Dry Cleaning Equipment: The 10 Items You Need to Get Started

Before you clean up at the cash register of your new dry cleaning business, you need to invest in dry cleaning equipment. Top-performing dry cleaning equipment is essential to run a smooth operation and keep customers coming back.

New business owners must invest in dry cleaning equipment before they can open their doors to customers. This investment varies depending on the quality of the dry cleaning equipment you purchase.

Not only does joining a franchise system like Tide Cleaners make it easier to open a dry cleaning business, but you also know you are investing in the best dry cleaning equipment. New owners will invest between $681,100 to $1,573,300 to open a plant store (the store format that you must use for your first Tide Cleaners outlet). This investment includes all the equipment and supplies you will need to get your operation up and running.

The equipment you purchase for your dry cleaning business will be one of the most expensive and important parts of opening your business. Here’s what you really need:

1. POS System – A point-of-sale (POS) system is what you need to take orders and charge customers for your services. You will need more than an old-fashioned cash register. You need a system to keep track of the customers’ orders and how much they pay for services.

2. Information Tags – When a customer service representative takes an order, they or the client will need to fill out personal information to help keep track of the order. This will likely stay with the client’s clothes throughout the dry cleaning process.

3. Clothing conveyor – A dry cleaning storage conveyor is where garments are first placed and eventually stored before they are picked up by their owners.

4. Assembly system – A dry cleaning assembly system sorts and arranges customer orders before they are bagged and stored. This helps keep track of orders and keeps the articles of clothing in the same order together.

5. Washers and dryers – Choose commercial washing machines and dryers that hold large amounts of clothing and fit comfortably in your space.

6. Cleaning chemicals – You will need all sorts of cleaning chemicals to treat various garments and upholstery. Tide Cleaners uses a four-step cleaning process that combines our Tide Diamond Formula, color-safe bleach, Downy fabric conditioner, and proprietary whiteness-enhancing technology.

7. Presses – Presses give clothes a smooth, wrinkle-free appearance. They are similar to large irons that steam and press articles of clothing.

8. Sorting bins – Whether they are to separate whites from colors, or one customer’s order from another, sorting bins are an important piece of dry cleaning equipment. They will help your business keep orders organized, and used to transport clothes from the assembly system to and from the washer and dryer.

9. Clothing racks – Basic clothing racks will come in handy during the dry cleaning process. They will be useful when you place hangers and garment coverings on clothing before moving them back to the assembly system and clothing conveyor.

10. Hangers and garment coverings – After a garment is cleaned, it needs to be placed on a hanger and into a garment covering. This keeps the clothing neat and tidy. Keep in mind that these will stay on the clothes and go with the customer, so you need to have plenty on hand.

Tide Cleaners helps new franchise owners gather all the dry cleaning equipment they need. We will be with you every step of the way! If you’re interested in opening a Tide Cleaners location, contact our franchising department.