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5 Lies About Owning a Laundromat Nobody Talks About (Small Business Entrepreneurship)
Five Myths About Laundromats Debunked
Ark
June 12, 2025
Hi, I’m Mark Sordos, owner of The Washing Well Laundromat in Aberdeen, New Jersey, and known as the Laundromat Entrepreneur. I help people navigate the laundromat industry, whether they’re looking to buy or learn the ropes. Today, I’m tackling five common myths about laundromats to set the record straight.
Myth 1: Laundromats Are Passive Income
One of the biggest misconceptions is that owning a laundromat means sitting back and collecting quarters with zero effort. You might have seen YouTube videos claiming you can buy a laundromat and do nothing while the money rolls in. That’s far from reality. While a laundromat isn’t as demanding as some businesses, it’s not passive. You’ll deal with customer complaints, machine repairs, and employee issues. For example, if an employee calls out at midnight because of bad Thai food, guess who’s covering the 6 a.m. shift? You. Successful laundromat owners will tell you: it’s good income, but it’s not passive. Don’t fall for courses promising $25,000 a month with no work.
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Myth 2: Laundromats Have a 95% Success Rate
You’ve probably heard that laundromats have a 95% success rate. The truth? No one really knows the success rate because the industry is mostly mom-and-pop operations with limited data. The 95% figure seems to have been thrown out there and repeated without evidence. Laundromats are easier to run than restaurants, but they’re not a guaranteed win. I’ve seen failed laundromats—like one where the owners walked away, leaving the landlord to take over, or an abandoned location I pass daily. There’s risk, and success requires effort and smart decisions.
Myth 3: Laundromats Are Always Profitable
Not every laundromat is a cash cow. Profitability depends on factors like your lease, competition, and how you build or manage the business. A bad lease can eat up your revenue—I know of a laundromat where 45-50% of every dollar goes to rent before covering other expenses like utilities or payroll. Some laundromats for sale claim you’ll earn $30,000 a year as an owner-operator, but that often means working full-time for a meager salary. Dig into the numbers before buying; profitability isn’t a given.
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Myth 4: All Laundromats Are the Same
Laundromats vary widely. Some are small, around 1,500 square feet, while newer ones can be 12,000-15,000 square feet—10 times larger. The volume needed to break even differs drastically. Some laundromats offer dry cleaning, focus on eco-friendly washing, or cater to specific customer types, like commercial clients or eco-conscious consumers. Each has unique operational needs and customer bases, so don’t assume one laundromat’s model applies to all.
Myth 5: Laundromats Are Recession-Proof
I’ve said laundromats are recession-resistant, but they’re not recession-proof. People always need to wash clothes, so the core business holds up better than, say, the auto or restaurant industries. However, services like pickup and delivery or wash-and-fold are often seen as luxuries. During a recession, customers might cut back on these, opting for self-service machines or washing at home. While laundromats fare better than many businesses, you could still see a dip in revenue and profits.
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Final Thoughts
Owning a laundromat can be rewarding, but it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It requires effort, smart planning, and realistic expectations. I hope this clears up some misconceptions. If you enjoyed this article, please like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments what other laundromat topics you’d like me to cover. Want to learn more about running a successful laundromat? Start with the right tools—check out GoHighLevel for a free trial to simplify your marketing and customer management.
#Innovation #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #DigitalMarketing #Technology #Career #Networking #Business #Motivation #FutureOfWork
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