Tired of Doing Laundry? These Startups Want to Help
San Francisco, CA – April 9, 2025
Laundry: the chore that never ends, a Sisyphean task draining roughly six hours a week from the average American, per the American Cleaning Institute. For the time-strapped, the chore-averse, or anyone who’d rather not wrestle with a washing machine, a wave of startups is stepping in with tech-driven solutions to take the load off—literally. From on-demand apps to subscription models, these innovators are betting big on making laundry as painless as ordering takeout. Here’s a rundown of the players vying to wash, dry, and fold their way into your life as of April 9, 2025.
Rinse: The National Dreamer
Launched in 2013 by ex-Harvard MBA James Joun and Ajay Prakash, Rinse has ballooned from a San Francisco experiment to a coast-to-coast operation—think Bay Area, LA, DC, Chicago, Boston, NYC, Austin, Dallas, and Seattle. With $23 million in funding, per TechCrunch, it’s gunning to be the first national clothing-care brand. How? “Smart scheduling” and partnerships with local cleaners, all stitched together by a slick app (iOS/Android). Users schedule pickups and deliveries, opting for wash-and-fold or dry cleaning, with prices starting at $1.75 per pound locally but climbing to $2.25 elsewhere, per its site. X posts rave about the convenience—“Rinse just saved my weekend”—though some grumble about premium pricing.
Laundryheap: The Global Speedster
UK-based Laundryheap, founded in 2014 by Deyan Dimitrov, hit U.S. shores in 2020 and now serves Boston, NYC, LA, Chicago, Dallas, DC, and Charlotte, alongside 10 other countries. Its hook? A 24-hour turnaround with free pickup and delivery, bookable via app or web. Shirts start at $3.50, bedding at $12, and eco-friendly options abound, per its FAQ. Backed by $11 million in funding (Tracxn), it leans on a network of vetted laundromats. Users on X cheer the speed—“Laundryheap’s my new hero”—but occasional delays spark gripes: “24 hours turned into 48.”
2ULaundry: The Subscription Savior
Since 2018, Charlotte-born 2ULaundry has flipped the script with flat-rate plans—$25 weekly for a laundry bag, $40 with dry cleaning—covering free pickup and next-day delivery in cities like Atlanta, Austin, and Raleigh. With $12 million raised (F6S), founders Alex Smereczniak and Dan D’Aquisto target busy pros craving predictability. The app lets you tweak preferences (detergent, folding), and X fans love the simplicity: “2ULaundry’s like Netflix for my clothes.” Caveat: limited geographic reach leaves some begging for expansion.
Loopie: The Gig-Economy Twist
Seattle’s Loopie, started in 2018 by John Darcy and Taylor Markarian, connects laundry-haters with local washers via an app—think Uber, but for socks. Operating in Washington State and Dallas, it boasts 24-hour service starting at $1.50 per pound, per its site. With $500k in seed funding (F6S), it’s small but scrappy, letting “washers” earn cash from home. X buzz is mixed: “Loopie’s genius—clean clothes, no effort,” one says, while another snarks, “My stuff came back damp.”
The Catch?
These startups dazzle with convenience, but they’re not flawless. Costs can sting—Rinse’s $50 minimum in some markets outpaces a $20 laundromat run, per user math on X. Logistics falter too: Laundryheap’s faced heat for late drops, and Loopie’s quality varies by washer. Still, with the U.S. laundry market pegged at $40 billion (Inc.com), the prize is huge. Posts on X from April 9 hint at the stakes: “Tired of laundry? TechCrunch says startups are here to save us.” Whether they’re a godsend or a gimmick, one thing’s clear—laundry’s getting a 2025 glow-up, and these players are all in.
By Staff Writer, Tech Trends Today