Commercial Hood Cleaning
Greasy overnight work that restaurants legally cannot ignore
Bottom line
Accessible entry point; validate local supply before buying.
Commercial hood cleaning businesses clean kitchen exhaust systems for restaurants, hotels, schools, ghost kitchens, and institutional food operators. The surprising angle is that this is not just janitorial work, it is fire-code maintenance. Owners pay on a recurring schedule because dirty hoods create insurance risk, failed inspections, and real fire danger.
Avg Revenue
$360K
Profit Margin
31%
Acquisition Multiple
2.1x - 3.5x
Startup Cost
$20K - $100K
How It Works
Crews work after closing hours to degrease hoods, ducts, fans, and rooftop exhaust equipment, then document the cleaning for compliance records. Revenue comes from recurring service intervals, emergency cleanups, fan-belt replacements, filter swaps, and cross-sold pressure washing or kitchen equipment cleaning.
Revenue Range
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 561790 · Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | TX | $350K | $412K |
| Mar 2026 | NJ | $1.2M | $1.4M |
| Feb 2026 | LA | $402K | $473K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $55K | $65K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $615K | $723K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $50K | $59K |
| Jan 2026 | TX | $270K | $318K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $171K | $201K |
| Jan 2026 | FL | $650K | $765K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $211K | $248K |
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
- +Recurring schedule driven by code and insurance requirements
- +Night work reduces customer coordination headaches
- +Low glamour keeps competition thinner than general cleaning
- +Easy upsells into pressure washing and grease-management services
Cons
- -Late-night labor can be hard to staff
- -Dirty work with meaningful safety risk on roofs and ladders
- -Route density matters a lot for labor efficiency
Best For
Service operators comfortable with night crews who want sticky B2B maintenance revenue tied to compliance
Operating Costs
Core costs include degreasers, pressure washers, vacuums, labor, vehicles, insurance, ladder and rooftop safety gear, and after-hours payroll premiums. Margins improve with dense restaurant routes and maintenance contracts.
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
Trade association for kitchen exhaust cleaning standards, compliance, and operator education
Marketplace where hood cleaning and specialty janitorial operators are occasionally listed
Fire-code standard that underpins recurring demand for kitchen exhaust system cleaning
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
- service
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Buy price
- $756K–$1.3M
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.
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