Service wash launderette: wash, dry and fold for customers
Wash, dry and fold laundry for customers who drop it off and collect it later.
- £8k-40k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
4,463 UK companies in this field, 30% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 96010 “Washing and (dry-)cleaning of textile and fur products”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small premises with commercial machines where you do the washing for customers. They leave a bag, you weigh it, wash, dry and fold it, and they pick it up later. You could also add a local pick-up and delivery slot.
Your first three steps
- Price up used commercial washers and dryers and a small unit, and work out a per-kilo price that covers energy, water and your time
- Test your process on a few loads for friends or local hosts and landlords, and check how long each stage takes
- Visit nearby holiday lets, salons and cafes to offer a regular service, then set up simple booking and a tagging system for each bag
Who pays
Busy professionals, families, older people, landlords and holiday let hosts, plus small businesses such as salons and cafes.
How it makes money
Charge by weight or by bag, with extra for items such as duvets, rush jobs or delivery. Regular weekly customers and business accounts give steady work.
Skills that help
- Sorting and treating fabrics and stains
- Organising batches and turnaround times
- Careful with other people's belongings
- Customer service
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance, and cover for customers' items that are lost or damaged
- Consumer law applies to lost or damaged items, so write clear terms and check what you must offer
- Gas dryers need installation and servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Check the lease, business rates and planning use class for the unit
- Check data protection duties if you keep customer details
- Energy and water costs, and machine breakdowns
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: service wash launderette
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a service wash launderette?
Startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on the premises, number of commercial machines, and whether you add pick-up and delivery. Energy and water costs and machine breakdowns should be part of your budget.
How much revenue can a service wash business make?
Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on your location, turnaround times and customer mix, such as households, landlords and small businesses. Hours are typically at least 25 a week.
What should I check before offering a laundry service?
Consumer law applies to lost or damaged items, so write clear terms and check what you must offer. Check public liability cover and cover for customers' items, Gas Safe servicing for gas dryers, the lease, business rates, planning use class and data protection duties.
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