Pickup and delivery wash-and-fold

Busy professionals, families, older adults and college students who would rather not do laundry themselves.

Price per pound or per bag, often with a minimum order. Weekly subscriptions bring steady repeat income, and you can add fees for rush service or special items.

• Reliable and organized
• Care with fabrics and stain removal
• Route planning and time management
• Friendly customer communication

• General liability insurance, and ask about coverage for customers' items in your care
• Check with your city or county about a business license, and your state about sales tax on laundry services
• Washing at home in volume may need a home occupation permit and may affect your lease or HOA rules, so check first
• Lost or damaged items and mixed-up orders, so label bags and keep a simple tracking system

Startup costs are typically around $500 to $3,000 as an estimate, depending on bags, supplies, transport, marketing and laundromat fees. Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many customers you serve.

Check with your city or county about a business license and your state about sales tax on laundry services. Also check general liability insurance, including coverage for customers' items, and any home occupation, lease or HOA rules if you wash at home.

Plan on at least about 10 hours a week as an estimate, depending on customer numbers and routes. Useful skills include being organized, fabric care, route planning and friendly communication. Labeling bags and tracking orders helps avoid mix-ups.