A kitchen hood exhaust is commonly referred to as a range hood. It usually sits above your stove or cooktop to pull in smoke, steam, grease particles, heat and cooking odors. Whether you have a ducted or ductless version determines whether the air is vented outside the home through ductwork. With ductless systems, the air passes through a charcoal filter before it recirculates back into the kitchen. No matter which type you have, the hood exhaust will need regular deep cleaning, usually once a month, to keep it functioning properly.
Remove and Soak Grease Filters
Your hood exhaust likely has at least two grease filters on it. These filters are in place to catch airborne fat particles before they enter the ductwork. Once they become clogged, they lose their ability to do their job effectively, and when this happens, you may notice grease buildup or lingering odors from cooking in the kitchen. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to avoid this problem. Clean the filters once a month by submerging them in a sink filled with very hot water, a squirt of degreasing dish soap and 1/4 cup of baking soda. After 15 to 20 minutes, the grease will loosen, revealing a much cleaner filter. You may need to give each filter a gentle scrub a nonabrasive brush to clear away any stubborn residue.
Wipe Down the Interior Housing
While the filters are soaking, clean the inner walls of the hood. There’s a good chance they’re completely covered in grease and dust. A specialized heavy-duty kitchen cleaner should be able to remove most of the accumulation. You can also use a 50/50 mixture of warm water and distilled white vinegar to eliminate lighter grease buildup. Just be sure to let the cleaner sit for roughly 10 minutes before you wipe it away. This will give it plenty of time to dissolve and loosen the grease, making it much easier to remove.
Clean the Light Covers
Just like the inner walls, the lights under the range hood tend to get covered in a hazy film of grease and smoke that drastically dims how bright they are. You can usually unscrew the covers to clean them using a gentle scrub brush after letting them soak in warm, soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes. If the hood has tempered glass covers, you can run them through the dishwasher for an effortless way to strip away baked-on oil.
If you find yourself using the range hood every day, it may need more frequent deep cleaning. Don’t risk reducing the hood’s ventilation performance or grease buildup becoming a fire hazard. A skilled electrician can provide other cleaning tips to keep this kitchen component operating at its peak. If you have concerns or require kitchen hood exhaust cleaning services, contact AirCare Environmental Services in Canton, MA.
