How much does a Grease Trap Cleaning Service cost to buy?

A typical Grease Trap Cleaning Service sells for 2.5x to 5x seller's discretionary earnings. With estimated SDE of $190K, expect to pay roughly $475K to $950K before adjustments for assets, debt, growth, and local market quality.

How much does it cost to start a Grease Trap Cleaning Service?

Startup costs range from $60K to $180K depending on location, equipment, and scale.

Route

Grease Trap Cleaning Service

Q: What are the profit margins for a Grease Trap Cleaning Service?

The average profit margin for a Grease Trap Cleaning Service is around 38%. Primary costs: vacuum truck or service van with pump ($40K–$100K used), waste disposal fees ($50–$200 per haul depending on volume and facility), driver labor, liability and environmental insurance, and state waste hauler licensing. Operators who recycle grease to biodiesel processors can reduce disposal costs materially.

Every restaurant has a grease trap. Every municipality requires it cleaned. Nobody wants to do it — which is exactly why it pays so well.

Bottom line

Operator-friendly model; diligence should focus on acquisition price.

Grease trap cleaning companies pump, clean, and certify the grease interceptors installed in commercial kitchen drain lines. Health codes in virtually every US jurisdiction require restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and food manufacturers to maintain clean grease traps — typically every 1–3 months — or face fines and shutdown orders. A service truck doing 6–10 cleanings per day at $150–$400 per visit generates $300K–$700K per truck per year. The work is unpleasant, which suppresses competition and sustains pricing power. Operators with 2–4 trucks and strong municipal relationships reach $1M–$3M in revenue.

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Acquisition score

Strong

Avg Revenue

$500K

Profit Margin

38%

Acquisition Multiple

2.5x - 5x

Startup Cost

$60K - $180K

How It Works

Technicians arrive at commercial accounts with a vacuum truck or service van equipped with a grease pump, remove accumulated FOG (fats, oils, grease), clean the trap, and provide a manifest documenting proper disposal — required for regulatory compliance. Grease is disposed of at a licensed facility or sold to biodiesel processors (turning waste into a small revenue stream). Accounts are typically on 30–90 day recurring schedules; annual contracts are common. Pricing varies by trap size and grease volume ($150 for small inline traps, $300–$800 for large interceptors).

Revenue Range

Low End

$150K

Typical

$500K

High End

$2.0M

Pros

+Legally mandated recurring demand — health code non-compliance means fines and shutdown
+Low competition relative to other service categories — unpleasant work deters new entrants
+Recurring route model with predictable monthly revenue once accounts are signed
+Grease byproduct can be sold to biodiesel processors, offsetting disposal costs

Cons

-Truck and vacuum equipment cost ($60K–$150K per unit) creates meaningful capital requirement
-Waste disposal licensing and manifesting requirements add compliance overhead
-Physically demanding and unpleasant — driver/tech turnover can be higher than other service businesses
-Municipal FOG (fats, oils, grease) programs vary — some cities allow DIY, reducing your serviceable market

Best For

Operators comfortable with blue-collar compliance services who want a route business with legally mandated demand and low churn

Operating Costs

Primary costs: vacuum truck or service van with pump ($40K–$100K used), waste disposal fees ($50–$200 per haul depending on volume and facility), driver labor, liability and environmental insurance, and state waste hauler licensing. Operators who recycle grease to biodiesel processors can reduce disposal costs materially.

SBA Financing Estimator

Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service

$-2214/mo

after debt service

Deal price — $1.8M

Range: $1.0M (2.5×) to $3.0M (5×+)

Down payment — 15% ($263K)

SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership

Interest rate — 8.00%

Current prime-based SBA rates: 7.5–10.5%

Loan term — 10 years (120 mo)

Standard SBA 7(a): 10 years for business acquisition

Down payment

$263K

15% equity injection

Loan amount

$1.5M

85% SBA-financed

Monthly payment

$18K/mo

$678K total interest

Monthly profit

$16K/mo

at 38% margin

Monthly cash flow after debt service

$-2214/mo

Margin does not cover debt service at these terms. Lower the deal price, increase the down payment, or extend the loan term.

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.