Cost of Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services in Nigeria - VisCorner (2024)

In our increasingly busy and hectic daily lives, not many things bring as much relief as the help dry cleaning and laundry shops provide. One less critical concern to worry about.

For many people, one of the most dreaded chores is laundry. The task of ensuring clothes are kept clean and pressed can be so big sometimes that we just want to wish them away. This is especially true if you have kids or have reasons to go out every day to work or your place of business.

While you can’t wish away your laundry, you can make it less dreadful. Dry cleaners and laundromats have made it so much easier to deal with. Spending just between ₦10,000 and ₦100,000 – depending on several factors, which we will cover in the following sections, you can get dry cleaning companies that will handle all your laundry needs.

Different Types of Dry Cleaning and Laundry services

Dry cleaning is not a one-size-fits-all service. The amount you will spend, and how much value you get will depend on the kind of laundry help you need.

For one person, all their laundry needs may not exceed ₦10,000 in a whole month, while someone else will pay ₦100,000. So, it varies, and in this section, we will discuss the various types of laundry services you’ll find around.

Single Wash

Let’s say you attended an event over the weekend, and you now have a basket full of native wears – a cap and one agbada (overall). Another example: you’ve worn a few clothes during the week – blazers, sweatshirts, socks, and trousers. Now it’s Saturday, and you need everything cleaned. You also want them pressed, so they are ready to wear another time.

If you’re looking for dry cleaning and laundry service for the above examples, that’s a single wash. You can drop it off at a dry cleaner, or they can pick up. Either way, you can expect to spend between ₦5,000 and ₦20,000, depending on the number of items you need to wash.

Periodical Wash

This is similar to a single wash type of laundry service, but with more frequency. Many dry cleaning companies have service plans that cover your laundry needs for an extended period of time, such as a month or more. It’s basically leaving the entire laundry in their care, week-in, week-out.

The options are usually many. They can pick-up your laundry weekly, or bi-monthly, or even monthly, depending on how quickly you get your laundry baskets full. Even when they don’t use many clothes weekly, some people still prefer weekly laundry just to keep the home clean.

The cost ranges from ₦50,000 to ₦150,000. Sometimes, the dry cleaning company may require bulk payment that covers everything – such as a monthly subscription. In other instances, the bill will be calculated each time the dry cleaners come for a pick-up.

Industrial Wash

Industrial washing is like 20x-ing or 100x-ing an individual’s laundry needs. It is ideal for companies with a high number of factory workers, a school (at any level) that needs consistent laundry for students and staff, or an apartment complex that offers laundry as an add-on to residents.

For this type of dry cleaning, the company may want to charge per head, instead of per item. Of course, it’s often discounted, compared to the bill a single individual will get. Also, the more individuals involved, the higher the discount. But, in any case, the cost can fall between ₦5,000 and ₦15,000 for each person.

Self-Service Laundry Service

In the types of laundry services we’ve covered earlier, the process – picking up clothes, washing, pressing, and folding is handled by the staff of the dry cleaning company. However, for self-service laundry, the company just provides the tools and environment you need to do your own laundry.

Ironing tables. High-efficiency washing machines, with drying capabilities. Detergent. Support staff. The company has a space, popularly called a laundromat, where they provide all these. Now, all you have to do is leave your home to the laundromat and use the available equipment to do your laundry – by yourself.

This costs much less compared to the earlier options. Each clothing item you’re washing will cost between ₦500 and ₦2,000. So, the more items you have, the higher the cost will be.

Factors that Determine Cost of Dry Cleaning Services

While the type of dry cleaning service you require is a principal factor that suggests how much you will spend, these are some more elements that will help you narrow down the potential cost to the amount that applies to you exactly.

Also, to make it simple to apply to your needs, we’ll use the Single Wash laundry type as the benchmark here.

Quantity of Clothes

If you have to wash two pieces of clothing, compared to a week’s worth of clothes, there will certainly be a clear difference in the price. Also, the more clothes you have to wash, the less you pay per item. Here is a table that illustrates this.

