Cleaning a Kitchen Exhaust System, in Steps

Kitchen ventilation systems work wonders for homemakers, chefs, and cooking enthusiasts everywhere. However, these systems require maintenance, cleaning, and attention in order to continue running smoothly at all times.

Fortunately, it is not so difficult to do these things. The process of cleaning an exhaust system can be performed as follows:

The first part of the cleaning process is to clean the hood itself. Although this is less important than cleaning the fan and filters, a clean filter is a nice place to get started and carries a cosmetic touch to it.
To clean the exhaust hood itself, remove the filter first. The filter will contain the most grease and buildup of any portion of your exhaust hood system. Each hood’s process for removing the filter will vary, so consult your manual or manufacturer on how to remove yours.
Returning to the hood—mix together a solution of water, dish soap, and ammonia. This mixture will be sure to fight through the tough grease built up on your hood.
Scrub the interior and exterior of the hood with this solution. Then, leave it to dry. Be sure not to use soap with bleach, as this does not mix well with ammonia.
Assuming you already removed the filter above, you should now clean it. The easiest trick to clean it is to use your dishwasher. Make sure that the filter is the only item in the entire dishwasher, set the washer’s heat to its highest available setting, and let it run.
An alternative way to clean the filter is to soak it overnight in a solution of water and ammonia. Yet another way would be to melt the grease buildup off—as you can see, there are many ways to get the job done.
The final step will be to clean your hood system’s fan. If it is removable, take it apart from the rest of the hood before proceeding.
Use the same mixture of soap, water, and ammonia to wipe down the blades of the fan. This will eliminate all sorts of buildup on the fan.
Oil the fan’s bearings so that it will run more smoothly. Wipe off any extra oil buildup as you go.
You are all done—enjoy a better functioning hood than before.

For all your kitchen ventilation system needs, visit HoodMart online. We’re your one-stop hood shop, and if you have any questions, our trained professionals are ready to take all of your questions! Pay us a visit today.