7 min read · 5 March 2026
Washing Machine or Laundry Service — Which Actually Costs Less?
The full cost math — electricity, water, detergent, ironing time, and machine amortisation — versus a doorstep laundry service in Gurugram.
Everyone assumes 'my washing machine at home is cheaper'. When you actually math it out, for a working professional in Gurugram, that's often not true.
The true cost of a load at home
| Cost | Per load |
|---|---|
| Electricity (front-load, hot wash) | ₹22 |
| Water (~60L) | ₹4 |
| Detergent + softener | ₹18 |
| Machine amortisation (₹35k / 5 years / 4 loads a week) | ₹34 |
| Ironing (self / maid at ₹10/piece × 10 pieces) | ₹100 |
| Your time (30 mins loading + 30 mins folding, at ₹500/hr) | ₹500 |
| Total realistic per-load cost | ₹678 |
That's for ~5 kg of clothes. At ₹678 for 5 kg, home laundry costs about ₹135/kg — before you count the mental load.
The doorstep service math
RIZ N WASH wash & iron is ₹119/kg. For 5 kg, that's ₹595. Ironing included. Pickup and delivery free above ₹299. Time cost: ~2 minutes to open the app.
When home wins
If you don't value your time, if you always iron yourself, if you use a top-load washer (cheaper), and if you skip proper hot-wash cycles, home can drop to ₹90/kg. So home wins for bachelors who don't iron. For anyone else — the maths quietly favours the doorstep service.