How to Start a Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria / Laundry Business Plan in Nigeria PDF
Start a Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria – Currently the world population is set at almost eight billion people and about one-eighth of that figure fall in the working class bracket. As a result of this, most of the people in this class have virtually no time to carry out simple tasks on the home front like making their own food, doing dishes, cleaning their homes and fixing their laundry. This in turn has created jobs for other people, and one especially has gone on to become a multi-billion dollar spinning industry, the dry cleaning business.
Also Read: Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business Plan in Nigeria
There is almost no one, except a few special people, who will not love the feel of neatly washed and freshly ironed clothes on their bodies. I for one feel it boosts my self-esteem when I wear a freshly laundered clothes, and I know a lot of other people who do as well. However, as much as most people love it they hardly get around to doing their own dry cleaning, most are overly busy during the week and on weekends instead of doing laundry, they prefer to rest, see movies or hang out with friends. This leaves an opportunity begging, who will do their laundry? This has opened a door to several dry cleaning businesses springing up, especially in Nigeria and Africa at large.
What is Dry Cleaning Business?
Dry cleaning business is the art and act of professionally washing of clothes and other apparel using machines or traditional hand wash, at a stipulated fee after which the owner picks up their clothing on an agreed date. You might wonder why I used the word art, it is an art because the result is supposed to look beautiful, eye catching and mind blowing, so washing clothes is definitely an art asides being an act.
Laundry Service Business ideas Available in Nigeria
- General dry cleaning. This aspect continues to be a money spinner as several people just want someone to take the burden of washing and ironing their clothes off their shoulders. This involves washing clothes, ironing them and adding starch if there is need for it. This business continues to flourish because most people are just too lazy to handle their dry cleaning themselves.
- Just ironing. With the invention of washing machines, several homes are beginning to acquire the device, yet still need to iron their clothes as there is no machine designed yet to handle this task. The dry cleaner can take advantage of this by helping folks to handle their ironing at a little charge, say #100 with PHCN light and #150 with secondary power. The dry cleaner could be making close to #150,000 monthly from just ironing clothes for clients.
- Home service. Some people are skeptical about how their clothes are being treated while some have special chemicals they require to be used on their clothes but they lack the zest to undertake the task themselves. The dry cleaner can offer this service at a higher cost and make some good cash for himself.
Different Types of Dry Cleaning Business
- Laundromat. A Laundromat is described as a self-service laundry business where individuals take their clothes to wash and dry themselves. There are several washing machines on array and the machines are usually operated using coins. This kind of business is more popular in developed countries, especially countries in Europe and America. It is also known as coin wash, coin-laundry or launderettes.
- Staffed laundry. This kind of business involves employing staff to assist customers in different forms. They could sell items such as washing soap to the customers, provide change, watch to ensure that clothes are not stolen and they could take up the task of doing the laundry on behalf of the customer. This is quite popular in the U.S.A and United Kingdom.
- Wash and fold. This is aspect of the dry cleaning business is most prevalent in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. It involves customers dropping off their clothes with the dry cleaner who washes and irons them for the owners to come pick up on an agreed date. Some dry cleaners even offer services like pickup and delivery, making it more convenient for their clients, even though there is a little extra charge.
How to Start a Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
I am sure by now you have developed an interest and you are asking the question, how can I set up my own dry cleaning agency, well no need to look far, enumerated below are a few tips you can follow in starting up your own dry cleaning business.
- Take Some Laundry and Dry Cleaning Courses: Before you set out to do all the other requirements listed below, take some dry cleaning courses. Learn the different fabrics and how they should be washed and at what temperature they should be ironed at. Also learn how to fold and package different styles of clothing.
- Write a dry cleaning business plan in Nigeria: For N10, 000, we will send you a sample dry cleaning business plan in Nigeria. Our business plan can be used for bank loans, grants, and entrepreneurship competitions. This sample restaurant business plan in Nigeria covers the following aspects:
- Executive Summary
- Business Description
- Products and Services
- Market Analysis
- Competitor Analysis
- Sales and Marketing Plan
- Operational Plan
- Management Team
- Financial Plan and Projections
To place order for this business plan, pay N10, 000 to:
BANK NAME: GUARANTY TRUST BANK (GTB)
ACCOUNT NAME: CHIBUZOR TOCHI ONYEMENAM
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0044056891
After payment, send the following details via text to 07033378184.
Depositors Name
Your email address
The title of the business plan you paid for (i.e. laundry and dry cleaning business plan in Nigeria pdf)
Your business plan will be sent to your email within 10 minutes after payment.
Learn More: How to Write a Business Plan and Make Sense
- Register the business name and obtain the necessary permits. There are several guidelines to registering a dry cleaning outfit in several parts of the world. In some countries like the U.S.A. it can be quite a strict and rigid process, however in Nigeria and most African countries, there are no strict conditions. It is necessary however to find out the requirements in your region and ensure you abide by them to avoid unnecessary embarrassments and obstacles to your business.
- Siting the business. Getting a good place to site the business is very important if you expect the business to grow fast and bring in much profit. You could choose a place known for high amount of human traffic, this way you put yourself in the public eye, especially if you have big labels showing that your business is existent in that environment. You may also decide to site your business around a residential area, probably close to the gate of an estate, so people driving in and out can see your business and it can make it easy for patronage. You can also pick a place in the vicinity of a popular relaxation spot, all these and more could help you get a great influx of people to patronize your business.
