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Hate doing laundry? Poplin is like Uber for dirty clothes

Poplin may be the answer if you struggle to get your laundry done every week, especially if you have several active children.
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Doing the laundry is so time-consuming, especially if you have young children at home or a busy work schedule. So we checked out a new service where local people will do your laundry for you.

Cynthia Hale uses it and doesn't do laundry anymore. Instead, she has it done for her, thanks to a service called Poplin, which some call the Uber of laundry.

"I tried it once," Hale said, "and I was amazed. I was hooked."

This busy mom of two says it saves her so much time.

"Laundry was taking me hours a day," she said. "Especially since I am going up and down stairs."

Now, she just fills a bag and sets it out on the porch.

"The next day, it gets returned to me clean and dried and folded, " she said.

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Why it can be such a time saver

If you're on the fence, let's do the math:

According to Energy Star, the average household does roughly 300 loads of laundry a year, which comes to more than five loads per week. If each load takes an hour and a half, that's roughly eight hours a week, essentially a full workday.

But Poplin isn't just about saving people time.

You can make money, too

If you don't mind doing laundry, it's also an easy way to make money.  After all, it is a side hustle job. Heather Feese-Caudill is one of Poplin's "laundry pros," who do other people's laundry as a side hustle.

"Usually, I make $100 to $200 a week," she said.

Believe it or not, she loves the job.

"There are some of us who do find folding laundry therapeutic," she said.

What about the cost? Poplin charges $1 a pound, or about $10 for an average bag or hamper. You can use the company's "premium scented" or hypoallergenic detergent, or provide your own if there is a brand you prefer.

And yes, in case you were wondering, they separate whites from darks.

Cynthia Hale says it's worth the $20 or $25 per week she pays.

"I would recommend this to everybody," she said.