A Colombian startup is formalizing domestic work, tackling the informality of the sector. Limpiafy, led by Antioquia‑born entrepreneur Mariano Ortega, operates in more than 40 cities and has formalized the work of over 3,000 domestic employees, in a sector where informality still defines daily life for most workers.
Domestic work sits at the crossroads of gender, poverty, and informality. Official data show that more than 700,000 people in Colombia perform paid household tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, and care, and 98% of them are women. Around 60% earn less than one minimum wage, and fewer than 23% contribute to pension systems.
DANE and the Ministry of Labor add another layer. Only two in ten domestic workers receive their prima de servicios, the legally mandated mid‑year and year‑end bonuses, despite clear obligations under Colombian labor law. At the broader level, 13.6 million workers in the country are classified as informal, meaning six out of ten jobs lack full social security contributions. The hidden labor crisis is not marginal, it sits near the center of the economy.
A platform built from personal experience
Limpiafy emerged from Ortega’s personal story. As the son of a domestic worker, he watched his mother work without stable contracts, benefits, or clear protections, and later experienced the difficulty of finding reliable household help in a system based on word of mouth. That biography now shapes a business model with a social objective.
The platform offers cleaning and related services by the day. Clients can request home and office cleaning, building common‑area maintenance, and hybrid profiles such as “gerontodoméstico” for elder care plus housework and “niñerodoméstico” for combined child care and domestic tasks, along with pet care. This mix responds to the reality that care and cleaning rarely appear separately in Colombian homes.
Behind the interface, Limpiafy commits to formal hiring. Workers join under contracts that include social security contributions and benefits, with training and performance monitoring as part of the package. Since launch, the startup reports more than 60,000 services executed and around 670 active users connected through the platform. The hidden labor crisis here meets a concrete, if partial, response.
Emprendedor antioqueño creó plataforma para combatir la informalidad laboral de empleadas domésticas. 🖥️🧹
— Portafolio (@Portafolioco) February 24, 2026
Su operación ya alcanza las 40 ciudades y se expande hacia el Caribe y Estados Unidos.
Detalles. ⬇️https://t.co/PkeA15jqoh
Colombia’s informality problem meets a global market
The Colombian case unfolds inside a wider trend. Grand View Research estimates that the global online domestic services industry will grow at roughly 16.7% and could reach US$14.7 billion in value by 2030, as households worldwide hire cleaners, nannies, and caregivers through apps instead of informal arrangements. Colombia is not isolated; it is one node in that transformation.
In this context, Limpiafy is not the only local attempt to formalize household work. Platforms such as Symplifica, launched in 2016, help employers generate contracts, calculate payroll, and pay social security for domestic staff, positioning themselves as allies to comply with Colombian law. The difference with Ortega’s startup lies in its double role as recruiter and contractor, not just administrative assistant.
International analyses of domestic work in Latin America, including reports from the International Labour Organization, underline that around 77.5% of domestic workers in the region remain informal, with wages at or below half of average national pay. Colombia follows that pattern closely. The hidden labor crisis looks regional, not only national.
High informality stems from cultural habits, limited labor inspection, and the perception that domestic work is “help” rather than employment, which discourages registration and contributions. No single platform can change those norms alone.
Promise and limits of a Colombian social startup
Ortega insists that technology can be part of the solution. Limpiafy relies on background checks in national and international databases, experience verification, and investment in research and development to build trust between families and workers, a key condition when opening one’s home. The company positions itself as a bridge between safety concerns and formal employment.
The startup’s future plans reveal ambition and constraints. Management speaks of national coverage, international expansion, and even a “university” for domestic workers, where they would receive professional training and broader support programs. These goals mirror the global growth of online domestic services, but also depend on constant demand and financing.
Experts on informality warn that digital solutions cannot replace public policy. Studies from Colombia’s central bank and CEPAL underline that informality often persists even when tools exist to comply with the law, because enforcement is weak and low-income households face tight budgets. In that light, platforms like Limpiafy and Symplifica look necessary but insufficient pieces.
Colombia’s hidden labor crisis in domestic work will not be solved by one app, but the emergence of startups such as Limpiafy shows that Colombian entrepreneurship can align business models with social rights. If that approach scales, it could turn one of the country’s most precarious occupations into a test ground for how technology, law, and culture can finally converge in favor of those who have cleaned, cooked, and cared in silence for decades.