Cloth Diaper Pickup and Wash Service

Parents using cloth diapers who want the savings and environmental benefits without the washing, plus daycares and new-parent groups.

A weekly or fortnightly subscription price per household, often tiered by number of diapers. Extra fees for rush service or supplying bins and wet bags.

• Reliable routines and route planning
• Good hygiene habits
• Friendly customer service with new parents

• Check with your local public health unit whether handling soiled items needs any approval or hygiene procedures
• Check your municipality for a business licence and any rules on running a service from home
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance that covers business use
• Check that the laundry owner is happy with the arrangement in writing, including how they handle soiled loads
• Winter driving and missed pickups in bad weather, so plan backup days

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on your vehicle, bins, insurance and how you arrange laundry time with a partner. Renting laundry time rather than buying heavy equipment is the basis of this model.

Estimates put monthly revenue at typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many families and daycares you serve and how many weekly routes you run. These are revenue figures, before costs such as laundry time, fuel and insurance.

Check with your local public health unit whether handling soiled items needs approval or hygiene procedures. Also check your municipality for a business licence and home-business rules, get the laundry owner's agreement in writing, and confirm your insurance covers business vehicle use.