in one quick and easy service. The dry cleaning service includes clothing inspection, stain treatment, and steaming to remove wrinkles before the garments are placed in hangars.
Unlike the estimated 85% of dry cleaners in the United States that use perchloroethylene (a substance that’s classified as hazardous air contaminant by the EPA), Press is PERC-free and cleans clothing with environmentally friendly solvents.
To order a dry cleaning or wash and fold with Press, download the app, select pick-up and drop-off time and frequency of service (one-time delivery, every week or two, etc.). Laundry is returned within 24 to 48 hours, and pickup and delivery are free of charge. In addition, Press offers cleaning services for bedding, household linens, minor alterations, and wedding dress preservation.
Press is available in about 15 cities nationwide, and pricing depends on location.
Best for Specialty Items: Lapels
Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Lapels is leading the charge in environmentally-friendly dry cleaning, setting an example for sustainable practices in the industry.
What We Like:
- Fantastic rewards for referrals- Loyalty programs offered
What We Don’t’ Like:
- Prices vary depending on the location- The first order is a little more involved to complete
While many laundry services specialize in classic “wash and fold,” Lapels’ expertise is treating unique items, and it does so while making the environment a priority. Using energy-efficient equipment, Lapels utilizes non-toxic, wet cleaning technology with computer-controlled washing machines, biodegradable soaps, and conditioners. The GreenEarth Cleaning process replaces petrochemicals and leaves clothes feeling fresh.
Lapels takes care of hard-to-clean fabrics like comforters and blankets, rugs, leather, suede, and other household items, while the “perfect shirt laundry” service uses steam heat, requiring less water than a traditional washer. It also offers shoe repair, dry cleaning, alternations, and wedding dress preservation.
Lapels operates franchises in upwards of 20 states, with delivery services available to the home or office. There’s no delivery fee, but pricing varies depending on the franchise and the item that’s being cleaned, so contact the nearest store (and download the app) for more information. Lapels also has a rewards program with redeemable points towards future services, plus a VIP program that includes a 24-hour express delivery service.
Best Subscription: Rinse
Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Rinse provides helpful information on repurposing or donating unwanted clothing items to charity and will pick up your clothing donations free of charge.
- Two simple and practical pricing structures- Subscription program- Delivery available seven days a week
- Pay-As-You-Go service has a three- to four-day turnaround time with an extra charge for next-day delivery
One way to save a little cash on laundry delivery is by joining a subscription program, and Rinse has a very simple and affordable option. You can choose à la carte wash to test it out before joining the Rinse and Repeat subscription program.
The subscription costs around $60 to $200 per month (depending on how many bags of clothes you plan to wash). Ordering with Rinse is a breeze: Simply request a pick-up online, on a phone app, or through text messaging. The à la carte laundry is about $2 per pound (roughly a $30 minimum order).
Rinse picks up items in the evenings, carefully inspects them (checks pockets for things that shouldn’t get washed), folds and organizes garments and towels, pairs socks, and delivers a neat and tidy package to your door between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. If you’re not home, it is possible to have the delivery staff leave it in a safe place. Rinse runs scheduled routes on select days, but you can still request deliveries seven days a week.
The Pay-As-You-Go turnaround time is three to four days, but rush turnaround is available for an additional charge. The Rinse Repeat subscription has no additional fees and provides free next-day delivery. Rinse is available in four major California cities, plus Chicago, Boston, New York, and Washington D.C.
Best for Fast Delivery: HamperApp
Why It’s A Fit for Treehugger: HamperApp works with cruelty-free products and offers eco-friendly fabric softener, detergent, and baby detergent.
- Very affordable pricing- Free delivery- 24-hour turnaround time
- Subscription option isn’t readily available on the app
With a 24-hour standard turnaround time and free delivery, it’s no wonder that HamperApp is rapidly expanding.
The company has a large presence in Florida and California, but also operates in Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Washington D.C., and New York. In addition to the speedy standard return, you can get your laundry back in less than 24 hours for a 25% upcharge. Laundry delivery is offered every day of the week, so there’s no need to wait for driver to be on your route.
Its easy-to-use app has preferences for drop-off (leave at the door, meet in person, or in a lobby), as well as starch levels, detergent type, and bleaching options (for white clothes). Plus, you can easily add specific dry-cleaning or specialty items to a traditional “wash and fold” order.
HamperApp offers a satisfaction guarantee or it will wash the clothing again. Pricing averages about $2 per pound (depending on location) for wash with a minimum order of around $15. Dry cleaning and bedding wash are also offered. Additionally, a subscription option is available for savings of up to roughly 20% (you’ll have to call HamperApp to sign up).
Best for Flexible Delivery: ByNext
Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: In addition to using green products, ByNext takes extra steps to use recyclable and reusable bags, hangers, and packaging.
- A one-stop-shop for laundry and home cleaning services- Referral program- 24-hour turnaround time
- Only available in Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.
When Cleanly home cleaning and Next Cleaners (a laundry delivery operator with a fleet of delivery tricycles) joined forces in 2019, the two companies became ByNext, an eco-conscious laundry and home cleaning service. With ByNext, you can choose a convenient laundry pick-up time using the app, and it provides a quick, 24-hour turnaround time. (Same-day, rush delivery is also available for an additional charge.)
When requested, non-allergenic soap is provided and specialty items are washed in knit bags to ensure nothing gets snagged or damaged. ByNext also offers eco-friendly dry cleaning (using GreenEarth solvents), alterations and repairs, and home or office cleaning (with membership subscriptions available).
Pricing is around $2 per pound for “wash and fold” (with a 10-pound minimum), or approximately $8 to $12 for bedding items. They also offer a pre-paid credit program for up to 10 percent off, plus a referral program for even more savings.
Final Verdict
Choosing a laundry delivery service really depends on your location, budget, and the type of items you want cleaned. If you live in a smaller city, check out Tide Cleaners, our top overall pick for its vast network and history as a leader in laundry. If you need a quick turnaround time, consider HamperApp, another rapidly growing service, and for flexible delivery times, Press is a great option.
What Items Can Be Cleaned?
Clothing and bedding can be washed and folded, or in some cases, dry cleaned only (varying rates may apply). Other items like costumes, sofa covers, or other large items may not be included in the standard service. Inquire with the cleaning service directly about special items.
What if I Have Allergies?
Fragrance-free soaps are usually available; however, check with the specific location and inform them of your needs.
How Fast Can I Get My Laundry Delivered?
On average, laundry is returned within 48 hours, with several services offering a 24-hour turnaround or even same-day delivery (often with an extra charge).
Should I Choose a Subscription or Pay as I Go?
Subscriptions are definitely the more affordable option, but we’d suggest trying the service out first to see if you like it, and to get a sense of how frequently and what size load of laundry you’ll need to sign up for. If you’re traveling a lot or have an unusual schedule, it’s better to pay as you go.
How We Chose the Best Laundry Services
When selecting the best laundry delivery services, we considered best environmental practices, the company’s ethos and philanthropy efforts, and other community initiatives. Lapels, in particular, was a standout for using the latest green technology.
The majority of the operators we chose have a presence in numerous regions or those that are rapidly expanding. Some services, like Tide Cleaners, have proven track records in the clothing-cleaning market, while some newcomers, like ByNext, are thinking outside the box with a wide range of services.
In choosing out selections, we also considered customer reviews, pricing, speed, and ease of ordering. Companies like HamperApp and Rinse have streamlined the ordering process to make it easy and user-friendly, and Press earned high marks for its flexibile delivery times.