- Equipment needed to start a laundry business. Getting a good location is one thing, having the necessary equipment to provide optimal service is another. After you have secured a good place to start up, the next important step is getting the equipment and materials necessary to give your customers optimal service. Below is a list you can follow as a guide, but it is not restrictive, you can always go beyond this.
- Washing machines. This is a must for any dry cleaning business, it make the job easier, faster and more reliable.
- Washing basins. To enable you soak different colors and materials of clothes separately, to avoid some clothes spilling color on others.
- Alternative source of power. Due to the condition of power in the country today, it is expedient that you acquire a generating set that can carry all your equipment conveniently to avoid disappointing your clients.
- Garment conveyor. This to hang clothes once they are washed and ironed.
- An ironing table.
- Laundry detergents. Find out which detergents are best used by dry cleaners so you can make the right choice. You do not want to be liable for spoiling a client’s clothes as a result of using the wrong detergent.
- A couple of pressing irons.
- There are several forms, hot water starch, cold water starch, spray starch, all of which have their specific uses.
- Water storage tanks.
- Wooden shelves.
- To avoid giving one client’s clothes to another, this happens a lot and it could cost the business a couple of customers if it happens repeatedly.
- Packing nylons. You should be more refined in delivering your customers’ clothes, proper packaging is one of the ways to keep customers. If you can, customize the nylons.
- There are some clothes that cannot be folded, for example a suit, you need to get hangers for these. There are cheap hangers dry cleaning agencies use, find out where you can get them.
- Publicize your business. Once you have set all the above items in place, it is time to blow your trumpet. Let the whole know what you do, that is the only way people can patronize your business. You can engage in any or all of the following steps:
- Put up a large banner or billboard outside your business venue.
- Design flyers and posters. You can share flyers around the neighborhood and paste the posters everywhere you can reach and you are allowed to. The idea is to put your business in the faces of people in an attractive manner.
- Utilize social media. Social has boundless resources and promises a wider reach than even flyers and posters. Get someone to design a couple of online flyers, post them on different social media handles along with attractive contents, you will be shocked how far that will go.
- Brand your distribution van and packing nylons. In fact brand everything that goes out of your business venue. A branded van will attract the attention of people as it passes the streets, the nylons will attract people as well.
- Offer a lot of freebies and promos.
- Make your prices affordable.
- Ensure your customer service is second to none.
Major Benefits of the Dry Cleaning Business
- It is quite affordable to startup.
- Professional services are offered.
- Laundry gets done quickly. You can even pay for express service if you really cannot wait.
- Preserves the quality of the clothes.
- It improves the hygiene of the customer.
Known Facts About the Business
- Dry cleaned clothes tend to last longer than hand washed clothes.
- Not all stains can be blotted out, no matter how much you try.
- Sometimes, clothes could get damaged.
- There is a possibility of clothes losing shape or shrinking.
- Services determine prices.
Challenges of Running a Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
No business, indeed no venture undertaken by man is free of challenges. Below are few challenges noticed with the dry cleaning business:
- Sometimes clothes could go missing, it becomes the responsibility of the business owner to ensure the client is duly compensated.
- Clothes could get burnt or destroyed during the laundering process.
- Poor electricity could be a major source of concern, especially in Nigeria. This makes the owner spend more on sourcing a secondary source of power supply.
- Delivery times could be incredibly short in some cases.
- Building a reliable customer base might be challenging because there are several dry cleaning agencies springing up daily and it is difficult to satisfy people.
- Access to clean water.
- Difficulty in getting skilled staff.
Profitability of Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
To start up a standard dry cleaning business in Nigeria you will be needing quite an amount, this is little breakdown but note that it might be slightly different in your area as some prices tend to differ by location.
- Business registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria – #40,000 (this is an approximate figure)
- Rental of business space – #350,000 (it could be less or more, depending on your location)
- Buying equipment and supplies – #150,000 (this could also differ, depending on your location)
With the above list, you should be spending an estimate of about #540,000 on start up.
If the cost of dry cleaning an average item (asides suits and other special clothing) is set at #350 and you have client bringing in an average of 12 clothes at a time, if you have a daily patronage of 15 clients, then you should be making a daily average of this (check the little equation below)
Price for each piece of clothing – #350
Number of items per customer – 12
Daily patronage – 15
Daily income = price per clothing x number of items x daily patronage
Therefore, daily income = 350 x 12 x 15 = #63,000
With this you can estimate how much you will make per month, if you work every day except Sundays, you should be making and average of #1,638,000, although this will reduce when you take out taxes and maintenance fees.
I am sure you are beginning to see the prospect that is available in this seemingly small business.
Hurry now and get your own laundry business plan in Nigeria + feasibility study.
To plan order, pay N10, 000 to:
BANK NAME: GUARANTY TRUST BANK (GTB)
ACCOUNT NAME: CHIBUZOR TOCHI ONYEMENAM
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0044056891
OR
BANK NAME: FIRST BANK PLC
ACCOUNT NAME: CHIBUZOR TOCHI ONYEMENAM
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 3066880122
After payment, send your name, email address and title of business plan (i.e. laundry business plan in Nigeria pdf) via text to 07033378184. Your business plan will be sent to your email within 10 minutes after payment. Thank you.
Start a Laundry and Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria / Business Plan © www.businessplan.com.ng
Hi,
Thanks for your post, its highly educative.
Please I need help with laundry service training and how to get the laundry soft ware.
Do u organize laundry training?
Thanks.