The Truth About Hotel Laundry Costs (And a Smarter Way to Do Laundry While Traveling)

If you’ve ever checked out of a hotel, opened your bill, and thought.....

‍“Wait… $18 for a T-shirt?!”‍

you’re not alone.

Hotel laundry is one of the sneakiest, most overpriced services around. And once you compare it to Tumbil’s wash-and-fold, the difference is… well… night and day.

Let’s break it down, properly.

The Real Cost of Hotel Laundry (Brace Yourself)

Hotel laundry is almost always priced per item, not per load. That’s where things spiral fast.

Here are very real examples pulled from typical hotel laundry menus:

• T-shirt: $12–$18
• Dress shirt: $15–$25
• Jeans: $18–$30
• Underwear: $6–$10 each 😳
• Socks: $5–$8 per pair
• Sweater / Hoodie: $25–$40

Now let’s talk about a realistic load, enough laundry to compare apples to apples.

A 20+ lb Laundry Scenario (Very Normal)

• 7 T-shirts
• 3 long sleeve shirts
• 2 hoodies
• 2 pairs of jeans
• Underwear + socks for a week

Hotel laundry subtotal:
~$220–$320

Add 13% tax:
~$250–$360 total

And that’s before:

• Express service fees
• Weekend surcharges
• “Not responsible for shrinkage” fine print 👀

How Tumbil Does It (Way Better)

Tumbil doesn’t charge per sock.
We charge by the pound — with a 20 lb minimum.

Tumbil Pricing (Same Load)

• 20 lbs × $1.25/lb = $25.00
• Service fee + tax (13%) ≈ $6–$7
• Total: ~$31–$32 all in

No itemized madness.
No surprise line items.
No “why is my hoodie $38?” moments.

Just clean, folded laundry — done right.

Hotel Laundry vs. Tumbil (Real Comparison)

Same 20+ lb load:

• Hotel laundry:
  ~$250–$360 after tax
• Tumbil:
  ~$31–$32 all in

That’s 8–10x cheaper.
And honestly? Usually better.

Quality Matters (And Hotel Laundry Isn’t Winning)

Hotel laundry is often:

• Industrial machines
• High heat (hello shrinkage)
• Rushed timelines
• Outsourced with zero personalization

Tumbil laundry is handled by local WashPros who:

• Separate whites & colours properly
• Follow care instructions
• Fold like a human who actually cares
• Treat your clothes like they’re their own

This isn’t a conveyor belt. It’s personal.

Perfect for Travelers… and Locals Too

Tumbil is a no-brainer if you’re:

• Staying in a hotel or short-term rental
• Traveling for work or extended stays
• Hosting out-of-town guests
• Or just refusing to pay $8 for clean socks

Pickup.
Wash.
Fold.
Delivered back fresh.

No surprise charges. No itemized trauma.

Final Spin Cycle

Hotel laundry is expensive because it can be.
Tumbil is affordable because it should be.

It’s time to switch.

Tumbil. Stay fresh. Skip the hotel markup.

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