Doing laundry can be a pain. You do a load and then, as soon as you put the clothes away, there is another pile waiting to be washed. It’s a never ending cycle, literally.
There is, however, a way for Philly residents to get a break from doing laundry. Something I didn’t even know existed until recently. It’s called Wash Cycle and it does just as its name says: it washes your laundry and delivers it to your door by bike.
Wash Cycle was founded in Philly in 2011 by social entrepreneur and professional launderer Gabriel Mandujano. Five years after opening, the company is in three markets, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Austin.
Here’s how it works. The company finds “surplus laundry facilities,” or laundromats that are underused during the day, and takes advantage of their slow times to wash clothes. Then they use their cargo tricycles and bike trailers, which are equipped with rods for hanging dry cleaning, and deliver the clothes to your doorstep.
What makes Wash Cycle different, besides the fact that they deliver your clothes? There are a few things.
They use of green laundry detergent and no-perc dry cleaning.
Wash Cycle uses eco-friendly “free and clear” laundry detergents for all its wash-and-fold, and only non-perc solvents for dry cleaning. Most standard dry cleaners use “PERC” in their dry cleaning process, which the State of California believes to be a carcinogen.
They employ people from vulnerable backgrounds.
The company has gained recognition for hiring people from vulnerable backgrounds – those formerly incarcerated, homeless, or on welfare. Wash Cycle successfully retains its employees at a rate of 80 percent, compared to 45 percent in Philadelphia as a whole.
They give customers the ability to schedule or re-schedule pick-ups online or by phone.
Customers can book an appointment for Wash Cycle online for pick-up today or in the future. And if they are running late or have an unexpected change of plans they can re-book their appointment for a more convenient time without penalty.
They use reusable garment bags and recycle hangers.
Wash Cycle gives customers snazzy, reusable garment bags and laundry bags with their first order. If customers want to recycle the wire hangers they can just throw them in with their order and the company will make sure they get dozens of more uses before they make it to the landfill.
The company, which started out targeting individual customers, is now working closely with healthcare facilities and universities, like University of Pennsylvania and more recently, George Washington University in DC.
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