Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services NAICS 812320

Sep 22, 2025 - Tide Cleaners Enters Southern California with LA Franchise Acquisition

• According to WJHL.com, Tide Services, a Procter & Gamble subsidiary, has expanded its national footprint with the acquisition and rebranding of four former Flair Cleaners in Los Angeles, marking Tide Cleaners’ debut in Southern California. Operated by franchisees Jon and Megan Mut of Clean Rock Ventures, the stores in Santa Monica, Redondo Beach, Studio City, and Valencia reflect Tide’s strategy of modernizing legacy dry cleaners through local ownership and sustainable practices. This move complements Tide’s broader growth in Florida and other key markets, pushing its combined Tide Cleaners and Tide Laundromat presence beyond 200 locations nationwide. The acquisition underscores a pivotal shift in the dry cleaning industry, where aging independent operators are giving way to branded, tech-enabled franchises.
• According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment by dry cleaning and laundry services fell 3.1% in July 2025 compared to a year ago. In the past decade, employment by dry cleaning and laundry services dropped 33.9%, much lower than the 13% growth in overall private employment in the same period. Average wages for nonsupervisory employees at dry cleaning and laundry services increased 5.6% in July 2025 compared to a year ago, reaching $20.19 per hour. Total revenue for dry cleaning and laundry services rose nearly 4% in Q4 2024 compared to a year ago and was up 2.3% from the previous quarter, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau. According to the Consumer Price Index released by the BLS, the cost of laundry and dry cleaning services increased 4.8% in August 2025 compared to a year ago and grew 0.4% from the previous month.

• According to American Drycleaner, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reopened its perchloroethylene (perc or PCE) regulations for public comment following several legal challenges. The EPA asked specifically for public comment on any existing or anticipated implementation issues associated with the final rule requirements, experiences with the PCE final rule since it went into effect, and whether to consider additional or alternative measures or approaches to address the unreasonable risk presented by PCE under the conditions of use. Public comment will be accepted through the end of August 2025. The EPA has provided a 10-year phase out plan for using PCE in dry cleaning and spot cleaning. The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) said it would monitor the reconsideration process undertaken by the EPA. “DLI remains committed to working closely with the EPA to ensure that any forthcoming regulations offer practical, achievable control measures for the drycleaning industry,” said DLI CEO Mary Scalco.
• Consumer mood indicators in the US declined, signaling growing economic unease. The Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.3 points in August 2025, driven primarily by younger consumers under 35, while confidence among those over 55 improved. Despite the dip, overall confidence remained consistent with recent months. Separately, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 55.4 in preliminary September data, down from 58.2 in August and 21% below September 2024 levels. Inflation expectations held steady, though concerns about pricing pressures, particularly from tariffs, persist. These indices reflect consumers’ outlook on personal finances and the broader economy, serving as key predictors of future spending behavior.