Can I get equipment financing with bad credit (below 600) for my cleaning business?
Yes, you can finance cleaning equipment with a sub-600 score. Specialty and asset-based lenders approve it, but expect higher rates and a larger down payment.
Yes. Because the equipment is the collateral, specialty and asset-based lenders approve cleaning-business owners with scores below 600 — some as low as 550. Expect a higher interest rate (often 12–30%) and a larger down payment (10–20%+) than prime borrowers pay.
Yes. You can get equipment financing for your cleaning business with a credit score below 600. Because the floor buffer, carpet extractor, or scrubber you are buying serves as the lender's collateral, specialty and asset-based lenders will approve borrowers banks turn away. The trade-off is a higher interest rate and a larger down payment, not a flat "no."
Traditional banks rarely lend below roughly 650, but a tier of equipment-focused lenders underwrite the asset first and your personal credit second. Several publish minimum scores well under 600: per NerdWallet's 2026 roundup, Triton Capital lists a 575 minimum and eLease a 550 minimum, while National Funding sets 600. Some asset-based shops will look at scores as low as 500–550 for the right equipment and a healthy bank balance, according to Crestmont Capital's bad-credit guide.
Who approves it
The approvers are not your local bank. They are independent equipment-finance companies and online lenders that specialize in subprime business credit. They lend because the machine secures the deal — if you default, they repossess the scrubber and recover their money. That collateral structure is exactly why a sub-600 cleaning-business owner can still get funded. For a deeper look at how thresholds change by score band, see our equipment financing credit requirements breakdown.
For context, a 580 score sits in FICO's "Fair" band, which Experian defines as 580–669; anything 579 and below is "Poor." Lenders price both bands as elevated risk, but Fair-to-low-Poor is still very much fundable in the equipment world.
Expect higher cost and a bigger down payment
The approval comes at a price. Where a 720-score borrower might land 6–10% APR, a borrower near 580 commonly sees 12–30% or higher depending on lender and structure, per Crestmont Capital. Down payments climb too: most lenders ask for 10–20% down when your score is below about 620, and NerdWallet notes one truck-equipment lender requires a 20% minimum, with borrowers under 600 sometimes asked for even more. Terms may also be shorter, raising the monthly payment.
How to improve your odds
A few moves materially raise your approval chances and can lower your rate:
- Put more money down. A larger down payment cuts the lender's exposure and signals commitment — LeaseFunders notes it is one of the most reliable ways to offset a low score.
- Lean on revenue, not credit. Show 6+ months of operations and consistent monthly bank deposits; cash flow often outweighs the FICO number for these lenders.
- Choose a lease over a loan. With a lease the lender keeps title, which lowers their risk and widens approval for challenged credit.
- Buy essential, resaleable equipment. Standard floor machines and extractors hold resale value, making the collateral stronger.
- Provide a personal guarantee and clean bank statements. Both reassure subprime underwriters.
If leasing is on the table, weigh the structures in our equipment leasing vs loan with bad credit guide before you sign.
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