How Much Does Laundry Service Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

Doing your laundry can be very time consuming for some, and instead of worrying about it, some choose to hire a professional laundry service.  Most services either allow you to drop off your laundry or they can pick it up for you, and usually, you will be given an estimated time when the clothes will be finished and ready for pick-up.

Washing-machine. by tripleigrek, on Flickr
Washing-machine.” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by tripleigrek

How much does a laundry service cost?

Laundry services will have various pricing structures, but most companies will charge by the pound.  If there were the case,  on average, expect to pay anywhere from $0.75 to $3 per pound.  The turnaround time can vary from a few hours to a few days, depending on how busy the location is.

Mayfield’s Quality Cleaners in Alaska, for example, will charge $1.57 a pound with an 8-pound minimum, according to the official website.

The hotel laundry service cost should be within the same range; however, some five-star brands may charge two to three times this amount.

Cruise ship laundry services will be a bit different since they will charge per item, not per pound.  Depending on the article of clothing, plan on spending anywhere from as little as $2 per t-shirt to as much as $10 per suit.

Larger items, such as a rug, bed comforter or pillow, will have to be dry-cleaned only and will be charged by the piece, not by the pound.  Depending on the size of the item, it can start at $5 and go up from there.  A heavy rug could cost $20, while a blanket could cost $10.

WealthySingleMommy.com stated she paid $25 per week to have someone pick up a giant black bag full of soiled garments and would return them the same day folded, sorted and dryer warm.

Jacqui Kenyon at the Business Insider said she was quoted $0.65 to $0.80 per pound at the laundromats she frequented.

Laundry service overview

Each company will have its own inclusions.  For instance, some laundry services may sort your laundry into three colored piles:  white, light and dark, while others may throw them in all in a bag.  Most services should be able to abide by any special requests you may have such as using a special detergent and/or bleach.  Any reputable cleaning service will add notes on your account stating what needs to be done with each item.

Aside from a normal laundry load, most services will have dry cleaning services available as well.

Most services can delivery within 48 hours of receiving your first load.

Most companies will have a minimum charge, usually around 20 to 35 pounds if being picked up.  Be sure to ask about this before placing an order.

What are the extra costs?

Upgrading your laundry detergent can increase the price per pound.  Using Tide, for example, may cost less than using an eco-friendly detergent.  LaundryLocker.com, for example, charges $0.09 per pound more if you want Tide and $0.16 per pound more if you want to use Woolite Dark.

Using a name brand bleach can cost an additional $0.06 to $0.10 per pound.

Adding fabric softener, if not included, can cost an additional $0.07 to $0.12 per pound.  Adding dry sheets can cost $0.09 per pound as well.

Services are often able to deliver within a certain radius, usually 10 to 25 miles.  Delivery fees, depending on how much laundry you need to be done and how far away you live, can cost an additional $10 to $40.  If the delivery charge doesn’t meet their minimum requirements, a surcharge may be applied.

By default, most clothes will be washed on a colder setting, but if you want your clothes washed on a warmer setting, this could increase the price per boy by $0.10 to $0.20.

A surcharge may apply for heavily soiled clothes.

Tips to know

How much is 10 pounds of laundry, you may be wondering?  It’s equivalent to two blue jeans, one button-down shirt, one pair of shorts, five t-shirts, seven pairs of underwear, one towel and seven pairs of socks.  The average customer will accumulate 20 to 30 pounds every two weeks.

If using this type of service, pay close attention to the clothes you’re going to drop off to make sure you don’t have any delicates or items mixed in that can’t go through a regular washing cycle.  If the tag says “dry clean only,” then you will want to follow this rule.

Closely check the pockets as most companies won’t check them before washing.  If something was damaged, you couldn’t hold the company responsible.

Stains can be hard to remove, so if you accidentally stain your clothes, try to get rid of it immediately by treating it with a laundry product.  Failing to do so can dry out the stain, making it hard to remove it in the future.  However, if the stain has dried out, services may recommend their dry cleaning service instead to get rid of the stain.

See what the laundry service does if your clothes were ruined and it was their fault.  Would they replace it?  If so, what’s the policy?

How can I save money?

A lot of services will offer discounts to repeat customers or even those who pay up front for a certain amount of months.

Student, government and senior discounts may be available.


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Average Reported Cost: $148.5

50 %
50 %
Less Expensive $1 $1.5K $3K $5K $6.5K More Expensive $8k

How much did you spend?

Was it worth it?  

  1. brooke (Pasadena,  Texas) paid $200 and said:

    i think it was too much for 50 loads of laundry

    Was it worth it? No

  2. Baker (Liberty Twp.,  Ohio) paid $97 and said:

    I had 57 pounds of laundry and I think it was too much.

    Was it worth it? No

    Was it worth it? Yes

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