Ice Machine Cleaning
A tiny sanitation niche with repeat service and zero glamour
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Ice machine cleaning businesses sanitize and descale commercial ice makers for restaurants, hotels, bars, healthcare facilities, and convenience stores. The surprising angle is frequency: manufacturers and service providers recommend cleaning every 3-6 months, and operators often pay recurring service rates because health inspections, bad-tasting ice, and machine downtime are far more expensive than a few hundred dollars per visit.
Avg Revenue
$350K
Profit Margin
42%
Acquisition Multiple
2x - 4x
Startup Cost
$5K - $35K
How It Works
The operator books recurring cleanings, travels to customer sites, drains and sanitizes the machine, removes scale, changes filters when needed, and restarts production. Jobs typically price around $250-$300 per visit, and route density matters more than complex equipment. Many operators pair this with light commercial kitchen or refrigeration maintenance.
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
- +Very low startup cost and simple service delivery
- +Recurring schedule every few months creates repeat revenue
- +Fast jobs with strong gross margins
- +Works well as an add-on to restaurant maintenance routes
Cons
- -Some customers may handle cleaning in-house
- -Revenue ceiling is lower without route density or adjacent services
- -Sales require repetitive outbound effort to restaurants and hospitality accounts
Best For
Solo operators or small route businesses looking for low-capex recurring commercial service work
Operating Costs
Main costs are labor, a service van, sanitation chemicals, filter inventory, insurance, and basic scheduling software. Margins stay high because tools and consumables are cheap relative to ticket size.
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
Notes typical professional service pricing around $250-$300 per visit
Commercial service provider recommending cleaning every 3-6 months
Highlights manufacturer-guided cleaning frequency of roughly 2-4 times per year
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
- 2/5
- Buy price
- $700K–$1.4M
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
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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
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