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Tide to roll out laundry cleaning service nationwide

February 25, 2019Written by Tom Ryan

Procter & Gamble announced a commitment to double the size of its current out-of-home laundry footprint by the end of 2020, making Tide Cleaners’ services available in more than 2,000 locations nationwide. The expansion builds on Tide’s entry nearly a decade ago into dry cleaning that has since included several acquisitions in wash and fold services to meet the needs of the 26 million American households currently using shared facilities or outsourcing laundry. The Tide Cleaners program includes:

Drop-boxes in urban locations: Today, 24/7 Tide Cleaners drop-boxes can be found in seven major cities inside high-rise apartment buildings, offices and storefronts. To use, consumers download the Tide Cleaners app and submit cleaning instructions and the box number and drop their laundry in the box. Tide sends a notification when their clean clothes are ready for pick up. The urban drop-boxes model is quickly expanding, with about 350 new boxes being installed every month.
24-hour stores: Consumers can drop off their laundry at physical locations that also offer services such as alterations and wedding dress preservation. Tide Cleaners currently has over 125 standalone stores across 22 states. The majority are local, family-owned franchises.
On-campus van delivery: College students or their parents purchase a monthly laundry plan and deposit laundry in a customized laundry bag. Students can check the Tide Cleaners app for notification of when a van parks outside residence halls, and then hand their laundry to attendants. Tide Cleaners is currently present on more than 20 campuses.
Drop-boxes in other stores: Tide Cleaners drop-off and pick-up boxes are being installed in existing retail locations, including supermarkets and other high-traffic areas.

Tide pitches the service as a time saver for consumers. Sonaid Sundar Raman, VP of P&G’s North American Fabric Care business, said, “This new service will complement our existing business and give people the option to get the Tide clean they deserve on their terms, not on their time.” As noted by PYMYNTS, Rinse, 2ULaundry and SudShare are a few competing on-demand laundry startups.

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