Kitchen Hood Cleaning
NFPA 96 says every restaurant must do this — so they all call you
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Commercial kitchen exhaust systems accumulate grease that becomes a serious fire hazard. NFPA 96 and local fire codes mandate professional cleaning every 1–12 months depending on cooking volume — it is not optional. Every restaurant, hotel, hospital, school cafeteria, and corporate kitchen needs this service on a recurring schedule. You show up at 2am when the kitchen is closed, clean the full system in 3–4 hours, issue a compliance certificate, and leave. Customers cannot decline — the fire marshal will shut them down if they do.
Avg Revenue
$280K
Profit Margin
40%
Acquisition Multiple
1.75x - 3x
Startup Cost
$10K - $50K
How It Works
You build a recurring route of restaurant clients on mandated cleaning schedules (quarterly, semi-annual, or monthly for high-volume kitchens). One crew of two completes 2–3 kitchens per night working 10pm–4am. After each cleaning you issue a compliance certificate the restaurant keeps for fire inspectors. Upsells include fire suppression system testing, duct repair, and exhaust fan maintenance.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Kitchen Hood Cleaning 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 40% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 67 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 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
- +NFPA 96 fire code mandate means clients legally cannot opt out of this service
- +Night schedule means zero disruption to customer operations — easy sell
- +Material cost is $20–$60 per job; jobs bill $300–$1,500 — extraordinary margins
- +Near-zero churn — restaurants stay with the same hood cleaning company for years
Cons
- -Late-night and weekend schedule (10pm–4am) is a hard lifestyle requirement for operators
- -Physically demanding and genuinely messy — grease-covered systems, confined spaces
- -Building a route takes 6–12 months of outreach to restaurants and property managers
Best For
Operators who can handle the night schedule and want a compliance-driven B2B route business with near-zero churn
Operating Costs
Startup requires a van ($15K–$30K), commercial pressure washer, scrapers, and cleaning chemicals — under $50K total. Labor (1–2 workers per crew) is the main ongoing cost. Gross margins of 40–50% are standard at scale.
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 kitchen hood and commercial cleaning businesses for sale
International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association — certifications and industry standards
Browse commercial cleaning and exhaust cleaning acquisitions
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
- $490K–$840K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
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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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