Light or Heavy Wash

Clothes differ from each other by a number of factors, but the top on the list here are: the kind of fabric it is made of, and the weight of the cloth. Let’s compare a corporate shirt to a duvet, or a toddler’s jacket to the towel of an adult. The margin is wide, and it’s the same for the cost of dry cleaning clothes from each category.

Add-On Services

Beyond just washing your clothes and pressing them, many dry cleaning companies have additional ways of making your life much easier when it comes to your laundry. For example, you may have the option to request pick-up of your dirty laundry from home, drop-off when it’s done, starching of your clothes, etc.

Anything aside from the basic laundry service would increase your overall cost. However, they are usually minor expenses, when compared to the main cost of washing each piece of clothing. Think of them as costs you would normally incur, if the laundry company isn’t handling the activities for you.

Size of Laundromat

Just like in any other service industry, the size of the company affects pricing. Bigger dry cleaning companies tend to have advanced equipment. And, while these bring more efficiency, they also reflect on your overall cost.

A small laundry business can charge ₦1,000 for a piece of clothing, and it goes 100% higher at a bigger one. So, when choosing a dry cleaner, consider how their size may impact your pocket down the line.

Your Location

Dry cleaners build their shops with the needs of their location in mind. In a small town in Ogun State, just two generic washing machines and an industrial one will suffice. Considering that the market is small, investment is limited, and so will the cost.

Compare that to a dry cleaning company in Lagos, with hundreds of customers to serve per week. The investment will be higher, and so will the cost. If you spend ₦20,000 on weekly laundry in Sapele (Edo State), you may need ₦30,000 for the same set of clothes in Port Harcourt.

How to Hire a Dry Cleaning and Laundry Service Company in Nigeria

Use Google Search and Maps

A simple Google search is one of the easiest ways to find an ideal dry cleaning company to use. Such companies usually have local listings of their businesses, and they can be approximated to fit your exact location. That way, you get to use the nearest one to you.

Also, with reviews, images, and a number to call available on these listings, you can get most of your questions answered before you decide on which one to go with.

Check Local Directories

There are online directories where you can find businesses from different industries, and you’d find dry cleaning companies there too. Platforms like VisCorner list businesses by location and category, giving you sufficient options to choose from.

Beyond that, you get to see reviews from people who have worked with the dry cleaning companies in the past. Also, when you indicate what you’re looking for, multiple companies will reach out to you with quotes, and that gives you the leverage to make an informed decision that aligns with your budget.

Ask for Help from Family and Friends

This might be your most reliable way of getting a dry cleaning company to help with your laundry needs. Friends, neighbours, colleagues, and family have likely used one, and their experience can help you narrow down which one to use.

That doesn’t stop you from researching the company yourself, but having referrals from family and friends can help you create a shortlist of dry cleaning companies to consider.

Benefits of Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services

Save Time and Energy

Laundry can be such a time-consuming activity when you have to do it all by yourself. Waiting by the washing machine, drying the wet cloth, pressing with iron—all these could amount to multiple days’ worth of time over a one-month period.

So, the time you would spend doing all that, you gain it back by leaving your laundry to dry cleaners. In the same way, you can spend your energy on other things.

Reduce Wear and Tear

Every outfit is not the same. There are a number of fabric types that have specific washing directions, and anything contrary to that can decrease the lifespan of the cloth rapidly. That’s another way dry cleaners are so helpful.

They are professionals, with the right kind of detergent and the right machine for your clothes. So, if some clothes need a light wash, or need a level of heat for pressing, they pay more attention to such things. This helps you prolong wear and tear throughout the lifespan of the clothes.

An Always-Ready Wardrobe

Anytime you have an outing to go, or even just getting ready to go to work every day, it is a relief to know that your clothes are always ready for you. Since they’ve been washed and pressed, all you have to do is wear them.

No thinking about whether they’re clean or whether they’re properly ironed. That is especially true if you get a dry cleaning company to do your laundry periodically, such as weekly. It’s a consistent cycle of cleaning that always leaves your wardrobe clean and ready.