Gbogbo ìtọ́sọ́nà · Ṣíṣàkóso ilé ìfọṣọ
How to start a laundry business in Nigeria
Ojú-ìwé yìí wà ní èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì.
Decide what you will offer
Start with a short list: washing and ironing, dry cleaning, or both. Add pickup and delivery if your area has busy workers who cannot come to you.
Think about special items early. Agbada, lace, duvets and suits all need different care and different prices.
Choose a location
Look for a spot that people pass every day, such as near estates, offices, campuses or a busy road. Check that there is room to wash, dry, iron and store clothes.
If you plan to offer delivery only, a less visible space can work, as long as riders can get in and out easily.
Plan for power and water
Power is often the biggest running cost. Plan for a generator, an inverter, solar, or a mix, and include fuel in your prices.
You also need a steady supply of clean water, such as a borehole or regular water delivery, and somewhere for waste water to go.
Get the right equipment
The basics are washing machines, dryers or drying space, irons and ironing boards, hangers, a rail, and bags or wrapping for finished clothes.
Buy for the work you expect in your first months, not for the shop you hope to have in five years. You can add machines as orders grow.
Register and set up payments
Register your business name with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and open a business bank account so shop money stays apart from personal money.
Let customers pay by card, bank transfer and USSD as well as cash. It is easier to get paid on time when paying is easy.
Set prices and a tagging system
Price each item from what it costs you to clean, then add your margin. Our guide to pricing laundry services walks through it.
Tag every garment from your first order, with a printed label rather than a pen mark. Lost clothes are the fastest way to lose a customer.
Find your first customers
Tell your street, your estate and your church or mosque. Offer a small first-order discount, and ask happy customers to tell a friend.
Set up a WhatsApp Business number and a simple website where people can see your prices and book.
How WashCare helps
WashCare gives a new laundry its order tracking, garment labels, price list, online booking site and card, transfer and USSD payments in one place. Try it free for 7 days.
Àwọn ìbéèrè tí ènìyàn ń béèrè
Can I start a laundry business from home?
Yes. Many laundries start at home with one or two machines and pickup and delivery, then move to a shop as orders grow.
What is the hardest part of running a laundry in Nigeria?
For most owners it is power costs and keeping track of every garment. Plan for both before you open.
Do I need to register my laundry business?
Registering your business name with the Corporate Affairs Commission makes it easier to open a business bank account and to win corporate customers.
