Dry Cleaner Business Valuation
Dry Cleaner Valuation Calculator & Exit Planning Built for Owners
We built one platform that tracks your dry cleaner's value monthly, identifies exit gaps early, and ensures your personal finances align with your exit timeline.
1,000+ Businesses have joined YourExitValue.com
Most Dry Cleaner Owners Have No Idea What Their Business is Actually Worth
Current Dry Cleaner Valuation Multiples (2026)
Dry cleaner valuations depend on equipment condition, routes, and commercial accounts. Here's the market:
Every business is different. That's why you need to track your value.
Included in Your Exit Value is a complete Exit Planning Assessment where you track your progress quarterly against your results from the previous quarter.
Know your number and watch it grow
Most business owners guess at their value. You'll know it with precision.
Our platform uses six proven valuation methodologies to give you a complete picture of what your business is worth today—and tracks how that number changes month over month. No more waiting for annual appraisals or paying $15K+ for outdated reports.
See your trends. Spot opportunities. Make informed decisions
What Actually Drives Dry Cleaner Value
Your quality and service matter, but sophisticated buyers evaluate these factors that determine premium pricing:
Plant vs Agency
Full Plant with Equipment
Dry cleaners with on-site cleaning plants control quality, turnaround, and margins. Drop stores that send garments elsewhere (agencies) have lower margins and less control. Full plants with modern equipment are significantly more valuable than agency operations. If you're an agency, understand that this limits your valuation ceiling.
Agency model = lower margins
Equipment Condition
Modern, Maintained Equipment
Cleaning machines, presses, boilers, and conveyor systems represent substantial investment. Modern, well-maintained equipment is an asset; aging equipment facing replacement is a liability. Buyers assess equipment age and condition carefully—deferred maintenance or obsolete machines get deducted from valuations. Know your equipment's remaining useful life.
Worn equipment = capex ahead
Route/Delivery Service
Established Pickup/Delivery Routes
Pickup and delivery routes capture customers who value convenience and may never visit your storefront. Route customers tend to be loyal and consistent. Established routes with regular stops are valuable assets that transfer to new ownership. Building route business takes time but significantly increases value.
Storefront-only = limited reach
Commercial Accounts
Hotels, Restaurants, Corporate
Commercial accounts—hotels, restaurants, uniform services, corporate contracts—provide volume and predictability that retail customers can't match. These B2B relationships involve regular pickups, consistent volume, and often contractual arrangements. Building commercial business diversifies your revenue and increases value.
Retail-only = volume volatility
Environmental Compliance
Clean Record, Modern Solvents
Dry cleaning involves chemicals with environmental regulations. Clean compliance history, modern solvent systems (ideally hydrocarbon or GreenEarth over perc), and proper waste handling are essential. Environmental issues can kill deals entirely. Ensure your compliance documentation is impeccable before going to market.
Environmental issues = major risk
Location & Lease
Visible Location, Long Lease
Retail dry cleaners benefit from visibility and convenience—easy parking, drive-by traffic. But lease terms matter enormously; a great location with a short lease creates uncertainty. Long remaining terms with reasonable rent protect buyer investment. Negotiate extensions before going to market.
Short lease = location risk
How to Value a Dry Cleaning Business
The U.S. dry cleaning industry includes approximately 30,000 locations generating over $10 billion in annual revenue. Dry cleaning businesses provide garment cleaning, laundering, alterations, and specialty cleaning services.
Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is the standard valuation method. Dry cleaners typically sell for 1.5x to 3.0x SDE. Locations with strong route delivery programs, commercial accounts, and modern equipment command the higher end.
Revenue multiples generally range from 0.30x to 0.55x annual revenue. Plants with route delivery and commercial/hospitality accounts achieve the upper end.
The unique valuation factor for dry cleaners is the route delivery program and equipment condition. Route delivery — picking up and delivering garments to homes and offices on scheduled days — creates sticky customer relationships with high retention rates and premium pricing. Commercial accounts (hotels, restaurants, corporate uniform programs) provide predictable volume. Plant equipment condition is critical: dry cleaning machines, presses, boilers, and finishing equipment represent major capital investment, and the age and condition of this equipment directly impacts the buyer's required reinvestment. Environmental compliance history (solvent handling, air permits) is also scrutinized.
The dry cleaning industry has faced headwinds from casual workplace dress codes but route delivery and premium service models continue to perform. Use our free calculator above to get your instant estimate, then track your value monthly with YourExitValue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What multiple do dry cleaners sell for?
Most dry cleaners sell for 1.8x – 3.0x SDE. Full plants with modern equipment, route service, and commercial accounts command the higher end. Drop stores fall at the lower end.
How does plant vs agency affect value?
Dramatically. Full plants with on-site equipment control quality and margins. Agency/drop store models that send garments out have lower margins and less value.
Who buys dry cleaners?
Individual buyers seeking service businesses, existing dry cleaner operators expanding, and occasionally laundry companies adding dry cleaning capability.
How does equipment age affect dry cleaner value?
Significantly. Modern, maintained equipment is an asset. Aging equipment facing replacement gets deducted from valuations. Buyers assess remaining useful life carefully.
Should I add route service before selling?
If operationally feasible, yes. Pickup and delivery routes capture convenience-focused customers and provide recurring revenue. Route customers tend to be loyal.
What's the fastest way to increase my dry cleaner value?
Three high-impact moves: 1) Build route/delivery service for recurring convenience customers, 2) Pursue commercial accounts (hotels, restaurants), 3) Ensure equipment is well-maintained and compliance is documented.