How to quickly clean a kitchen hood and its filter - 7 best ways

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The more often and better the hood works (it captures odors, combustion products, fumes and grease), the faster and more dirty its filter becomes. Over time, the grill becomes so clogged that its ventilation becomes minimal. Moreover, large deposits of fat can cause a fire.

• That is why you need to wash your hood at least once every 2-4 weeks. By the way, most modern models signal the need for cleaning through special sensors on the display. For example, this could be a lit grille icon or the letter “C” (on average, it is displayed every 60 hours of engine operation, but the frequency can be adjusted independently).

Luckily, cleaning your hood isn't that difficult, especially if you have a dishwasher.

In it, a dirty filter can be washed in 1 cycle at maximum time settings and a temperature of 60 degrees.

If you don’t have a dishwasher or if it couldn’t wash the filter of old grease (this happens often), then 7 simple but super-effective tricks from our article will help you out. We will also tell you how to properly clean the kitchen hood body itself from grease, dust and soot.

Preparation

Before you start cleaning, remove the filter from under the dome. First remove/lift the front panel of the hood, then remove the filter from the guides by releasing the latch. To prevent the filter and panel from falling down, hold them with your hand.

Method 2. How to clean a kitchen hood with a multi-year layer of grease with an anti-clog agent

This method is the most radical and is suitable only for the most advanced cases, when the hood has not been washed for several years.

Important! Equipment manufacturers do not recommend using this cleaning method more than 1-2 times during the entire service life, since the pipe cleaner is a caustic agent that can corrode the aluminum grate if the solution is left too long or used too often.

You will need:

For one large filter or two small ones, you will need 2-3 small packets of dry powder or about ½ cup of liquid declogging agent. Also prepare a baking sheet and boiling water. And, of course, don’t forget to wear rubber gloves and open the window!

Instructions:

1. Place the hood grate in a baking tray and fill it with boiling water/hot water (it should lightly cover the filter).
2. Sprinkle/pour the anti-clog agent evenly onto the filter. Keep it in the resulting foam for literally 5-10 minutes.

1. Rinse the filters several times under running water.

Effective cleaning products

When the parts of the hood are disassembled, you will need to start cleaning, but first you have to choose a product. In the process of work, it is allowed to use both specialized chemicals and folk methods proven over decades.

There are dozens of products on the market that effectively remove fat.

First, you need to pay attention to specialized chemicals, because they cope with greasy deposits in a few minutes, thanks to the caustic components they contain. You can find special cleaning products for exhaust systems on sale, but if they are not available, you can purchase an oven cleaner. They usually have a similar composition, so you don’t have to worry about the result.

Note! Regardless of what product is used to clean the hood, you will need to protect your hands with thick rubber gloves. Prolonged contact with tap water and chemicals can damage the skin, and even folk remedies for removing grease stains cannot be safe, since they are aimed at breaking down contaminants.

Table 1. Popular chemicals

Prices for popular kitchen surface cleaning products

Kitchen surface cleaners

Method 3. How to clean the hood grille with a grease remover (for difficult cases)

Another radical method of cleaning the hood is with a grease remover or oven cleaner. For example, it could be Bugi Shumanit, Bugi Giant, Sparkling Cauldron, Oven Cleaner from Amway and others. Don't forget to open the window and use rubber gloves!

Instructions:

1. Treat the hood filter with the product.
2. Place the grille in a bag (!) to prevent the pungent odor from spreading throughout the apartment.
3. After 10-15 minutes, wash the mesh as usual and rinse thoroughly.

Advice:

• If you have children or pets, it is better to use Amway oven cleaner, as it has almost no odor and works more efficiently than its analogues. True, it is sold only through brand dealers or in the company’s online store.

See also: How to clean a gas stove in 8 steps

Filter cleaning instructions

It is easy to wash the grease filter of the hood if you follow this procedure:

1. Prepare soft-bristled brushes, a towel, and cleaning agents.
2. Cover the stove and furniture with oilcloth to protect against splashes.
3. Disconnect the hood from the electrical network to protect yourself from electric shock.
4. Unfasten the locks that hold the grease filter and remove it from the structure.
5. Clean the hood filter using the chosen method, observing the correct ratio of ingredients in the cleaning solutions.
6. Rinse under hot running water; no particles of chemical compounds should remain on the mesh.
7. Dry the grille with a towel or naturally to prevent water from entering the electrical appliance.
8. Place the filter in its original position, having previously sanitized all accessible parts of the kitchen hood.

Method 4. How to boil a filter in a soda solution

Stubborn, old fat deposits on the kitchen hood filter can be removed with the same soda, but by boiling.

Instructions:

• Boil water in a large saucepan.
• Pour baking soda into boiling water: about 1 cup in a large saucepan, 1/2 cup in a medium one.
• When the soda dissolves, reduce the heat, place a filter in the solution and boil it for 10-15 minutes until the contaminants are loosened.
• Wash the pan as usual.

In this video you can clearly see how to wash the hood filter from grease using this popular method.

Reasons for filter contamination

The kitchen hood sucks in dirty air, soot and fumes.
The filter protects the internal surface of the device from small particles of fat that settle on the outside of the grille from entering the engine. The longer the ventilation runs, the more the filter mesh becomes clogged with a sticky oily layer with an unpleasant odor.

