Frequently Asked Questions
What locations are on your routes?
- Ankeny, Altoona, Bondurant, Pleasant Hill, Elkhart, Polk City, Huxley, East DSM, Central & South Des Moines, Clive, Urbandale, Waukee, West DSM, Urbandale (50323), Grimes, Johnston
How much is your laundry service?
$2.15 per pound, with free pick-up and delivery. Comforters, quilts and large blankets are charged per item, not per pound.
Luxury scented detergents are available as an upgrade with an additional fee: $5 for orders under 50lbs and $10 for orders over 51lbs.
Dry Cleaning prices are listed on our website: www.wewashdsm.com
How long before my items are returned?
For wash and fold, your clothes will be returned within 24 hours.
For dry cleaning, your items will be returned within 3 business days.
How much is the WeWash Black Bag?
At checkout, you will have the option to purchase a $7 WeWash laundry bag for convenient transporting of your clothing. You do NOT need a WeWash bag. We accept any bag, including trash bags with your dirty laundry.
*A WeWash bag holds 25 lbs of laundry, which is approximately two 13 gallon trash bags.
Will my clothes be washed with other people's clothes?
No way! We never wash or dry your items with anyone else’s.
Can I send our undergarments?
Of course, it’s laundry! Let us take ALLLLL your laundry off your hands!
Clients that prefer to keep their undergarments private may send them inside a mesh bag. We will wash, dry & return undergarments in your mesh bag.
Do I need to sort my items, such as dark from lights and whites?
No, this is supposed to be easy for you, remember? Leave the sorting to us!
How are my whites washed?
We use OxiClean on all whites, unless you request something different.
What happens when I request hang dry?
After laundering with the rest of your Wash & Fold, Hang Dry items will be hung up to dry in a climate-controlled environment, and returned to you on a hanger or folded.
Our Hang Dry service is recommended for delicates and synthetics that should be air dried. Please note that Hang Dry is different from our Launder & Press service, which is typically provided by dry cleaners for items that are safe to launder, but you want returned pressed and hung. Hang Dry items are not pressed after drying, just folded, so they may be returned with wrinkles.
What type of clothes should I hang dry?
We recommend hang drying items that are most likely to shrink with any exposure to heat during the cleaning process. The types of fabrics that we recommend for Hang Dry are:
- Polyester
- Spandex
- Delicates
Where should my order be picked up or delivered?
Your pick up/drop off location should be a safe and secure location where you feel comfortable leaving your personal items. While this is different for everyone, customers often leave their orders at their front door, on their porch, or inside a secure, gated area. Please note that our drivers are not able to enter any privately owned spaces or residences, so they are not able to enter your home, apartment, car, garage, etc.
I forgot to set my laundry out for my scheduled pick-up, now what?
Hey, we get it! These things happen. We send email and text reminders to help make sure you don’t forget, but life can sometimes get in the way. To compensate your driver’s time, there will be a $10 missed pick-up fee. We can reschedule the pick-up for the following week - on your normal route day. If you'd like your items washed that week, we can return later that day or the following day for an additional $10 rush fee.
What can I expect for my first laundry service?
On the day/evening of your scheduled pick-up, a WeWash driver will arrive sometime in the allotted window of time.
You can have your items ready in a bag of your choice (garbage bags, reusable, etc.). Please separate any stained items, dry cleaning items or items that need special care.
From there, your laundry will be out of your hands, which frees your hands up for other important things – like wine, or the remote, or the millions of other things on our daily to-do list!
Within 24 hours, your driver will bring everything back to you during your confirmed delivery time. A text will be sent when your clothes are in route and again, once your delivery has been made.
Dry Cleaning will be returned within 3 business days.
Should I separate my dry cleaning and laundry?
Yes, we ask that you separate your Dry Cleaning / Launder & Press and Wash & Fold prior to your drivers arrival.
There is an easy rule of thumb for how to best separate your laundry:
- Anything you would like dry cleaned or pressed should be placed in the BLUE (Dry Clean / Launder & Press) bag. (The driver will have one for you)
- Any laundry you want machine washed/dried and returned folded/on hangers (per your specifications) should be placed in a bag of your choice or the BLACK (Wash & Fold) bag.
How do I give you special instructions?
The easiest way to set permanent special instructions on your account is to email our team at concierge@wewashdsm.com. For any one-time special instructions please provide them to your driver or email them on the day of the pick-up to concierge@wewashdsm.com, and we'll make sure they get added to your order. And if you have a special request that you don't see yet-- just let us know!
What will be returned on hangers?
It is our routine to hang collared shirts, dresses and slacks/dress pants. If you have a request for something else to be placed on a hanger, just let us know. If you’d like us to use your hangers, just send them in your laundry (separate bag as to not damage your clothes).
Can you do stain removal?
Is there a minimum charge?
Yes, There is a $35.00 minimum charge.
For dry cleaning, there is a $35 minimum, this can include wash and fold.
