Learn the complete guide on how to start a liquid soap business in Nigeria. The most important thing that you need when starting any business is the passion and conviction to succeed.
Liquid soaps are popular, more so among the educated class in urban areas but with the right formula and marketing strategy applied, it can be made to sell in both rural and urban areas with little or no competition. Liquid soap business is one of the fast moving small scale businesses in Nigeria.
The following is a guide on how to start a liquid soap business.
How to Start a Liquid Soap Business in Nigeria in 7 Steps
We will look into how to start a liquid soap business in Nigeria. Starting a liquid soap business can be a profitable thing to do and one of the small business ideas to be started in Nigeria even with little capital.
Step 1: Learn how to make and mix the chemicals for liquid soap production
Entrepreneurship can be a very profitable way to earn money, but it is important to consider learning the skills for the business model that suits your company. Learn what each chemical is used for, and the whole work that is required to launch a liquid soap company, so you don’t have to be caught by surprise.
You can learn these things online or offline. It is not easy to learn but with focus and persistence, you will learn all it takes to start the liquid soap business.
Step2: Write a business plan for your Liquid Soap Business
Starting a business is an exciting experience. But a well-drafted business plan makes it strategic and straightforward. There are a lot of important factors to consider before making that leap of faith, particularly when you are thinking about something like starting a business selling soap in Nigeria.
After all, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and it is not just enough to have a good product. You need to think about supply chains and logistics, marketing and pricing too. All these things should be included in the plan.
Step 3: Register your Business with Corporate Affairs Commission
I wrote this article with you, the entrepreneur, in mind. Using my years of experience as a professional businesswoman in Nigeria, I will advise you to note that registering your business is one of the complete guide on how to start a liquid soap business in Nigeria.
The business is to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria and they are the body assigned to do so. You can look them up online or visit their office in your nearest location.
Step 4: Look for a suitable space and location for your business
The Liquid Laundry Soap Business in Nigeria is a comprehensive guide for establishing and growing a liquid detergent manufacturing business in Nigeria. This step-by-step guide includes looking for a suitable space and location for your business.
Before you can turn your dream into reality, you need to choose a good location for your business. By choosing the right location you will sell your products well and reach wider customers. By doing this, you will grow and thrive as a successful entrepreneur.
Step 5: Get the ingredients ready
If you are an entrepreneur, you probably have a lot on your plate before you can make a gallon of liquid soap. The ingredients you will be needing includes:
- Perfume- a minimum quantity
- Formalin- 4 to 5 teaspoon it can be optional)
- Sulphonic acid- 1 liter
- Caustic Soda- ½ tin milk cup or small cup
- Colorant- as you wish
- Water- 15 liters
- Nitrosol- 1 tin milk
- Texapon- 4 to 5 teaspoonfuls and
- STTP- 5 teaspoon
Step 5: Start producing your liquid soap
A liquid soap company seems like a simple idea to get going, but it is actually more complicated than it seems on the surface. You will need to be careful when mixing these chemicals because some of them can be harmful when they touch any sensitive part of your body.
Method of preparation and mixing liquid soap includes:
- Soak your caustic soda overnight in a liter of water for fermentation or you can soak it for 39 minutes
- Dissolve the soda ash in a liter of water for up to 1 hour or even more
- Pour the sulphonic acid in a bowl it can contain, and add texapon and perfume inside it. Then add 2 to 3 liters of water into it and stir well for up to 7 to 10 minutes.
- The next step is to dissolve the STTP with one small cup of water and stir
- Dissolve also the SLS in a separate bowl with one small cup of water and stir equally
- This step requires a big bowl where you will pour all the separate mixtures, with pouring nitrosol or antisol and 3 to 4 cups of water and dissolve all. Remember that in using antisol, you need to soak it two days before use.
- Turn also the dissolved sulphonic acid, texapon, and perfume into the big bowl containing dissolved nitrosol and stir
- Add the already dissolved caustic soda into it and also stir
- Pour the soda ash you dissolved and stir
- Add the STTP you dissolved and stir
- Then now, pour the SLS and stir vigorously and properly
- Add 4 teaspoonfuls of formalin and stir
- Dissolve your color in a bowl containing water and add to the mixture and stir
- Finally, leave the mixture for a few hours for the foaming to disappear and then you can start to seal and package.
Step 6: Package your products
Step six is the time to package your products. This is the important part. Use a neat gallon to pour the liquid and then paste your brand name on it neatly. For one, you have to be ready to package your products attractively as liquid soaps are widely used in every household and several industries.
Therefore, there are several factors you will have to consider before becoming a successful liquid soap vendor. For example, is your product eco-friendly? What does your packaging look like? How will you market your brand? These questions must be addressed strategically.
Steps 7: Promote and market your products
Promoting and marketing your products can be done both offline and online. Some people often start small and grow gradually once their sales begin picking up.
Find a good medium and marketing strategy to sell your products to the customers.
Pros and Cons of Liquid Soap Business in Nigeria
Pros
- Liquid soap business is lucrative and is used by almost every household in Nigeria
- It is used for different using like washing of clothes, plates, toilets, kitchen, bathroom, e.t.c and so he need is demanding
- It is easy to mix and make
- The business require no huge capital to start
- It can be sold from home or anywhere you are
- It is not perishable and so it can last for a long time
- The business does not require much marketing strategy to sell.
Cons
- Chemicals for liquid Soap can be harmful when it touches any part of the body
- Not everybody can do the business. A careless person cannot venture into the business because the processes of the business require maximum carefulness.
- When the chemicals are not properly mixed, it can cause patches on the soap
Liquid Soap chemicals and their functions
Chemicals | Function |
Soda Ash | Serves as neutralizer and builder to the soap |
Caustic soda | Stain remover and base of the soap |
STP | It is a builder, helps in softening the water and suspension of the oil contained in the soap |
Formalin | For preservation and for the liquid soap to maintain its foamy and thick nature for a long time |
Nitrosol | For thickening the liquid soap |
Sulphonic Acid | This is the foaming agent |
SLS | SLS is a foam booster |
Capital for Starting a liquid soap Business
Starting a liquid soap business can be overwhelming, especially when you are trying to think of a package, how to get the materials and equipment, the market reach, and start-up strategy all at the same time. These materials cost money and you can budget between 10,000 to 20,000 for the small scale.
But the large scale can cost from 300,000 to 800,000. Here you need to consider the logistics, registration, rent, salaries, e.t.c.
Tips to note when starting a liquid soap production
- Some of these chemicals used in producing the liquid soap are harmful to the body and other sensitive parts. Please be careful when mixing it.
- Don’t overuse any of the chemicals. Work with measurements. The quality of liquid soap depends on the good measurements of the chemicals.
- Dissolve the colour before adding it to avoid showing patches of it on the soap
- Treat the chemicals with care to avoid waste or harm.
Conclusion.
We have been taught the complete guide on how to start a liquid soap business in Nigeria. I believe you have learned the art and science of liquid soap production with a special emphasis on quality and long-lasting effects. Liquid soap making is a lucrative business idea you can start with small capital in Nigeria.
I believe you enjoyed the content of the article. Try this business out and leave a review when you are done.