Once you get your laundromat business up and running, it could serve as a reliable source of income, month after month, year after year. But getting to that point will take hard work and the right decisions along the way. If you are just starting out, here are some tips for your new commercial laundromat business that might help.

Make Sure Your Location is Perfect

One of the most critical parts of opening a laundromat comes before you've even purchased a single washer or dryer. To maximize your success you will first want to find the ideal spot for your business. A laundromat is a great business to set up in a college town or in an area with lots of apartment buildings. What you don't want to do is place one in the middle of the suburbs where everyone can just do their own laundry inside their own home. The better your location, the more potential customers you will have.

Hire Employees or Go Self Service?

Your next decision will be to decide on a business model. Plenty of laundromats are self-service, meaning the customer just shows up, picks an empty machine, puts in some money and gets clean or dry clothes in return. This model makes it so that you won't have to hire any additional employees besides yourself, which can reduce some hassles.

On the other hand, hiring employees may allow you to make more money in the long run if you think additional services would be in demand. You could have an employee offer a folding service, for example, or have someone available to switch clothes from washer to dryer so the customer can leave the laundromat for a bit. If you want this to be a more passive business, self service is probably the way to go, but a more hands on owner might be able to try some more creative business models that include employees.

Find the Right Supplier

Your laundry business is only as good as the washers and dryers you purchase. Contact a commercial laundry distributor and see what they can do for you. You will want a business that has been around for a while and one that is able to offer you a good deal if you are purchasing multiple machines. Ask questions about the longevity of the machines they offer and if there are any maintenance options available as the washers and dryers begin to age.

After you figure out your business location and business model, contact a commercial laundry distributor to discuss next steps.