Carpet Cleaning Business
One hotel property manager account can be worth $50K/year — and they never cancel
Bottom line
Accessible entry point; validate local supply before buying.
Carpet cleaning businesses use truck-mounted or portable hot-water extraction equipment to deep clean carpets in homes, hotels, offices, and apartment complexes. Profit margins run 30–50%, startup costs are under $20K for a portable unit, and the real money lies in commercial accounts — a single property manager relationship (apartment building, hotel chain) generates $30K–$100K/year in recurring revenue with near-zero churn. Add water damage restoration as a service and revenue can double overnight.
Avg Revenue
$250K
Profit Margin
38%
Acquisition Multiple
1.5x - 2.5x
Startup Cost
$8K - $60K
How It Works
Technicians use hot-water extraction machines (HWE) to inject hot water and cleaning solution deep into carpet fibers and immediately extract the dirty water. Residential jobs charge $150–$400 per visit. Commercial jobs — hotel rooms, offices, multi-unit housing — are booked by the square foot ($0.10–$0.35/sq ft) on recurring schedules. Water damage restoration (called 'resto') runs $2,000–$15,000 per job and can be dispatched through insurance referral networks.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Carpet Cleaning Business has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 38% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 28 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
- !No category model yet
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 561740 · Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | CA | $952K | $1.1M |
| Nov 2025 | IN | $100K | $118K |
| Nov 2025 | WI | $1.1M | $1.3M |
| Sep 2025 | IL | $1.2M | $1.4M |
| Sep 2025 | NY | $144K | $169K |
| Sep 2025 | IL | $50K | $59K |
| Sep 2025 | OH | $1.0M | $1.2M |
| Sep 2025 | WA | $30K | $35K |
| Sep 2025 | WA | $147K | $172K |
| Sep 2025 | WI | $213K | $250K |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Pros
- +30–50% profit margins with very low material costs
- +Commercial property manager accounts provide near-zero-churn recurring revenue
- +Water damage restoration add-on dramatically boosts revenue per truck
- +Businesses can start with a portable unit under $10K and scale to truck-mount rigs
Cons
- -Residential customers are seasonal and need reminders to rebook
- -Truck-mounted equipment ($20K–$60K) needed for high-volume commercial work
- -Competing with large franchises (Stanley Steemer) on residential SEO
Best For
Operators willing to target commercial B2B accounts — hotels, apartment complexes, and property managers — for recurring revenue
Operating Costs
Van, equipment (portable $8K–$15K; truck-mount $20K–$60K), cleaning chemicals ($50–$150/job), insurance, and fuel. COGS per job is low — mostly labor. Owner-operator running 3–5 jobs/day earns $250–$500 net profit daily.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.
Where to Buy
Find carpet cleaning businesses for sale across the US
Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification — industry credential that builds customer trust
Browse carpet cleaning and restoration businesses for sale
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- route
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Buy price
- $375K–$625K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
Some links may be affiliate links. We only recommend tools we'd use ourselves.
Ready to Buy? Start Here →
Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
Some links may be affiliate links. We only recommend tools we'd use ourselves.
Get the full breakdown in your inbox
Weekly boring business breakdowns
One boring business. Real numbers. Every week. Free.