He Built a $1M+ Business Cleaning Gum

Today's niche business tackles a problem everyone sees but no one wants to deal with.

Its something most cleaning companies overlook or only offer as an additional service.

Today’s company went all in on this niche and turned it into a business—and not just a side hustle. They carved out a niche with almost no competition and built a service, that from what I could find, generates 7 figures a year.

They didn’t invent cleaning. They didn’t create groundbreaking tech. They just noticed one thing:

👉 No one was effectively tackling the problem of gum-covered sidewalks.

A quick look around any urban area would've told you that sidewalk cleanliness had high demand but almost no specialized competition. No major cleaning companies were aggressively targeting this specific problem.

Today’s company, GumBusters, stepped into that untapped niche—and thrived.

While gum removal is now just one part of their business, it laid the foundation. Today, they also sell gum removal machines to property managers and cleaning businesses—but the core value remains in the gum removal niche.

They now run a successful business, all from focusing on this single overlooked problem.

What Do Gum Removal Services Like This Charge?

While exact pricing varies, here’s what I found researching the space:

• Most companies charge $0.75 to $1.50 per square foot for gum removal.

• Others charge by the hour, and services can run over $200/hour depending on the job.

• Equipment like the Goodbye Gum! Backpack System sells for around $4,899.

Pricing depends on:

• The amount of gum present

• The surface material

• The size of the area needing cleaning

It’s not cheap (and that’s exactly what makes it such a high-margin, specialized service).

Want More Details? Let’s Break It Down

What We’ll Cover

✅ How a specialized gum removal business found success
✅ Why it works
✅ How they get customers
✅ How to find a niche like this (or build your own gum removal biz)

🚀 Let’s dive in!

💡 The Beginning: Solving a Sticky Problem

GumBusters started with a simple but powerful concept: develop a specialized solution for removing chewing gum from virtually any surface. Based in Brooklyn, New York, they built a service that offered what no one else was focused on.

Today, they operate with a dual business model—providing specialized cleaning services and selling gum removal equipment to clients across the country.

They're not the only ones seeing the opportunity: Dupray Inc., a company based in Montreal, estimates it sells over $1 million in cleaning equipment specifically for gum removal. This shows there’s real demand for niche cleaning solutions beyond just local service offerings.

👥 Who They Sell To

GumBusters has built a strong customer base by targeting high-traffic areas and decision-makers responsible for public-facing cleanliness. Their primary customers include:

• Businesses with storefronts looking to keep entrances clean and inviting

• Commercial property managers responsible for office parks, retail plazas, and apartment complexes

• Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) seeking to beautify urban spaces

• Transit authorities and public works departments that manage subways, sidewalks, and bus stations

• Stadiums and entertainment venues with constant foot traffic and public visibility

• Universities and schools needing regular maintenance of high-traffic walkways

These clients often have recurring needs and designated budgets for maintenance—making them ideal long-term customers.

📈 Why It Took Off

✅ They targeted a specific, underserved market (gum removal).
✅ Demand was already there, but no specialized competitors.
✅ Environmental concerns have been growing in importance.
✅ Niche B2B marketing converts (BIDs, transit authorities, property managers).

It wasn’t just luck—the trend of urban beautification has been rising fast in recent years, with cities and business improvement districts more aware of how cleanliness affects commerce and tourism.

🚀 How They Got Customers

GumBusters dominated an open market by being one of the few companies aggressively targeting gum removal. Here's how they turned this gap into a successful business:

Gum removal is a low competition service but since its mostly just a commercial business problem, not many people are searching it online.

BUT almost every public space has this problem and needs this service.

This meant that Gumbusters had to commit to sales. Calling on the key decision makers at each public space

They focused on reaching key decision-makers at:

• Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

• Departments of Public Works

• Facility managers (stadiums, schools, transit stations)

• Commercial property managers

These organizations have budgets for maintenance and beautification, making them ideal customers.

📢 Before/After Demonstrations

The best sales technique was simply showing the service in action and the results.

• Visual demos with dramatic results

• Highlighted environmental benefits (using 4–8 gallons of water vs. 8,000+ for power washing)

• Stressed non-disruptive service

🎯 Media Coverage Created Credibility

They also knew their unique business was one that news outlets would be interested in covering. This got them a lot of exposure.

• Featured on NBC, CNN, Anderson Cooper, and Kelly Ripa's shows

• Helped establish them as the go-to experts in gum removal

• Drove direct business and long-term brand authority

🔍 How To Find Opportunities Like This

Here’s how you can find a specialized niche like this for yourself:

1️⃣ Look for Persistent Problems – What issues do you see repeatedly that aren't being solved? (e.g., gum on sidewalks everywhere)

2️⃣ Find Niche Markets in Broad Services – General cleaning services weren’t solving this, so there was room for a specialist to focus on this specific niche.

3️⃣ Follow Industry Trends – Sustainability and urban cleanliness are top of mind.

4️⃣ Identify Recurring Needs – Gum comes back. That means recurring service = recurring revenue.

🛠️ Start Your Own Gum Removal Or Niche Service Business

Want to start your own gum removal business? Services like Dupray and Gumbusters sell professional equipment. Some kits start around $4,900, and recurring revenue is realistic thanks to the ongoing nature of sidewalk and public space cleaning.

Take a closer look at the sidewalks this weekend and see how much gum is out there. I bet you could walk into a business and simply say “hey want me to get rid of all that gum for you?” and they would jump on the chance.

You don’t have to remove gum specifically—but their approach is a perfect playbook:

• Find a niche problem that’s dirty, annoying, or overlooked (think: graffiti, oil stains, algae on siding).

• Use visuals to sell—before-and-after photos do the heavy lifting.

• Market directly to decision-makers (property managers, city officials, business owners).

• Get in the door with one service, then upsell additional clean-up solutions.

You can absolutely start solo, then grow by subcontracting or hiring once demand builds.

This is a low-competition niche with high repeat business potential.

🚀 Opportunities Like This Are Everywhere

GumBusters proves you don’t need a glamorous idea or a huge company—just a specialized solution to a persistent problem that others overlook.

Why It Worked:

✅ They focused on one specific problem (gum removal)
✅ No specialized competitors were dominating
✅ Simple concept, huge opportunity

There are still tons of overlooked service niches—specialized cleaning, maintenance for niche equipment, and everyday problems businesses and cities deal with.

Finding the gap is half the battle.

Hope you all enjoyed this one. Another business that made me think “why didn’t I think of that”.

I still see a lot of cities where gum removal could be an untapped niche to get into.

Have a great weekend!

– Tim