A carbon catcher is installed additionally in recirculation models. Absorbent in the form of granules or powder absorbs harmful and bad-smelling substances. If they accumulate, it is impossible to clean the hood's carbon filter; the cartridges need to be changed periodically.

Method 5. How to wash the hood with laundry soap

Laundry soap does an excellent job of removing grease, especially when combined with hot water.

Instructions:

1. Heat 2.5 liters of water in a saucepan/basin.
2. Grate half of the laundry soap (72%) on a medium grater and add to heated water.

1. When the soap has dissolved, remove the bowl from the heat, immerse the filter in it and leave to soak for 10-20 minutes.
2. Clean the grill as usual.

Adviсe:

• You can wipe the hood body with the same soap solution.
• To increase the effectiveness of the soap solution, add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to it.

Reviews from housewives

Olga, 40 years old. I try to keep my kitchen clean, but I don’t always have enough time. Boiling it in soda helps me deal with greasy dirt on a neglected hood. This method does not require effort, because cleansing occurs without my participation.

Maria, 52 years old. My husband suffers from bronchial asthma, so strong-smelling cleaning products are a no-no in our family. They are successfully replaced by soda paste. With its help, it is easy to remove grease and soot from the hood and stove.

Elena, 25 years old. I lead an environmentally friendly lifestyle, so I don’t use store-bought household chemicals. Instead of a grease remover, I use a mixture of soda and table vinegar. This composition quickly and effectively washes away fresh dirt.

Natalya Borisovna, 68 years old. The grandchildren love deep-fried pies and donuts. After preparing such dishes, the hood must be cleaned. Baking soda along with laundry soap helps me achieve cleanliness and save my pension. It is always in the house, and you can buy it for pennies.

How to clean the hood body

So, we figured out how to wash the grease filter, how to properly wash the hood body? After all, it also becomes covered with a persistent greasy coating, dust and soot.

In fact, all manufacturers prohibit washing the case with anything other than neutral products. It is strictly forbidden to use:

• Alcohol-based cleaners, and even more so solvents, as they can cause stainless steel or varnish to become dull.
• Use aggressive cleaning agents (scale dissolving agents, anti-clog agents, abrasive powders and pastes, fat solvents, chlorine, acids and soda).
• Use hard sponges and brushes.

What then remains? We recommend using dishwashing liquid or laundry soap. The main thing is to prevent moisture from getting inside the case, into the control panel and display.

Benefits of baking soda

Using baking soda to clean kitchen surfaces has its advantages:

• Availability. Sodium bicarbonate powder can be found in almost every home. And you can buy it at your nearest store.
• Low cost. The price for one pack does not exceed 20–30 rubles.
• High cleaning power: removes, among other things, old stains and stuck-on grease.
• Environmental friendliness. Even if particles of detergent remain on the surface, they will not cause harm to health.
• No odor (when using pure soda). In addition, sodium bicarbonate removes ingrained odors well and freshens the air.

Reference. There are two types of soda used in everyday life: baking soda (NaHCO3) and soda ash (Na2CO3). Both of them are suitable for cleaning kitchen hoods. The second option will cope better with heavy dirt, but will require more caution (use of gloves when working, eye protection, etc.).

Prevention Tips

• Try not to delay cleaning the filters, as grease tends to harden over time, after which it becomes difficult to wash it off.
• After cleaning the filters, you must reset the hood operating hours counter to zero. How to do this - read the instructions for your device.

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Preparatory stage

Before you start cleaning the hood, study the device passport and determine the elements that need to be dismantled . Grease filters can be disposable or reusable.

Disposable models are made of acrylic, padding polyester - the products cannot be cleaned, they must be replaced with new ones when they become dirty.

Clear the working area of ​​the stove from unnecessary objects, prepare a place for removable parts and disconnect the device from the power supply.

How to disassemble?

• Remove the grease gratings (they are attached to the main structure with bolts and clamps. In some cases, to remove the filters, you will need to remove the decorative strip).
• Hoods without an air duct are equipped with a carbon filter; this must also be removed and, if dirty, replaced.
• Disconnect the pipe that discharges exhaust air into the ventilation shaft, remove the air filter, if equipped.

Determine the degree of contamination of the device box and removable parts, select the optimal method for cleaning the device.

Preparing for cleaning

Cleaning the hood begins directly with preparation, namely unplugging and disassembling. It is necessary to perform step-by-step dismantling following the instructions.

First you need to move the fastening clips and remove the cover from the grooves. Some devices do not have covers, in which case you can immediately remove the filters; there may be two of them.

As for the pipe that leads to the ventilation hole, it can be dismantled if it is removable. Next, the air filter is removed.

Each stage must be accompanied by a complete cleaning of all parts. The pipe and grease filters can be soaked in a solution using baking soda and a degreasing agent.

It is important to know that not every air filter can be cleaned, so it is advisable to read the instructions for your kitchen appliance in advance.

Expert opinion

We recommend!

It is necessary to wash not only the parts from grease and other dirt, but also the surface itself. There is nothing complicated or incomprehensible about this; any detergent or kitchen sponge will do.

After finishing work, wipe the surface dry, avoiding the formation of streaks. As for cleaning the grate and mesh, you can experiment here using various recipes with sodium bicarbonate.

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