Our Laundry Process
Every item you send to Expert Laundry and Cleaning Services goes through the same eight stages: detailing, minor repairs, stain removal, washing or dry cleaning, precision finishing, inspection, packaging and delivery. The sequence never changes, which is why a shirt cleaned in January comes back the same as one cleaned in June.
Most laundries in Lagos wash and press. The stages that matter are the ones on either side of that: the inspection that finds the stain and the loose seam before the wash, and the check that catches a missed crease before the item is packed. Below is exactly what happens to your clothes between pickup and delivery, so you know what you are paying for.
Before we start: pickup and counting
Items are counted and listed when the rider collects them, so both sides agree on what left your address. You can book a collection on 0802 087 6279 or 0901 111 6151, or drop items at our Lekki or Ikosi-Ketu branch. Standard orders are normally ready in 48 to 72 hours.
1. GARMENT DETAILING
The first thing we do is read the garment. We check the fibre and how the piece is constructed, then inspect the surface under light to find, mark and log every stain, scuff or weak point. Buttons, beading, buckles and delicate trims are removed or protected so the cleaning stage cannot damage them. This is where we decide whether the item belongs in water or in solvent, and it is the decision the whole job rests on.
2. MINOR REPAIRS
While the garment is being inspected we note anything that needs fixing: a falling hem, an open seam, a button hanging by one thread, a missing hook. We tell you what we found and, with your approval, our tailors handle it while the item is with us. Repairing before cleaning matters, because an open seam only gets longer once a garment has been through a wash cycle.
3. STAIN REMOVAL
Stains are treated individually, before the main clean, not left to the wash to solve. Each mark is identified by type, because oil, sweat, red wine, ink, makeup and body cream all respond to different agents, and the wrong one will set a stain permanently. Our specialists combine traditional spotting methods with modern products, and work from the mildest treatment upward so the fabric is never punished for the stain. If a mark has already been heat set by ironing, we tell you what to expect before we start.
4. WASHING OR DRY CLEANING
Now the item is cleaned by the method chosen at stage one. Everyday cotton, denim, towels and bedding are laundered in water, sorted by colour, fabric weight and soil level so strong Ankara dyes never share a drum with white shirts. Structured and delicate pieces, suits, lace, aso oke, silk and wool, are dry cleaned in solvent so they keep their shape and sheen. Anything too fragile for either machine is washed by hand.
5. PRECISION FINISHING
Cleaning is only half the result. Finishing is what makes a shirt look like a shirt again. Our pressers work to the cut of each garment, following collars, pleats, drapes and cuffs rather than flattening them, and adjust heat to the fabric so lace and metallic thread are never scorched. Household items such as bedsheets and curtains are finished to hang or lie flat properly.
6. FINAL INSPECTION
Every item is inspected a second time before it is allowed to leave. We check cleanliness, the finish, and the quality of any repair carried out earlier. Anything that does not pass goes back through the relevant stage rather than being packed and hoped for. If a stain has not lifted completely, it is recorded and pointed out to you on delivery instead of being quietly returned in the pile.
7. PACKAGING
Items are packed so they arrive as they left us: folded flat or hung, protected from dust and damp, and grouped so a household order is easy to unpack. We keep packaging to what the job needs and reuse or recycle where we can, because wrapping a week of laundry in unnecessary plastic helps nobody.
8. DELIVERY
Your order is delivered back to your address at an agreed time, checked against the list made at pickup. Within our coverage areas around the Lekki and Ikosi-Ketu branches, delivery is part of the service. If you would rather collect, your order is held at whichever branch is closer to you.
Questions about our process
How long does the whole process take?
Standard orders are normally ready 48 to 72 hours after pickup. Bulk loads, rugs and heavily soiled items take longer, and express handling can often be arranged if you tell us your deadline at booking.
Can I ask for hanging finish instead of folded?
Yes. Tell us at booking. Hanging finish on shirts is priced slightly higher than folded because the pressing and handling are different, and the rates are on the price list.
What happens if a stain does not come out?
We record it at inspection, treat it with the method suited to that stain type, and if it will not lift completely we tell you on delivery rather than returning the item without comment. Stains that were already heat set by ironing are the hardest, and we say so upfront.
Do you keep my items separate from other orders?
Yes. Orders are counted and tagged at pickup and kept together through every stage, which is why the list made at collection is checked again at delivery.
Ready to start? Book a pickup or check the price list first.