Am I supposed to weigh my items before WeWash picks up?
No, we will do that for you. If you are wanting an estimate, you can use your scale by weighing yourself and then weighing yourself holding the laundry. The weight of your clothing is done after it's been washed and dried using our trade certified scale.
What detergent do you use?
We offer a variety of choices to accommodate all preferences. Included with your service is an unscented free & clear option or a fresh scent detergent. You are able to send in your own detergent if you prefer.
We also have an upgraded detergent available with two luxury scents: Tyler Icon and Tyler Diva. The upgrade to luxury detergent is $5 for orders under 50lbs and $10 for orders over 51lbs.
Luxury scent descriptions:
- Tyler DIVA® - A warm and complex fragrance overflowing with delicious fruits and rich florals. Rich aromatic chocolate and amber complete this luscious blend!! It’s her world . . . we just live in it.
- Tyler ICON® - An invigorating, fresh fragrance as legendary as the leading man who wears it! Spicy, sporty, original, and truly unforgettable! Notes of sandalwood blend with ambergris, violet leaves, French verbena, and Florentine iris to create the ultimate aroma sensory experience.
What is the cleaning process for my order?
We follow best practices for cleaning all orders. This includes following your specifications, washing in cold water and using medium heat for drying.
We provide the option to choose scented or hypoallergenic detergent. If you have special requests or preferences around the dry temperature, detergent, or fabric softener, you can adjust your account preferences or email concierge@wewashdsm.com.
What happens when I give my clothes for Dry Cleaning or Launder & Press?
We first inventory your Dry Cleaning / Launder & Press order. You can expect to review an itemized inventory of what we picked up within 24 hours via email. We work with select cleaning partners to clean your order, making sure to adhere to any special requests you may have.
The Dry Cleaning / Launder & Press process includes stain treatment, general cleaning, and professional pressing. The entire order is inspected at each step of the process to ensure it meets our quality standards before being returned to you by one of our drivers.
Are there additional costs for large items?
Yes, in some cases there are larger items that are charged on a per item basis. Primarily, these items include:
- Comforter: Twin $28
- Comforter: Full/Queen/King $33
- Quilt Bedding: Twin $20
- Quit Bedding: Queen/King $25
- Mattress Pad: Twin $25
- Mattress Pad: Full/Queen/King $30
- Duvet Cover/blankets: $15
- Bath mat: $5
- Sheets or Tablecloths (wash & tumble dry): $1.95 per lb
The reason we charge separately for these items is because they require washing and drying to be separated from the rest of your order. Comforters in particular take several hours to dry on air-only setting, which is why it’s an industry standard to charge them at a higher rate.
Are there items WeWash doesn’t clean?
At this time, there are a handful of items that we cannot accept for cleaning due to the nature of the item or the risk they may pose to our team. We cannot accept the following items for cleaning:
Certain non-clothing items (These specific non-clothing items often require a specialized cleaning process that we are not equipped to provide as clothing care experts):
- Pillows
- Curtains
- Commercial linens
- Sofa covers
- Rugs (bath rugs are the exception)
- Sleeping bags
Contaminated items (We cannot accept items that may pose a risk to the safety of our team and/or the items of other customers cleaned in the same facility. These include items that have been contaminated with):
- Bodily fluids from a human or pet
- Excessive pet hair
- Moisture if the item is still wet or damp
- Mildew
- Bedbugs
- Poison ivy or poison oak oils
- Hazardous chemical residue
Specialty care clothing items (These clothing items require specialty care that falls outside of our area of expertise):
- Wedding dresses
- Vintage clothes (in some cases)
- Costumes
- Hats/Headwear
- Shoes
- Fur & Animal products (feathers, fur coats)
- Purses/handbags
What we don't do!
At this time we are not able to offer alteration services or read individual label washing instructions.
What’s the difference between dry cleaning and launder & press?
Dry Cleaning involves the use of non-water based solvents to clean clothing and other textiles. Launder & Press differs in that the process involves the use of water and detergent in a commercial-grade washing machine.
Dry Cleaning is optimal for stain removal and fabric preservation. Items emerge from the cleaning process thoroughly dried, then undergo machine or hand pressing.
Launder & Press is optimal for odor removal, and is a requisite for starch application. Items emerge slightly damp to the touch, then are individually pressed to finish.
Both of these services are contracted out with reliable, trusted partners of WeWash DSM.
Where will you put my hanging items if I’m not home?
Do you iron?
What is an “average” weekly laundry order?
For a family of 4-5, an average is approximately 40-45 lbs per week... if you’d like an estimate before we pick-up your laundry, simply place your hamper on your home scale. We will weigh your order with our Trade Certified Scale once we receive your order and you will be emailed a detailed receipt upon order completion.
Is WeWash DSM a franchise?
WeWash DSM is NOT a franchise. We are a women owned, local small business. We are two mamas who recognized a need for this service in the Greater Des Moines area. We aren't huge fans of laundry and know we aren't alone!