How do you clean a greasy range hood?
The kitchen is a temple for homemakers where they cook and spend most of their time. Though they try to keep it clean for healthy cooking and baking, some important appliances are often left uncleaned.
Yes, as the title says, we are talking about the range hood, which is mostly found greasy and dirty.
Well, without dragging on, let's read about range hoods and how you can clean yours with some simple steps.
Or check out the video below to learn how to clean your greasy range hood.
The Range Hood Is An Underrated Appliance
A range hood is an appliance that is underestimated, as it is seldomly taken care of. Due to the negligence in cleaning this important kitchen fan, you may receive some not-so-praising looks from the guests who are there on a surprise visit.
Basically, the oven hood is used to extract all the emitting smoke from the kitchenette. It works as an exhaust fan and drastically improves your air quality.
If it remains uncleaned, this can create smoke blockage due to the greasy stainless steel filters. The greasy range hood can also cause a smelly environment in your cooking area.
Is your range hood greasy? Don't worry! Check these handy tips to make your oven hood look brand-new.
How To Clean A Greasy Range Hood
Take a look at our list of ingredients to clean your stove hood.
Ingredients You Need To Do The Job
First and foremost, keep all the necessary tools and essential elements near you without which, of course, you can't scrub away the grease, dirt, or marks. For example:
- Hot Or Boiling Water
- Baking Soda
- Gloves
- Vinegar solution (as a cleaning spray)
- Degreasing soap (you can use detergent or any other soap of your choice) or kitchen degreaser
- Dust brush cleaner (with soft bristles)
- Scrubbing brush (with strong bristles)
- Kitchen towel, or dishcloth
Now check out the procedure!
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1. Eliminate The Dry Layers Of Dust
Start your ‘range hood cleanliness’ task with dusting.
For this, get a dust brush cleaner and eliminate all the dry, dusty particles from the surface. The best cleaning brushes reach the delicate and narrow places, corners, and outer edges of the Range Hood, for efficient cleaning.
Pro-Tip: Before dusting the cooking hood's inner and outer roof, place a cloth on the stove so the dirt and debris don't fall inside.
Related: How To Clean Matte Paint Walls Like A Pro
2. Wipe The Outside Of Range Hood
You might have heard a proverb, "the first impression is the last impression," which is true even when we are talking about your home.
The first look always captures the outer appearance. So, if your cooking hood is muddy and dirty from outside, how can you satisfy yourself with only its functionality?
So, wiping out the outside of the oven hood is important.
For this:
- Mix soap with the warm water to make a foamy liquid.
- Rub the surfaces with the scrubbing brush and soap
- For a more polished look, wipe out the remaining dirt particles with the help of a kitchen towel.
Pro-Tip: You can also use a vinegar solution if there are tough, sticky, and greasy particles. Just spray it over the place and clean the outer side of the exhaust hood.
3. Rub The Stains Away That Reside Under The Hood
Cleaning the stains and marks from inside is, undoubtedly, a careful act while dealing with the kitchen hood. The filters can be sharp, not to mention when you wipe out the inside, you’re pretty close to its electrical components.
Thankfully, your filters can be taken out with ease.
- For this, first, wear gloves to protect your hands from chemicals.
- Mix the baking soda with water and also keep the degreasing soap near you.
- Just soak the scrub brush in the liquidized soap and scuff the inner area effortlessly.
- Remove the filter for a deeper clean.
Pro-Tip: Baking soda neutralizes the acidic compounds and breaks the grease stuck on the place. That's why, for better results: apply its paste to the concerned areas, leave it for half an hour, and as an outcome, enjoy a crystal shine on your range hood.
4. Detach The Filter From Range Hood & Clean It
Many people don't remove hood filters before scouring. But, we recommend detaching it before cleaning the inner side of the range hood.
However, if your exhaust hood doesn't need deep cleaning, then it's okay to take out the filter after cleaning the interior.
Speaking of the filters, they absolutely need to be cleaned so the polluted air can vent outside your home efficiently.
Follow the steps outlined below:
- Wipe off the large debris stuck in your filter with a towel or scrubby sponge.
- Then, soak it into the water-filled sink or tub for around 15-20 minutes.
- Rub the range hood filter gently with the help of a scrub brush by soaking it in a mixture of water and 1/4th baking soda.
- Rinse the hood off again with warm water and let it dry for some time.
- Then, spray a vinegar solution on the filter and clean it with a towel or microfiber cloth.
Sometimes, your filter will need to be washed multiple times. But you can simply repeat this process. Even if your filters don’t come out squeaky clean, removing most of the large debris and tough grease will make cleaning easier down the road.
5. Keep A Mandatory Check On Your Vent/Duct
The vent or duct is the long pipe that is installed right above the cooking range that connects to the oven hood. It helps to exhaust out all the strong smells and heavy smoke.
You might not have checked its internal condition for years where grease and grime might have made a living.
Just grab a flashlight, hop on a ladder, and remove your vent cap on your ductwork. Check for debris. On finding out the presence of smut, call a local contractor or duct cleaning professional to clean it so it can perform better in the future.
Pro Tip: Clean your range hood filters and your range hood every three to six weeks to keep your range hood duct in great condition. With consistent maintenance, you should never need to clean your ductwork!
Can I extend my range hood to the ceiling? Does that make it impossible to clean?
You can extend your range hood to the ceiling, even if you have a tall ceiling. You don’t need to clean your entire chimney consistently. The range hood will suck all the greasy air out of your kitchen before it reaches your chimney.
The most important areas to clean are your range hood filters, the inside of your hood, and the outside of your hood.
Recap
Hopefully, you are now well-versed in the techniques to overcome greasiness on your ventilation hood. All you need to do now is to fold up your sleeves, gather all your materials, and start cleaning! Trust us, your friends and family will appreciate it!
Thanks to Wardee W. for this guest post.