How To Clean An Indoor Range Hood
Cleaning your kitchen is a chore that you either love or loathe. However you feel about it, it needs to be done. Most kitchens have a range hood nowadays, it is this area of the kitchen that is often overlooked or avoided.
It can be a daunting task to climb up to clean the range hood, but it is a task that is necessary. Not only because it is far more hygienic to keep it clean, but it can also help to increase the longevity of your appliance.
Let's look at how often you should clean your range hood and how to clean all aspects of the range hood effectively.
How Often To Clean Your Range Hood
How often you should clean this part of your kitchen? The answer depends on how often you use your range and the hood.
If you are someone who uses your stove to cook for your family on a regular basis, you should be cleaning your range hood once a month. However, if you rarely cook in your kitchen, you should be able to get away with seasonal cleaning.
If you cook semi-regularly and aren’t sure if you can get away with cleaning your hood on a seasonal basis, clean it every 30 hours of cooking or every two months.
Cleaning The Outside Of The Hood
The first step in cleaning your range hood is to clean the outside of the hood. There is no particular reason to begin here other than it is the easiest and can help you get into the swing of things better. Below, we have outlined the steps for cleaning the outside of the hood.
Select An Appropriate Cleaner
When you are cleaning your range hood, you don’t want to damage the finish of the material. Therefore, it is important that you select a cleaning product that is suitable for the type of material you are cleaning.
Range hoods can be made from a multitude of materials so it is important to check what your hood is made of before you begin cleaning.
If you have a vinyl range hood, an all-purpose cleaner should work well. Alternatively, you can use warm soapy water for this material. Warm soapy water is the safest bet if your range hood is made from stainless steel. For a copper hood, you should use a special copper cleaning solution.
Wipe The Outside Of The Hood
If you are using a spray cleaner, spray the product generously over the outside of your range hood. Use a soft cleaning cloth to wipe the surface and remove any grease or dust from the hood.
If you are using warm soapy water, soak a soft cleaning cloth in the solution and wipe it over the surface of the range hood. Remember to rinse the cloth regularly, especially if your hood is particularly greasy or dirty.
Dry The Hood
Once you have removed the grease and dust from the outside of the hood, you should wipe it down with a dry cloth or some paper towels. If the material your hood is made from has an obvious grain, you should wipe in this direction for a more polished finish.
Cleaning Underneath The Hood
Cleaning the underside of the hood is an important part of maintaining your range hood. This helps to keep the mechanics of the extractor working properly.
Steam If Necessary
Remove the filters to get a good look at the underside of the hood. If it looks like it will be difficult to clean because of thick grease or grime, you should steam it first. This will loosen the dirt and make it easier to clean.
Simply fill a large pot with water until it is ¾ full. Bring the water to a boil on the range and leave it uncovered. Keep the water boiling for at least half an hour to loosen the dirt. Wait for the stovetop to cool before you begin cleaning the underside of the hood.
Test-Spray The Inside
If the grime has required steaming or you know that your regular cleaning solution won’t be able to handle it, you can use a harsher degreaser. However, you should do a test spray on an inconspicuous area to make sure that the chemicals don’t have an adverse effect on the material.
Spray And Wipe
Once you have established an appropriate cleaning solution for the underside of your hood, you can spray the cleaner onto the material and begin wiping it with a soft cloth. If you are using harsh chemicals make sure you have plenty of ventilation. You can even turn on the extractor fan while you are cleaning.
Remove Residue
Once you have cleaned the underside of the hood, make sure that you remove any cleaning residue from the surface. You can do it with a damp cloth or paper towels. Leaving cleaning residue can smell and damage the finish of the hood.
If you need a good kitchen degreaser, check out this article on our favorite ones. Trust me, we have tried a few around here.
Cleaning The Filters
When cleaning the range hood, you should also clean the filters. This is something that might require more frequent cleaning if you cook often.
Remove The Filters
The first step in cleaning the filters is to remove them from the hood. You will have already done this if you have just cleaned the outside and inside of the hood.
Replace Fabric And Charcoal Filters
If your filters are fabric or charcoal, you don’t have to go through the process of cleaning them, simply replace them with new ones when they get dirty or clogged. You should wipe the frame over before installing new filters.
Soak Metal Filters
If you have metal filters, you will have to clean them. You can do this by soaking them in warm, soapy water. If you don’t have a sink or bowl big enough to totally submerge them, you can use your bathtub or soak one end and then the other.
Once they have soaked for a while, scrub them with a soft nylon brush to dislodge the remaining dirt. You should dry the filters completely before re-installing them into your range hood.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your range hood can feel like a daunting task, especially if you haven’t done it for a while. Taking it step by step can make it easier, and maintaining a regular cleaning schedule can make it a shorter task.