How to Remove a Range Hood Filter
If you’ve recently bought a range hood, you might be wondering how to remove a range hood filter. After three to six weeks, you need to remove your range hood filter to clean it. Otherwise, heavy grease and dirt produced from your cooking accumulate in the baffles. If this goes unchecked, your range hood will not run efficiently. The grease will block the smoke and cooking exhaust from leaving your home.
The grease builds up quickly and accumulates inside your blower and ductwork. This is way more maintenance than you want to deal with.
Before cleaning, it’s important to take out the range hood filter carefully.
Here’s how in three simple steps – or you can check out the short video below.
1. Lift the back of the range hood filter up, inside the vent hood.
Some range hoods have handles on the baffle filters, but not all.
If your range hood filter has handles, grip them and lift the filter inside the vent hood.
If your hood doesn’t have handles, use two hands to carefully lift the filter.
2. Slide the range hood filter to the back of the hood.
Once you’ve lifted the baffle or mesh filter, slide it to the back of the hood. Be gentle. You don’t want to scratch the back of your range hood.
Do not try to hold the baffle filter from its sides. There is not much space inside the vent hood; you don’t want to injure your hands or wrists.
Also, it’s difficult to see what you’re holding on the inside of the range hood. The edges of the filter may be sharp and you don’t want to get cut.
3. Angle the front edge downward and remove the filter.
With your range hood filter all the way to the back, tilt the front edge downward and lift it out of the hood.
That’s it! You’re done!
In the video, the stainless steel baffle filter has a protective plastic film on the inside. It’s important to take this off for your hood to run efficiently. Our customers often forget to take this plastic film off. But, there’s no need to keep it on. It’s for protection during shipping.
So, when you first insert your range hood filters, remove this plastic covering.
After you're done you just need to put them back in. Here's a short video on how to insert baffle filters. Some hoods have grease trays that you insert before filters.
Tackle even the toughest kitchen grease with these best degreaser sprays.
How to Remove a Charcoal Filter
Charcoal filters, unlike baffle and mesh filters, need to be replaced about every 120 to 150 hours of cooking. Charcoal filters sit inside ductless range hoods. They neutralize strong odors and cooking exhaust as it travels inside your range hood. After the cooking exhaust passes through the hood filters, it recirculates back into the home.
But, you can’t clean them. They become caked with grease and lose their effectiveness after a few months. Here’s how to take out your charcoal filter from your vent hood.
1. Remove your baffle filters from your range hood.
You can do this in three simple steps. Carefully lift the stainless steel baffle filter and slide it to the back of your vent hood. Then remove it with the front edge first. Don’t grip the filter on its sides or where you can’t see what you’re doing. They may be sharp.
If you missed our section on how to take out your range hood filter, check it out above.
2. Locate the blower and unscrew the plastic housing.
Plastic housing protects the range hood blower inside the hood. It’s bolted into the stainless steel. Look for the side covers that protect the fan blades. Right inside these covers, you’ll find the charcoal filters.
3. Remove the filter from inside the plastic housing of the blower.
Now, all you need to do is take out the greasy charcoal filter. To keep everything clean, you can soak the cover in soap and water if you’d like. Then, rinse and dry it.
4. Replace with a new and improved charcoal filter.
With a clean blower cover, you’re ready to replace the filter. Set it inside the blower before screwing the cover back on.
5. Screw the side cover back onto the blower.
6. Insert your filters back into the range hood.
To place your filters back in your vent hood, set them into your range hood with the bottom facing up. Use the handles to make this process easy.
How to Clean Range Hood Filters
After removing your baffle filters, the next step is to clean them. Here are six quick ways to clean your range hood filters.
1. Dishwasher detergent and warm water
One easy hands-free method to clean your filters involves dishwasher detergent or dish soap and warm water. Dish detergent and warm water help break down the grease and baked-on food on your filters.
Plug your sink with a drain, fill it up with warm water, add the dish detergent, and set your filters inside. If you own a large range hood, they won’t be big enough to submerge entirely, so just rotate the filter.
Let it sit in the water for 15 to 20 minutes before you rinse and dry the filter.
If the range hood filter is still dirty, don’t worry. Repeat the process with clean water or leave it in the water for 15 to 20 more minutes.
You can also combine this method with the other four methods coming up.
2. Kitchen Degreaser
You can also use a kitchen degreaser to clean a greasy filter. A cleaning solution like Fantastik, Krud Kutter, or Goo Gone is the way to go.
We broke down the best of the best degreasers we have found on the market today, complete with pros and cons. Check out that article here.
3. Dish soap and hot or boiling water
When using boiling water, you have to be careful. But it can be incredibly effective at cutting tough grease from baffle filters. Pour a little boiling water over the grease filter and scrub the affected area. You won’t need to use boiling water and dish soap for the whole filter – only the most difficult areas.
Warm or hot water works well, too. Be sure to soak the filter for a few minutes longer than you would with boiling water.
4. Scrub brush and dish soap
If you're more hands-on and want to get that grease filter squeaky clean, use a scrub brush. Paired with a degreasing dish soap (like this one from Amazon), you’ll cut through all the grease in no time.
Be sure to scrub both sides of the filters and get in between the baffles so you can ensure that they are completely clean.
5. Baking soda and water
Baking soda and water is an effective deep cleaning method to tackle tough grease on your filters. To cut grease from one area of your filter, just sprinkle the baking soda on the filter, then use a scrub brush with some dish soap to clean the filter.
If you want to soak your filters in baking soda and water, we have an amazing method for you here.
6. Dishwasher
If you are in a hurry, set your filters in the dishwasher for a quick and convenient clean. But, make sure they are dishwasher-safe first. Stainless steel baffle filters and mesh filters are safe for your dishwasher. Aluminum filters should be safe, too, but it depends on the quality.
Check with your range hood manufacturer to see if your aluminum filters are dishwasher safe.
For a more in-depth guide on cleaning your range hood filters, click here.
Or, if you need to replace your charcoal filters, check out this article for more information.
How to Remove a Range Hood Grease Tray
Some range hoods have grease trays that require cleaning every one to three months, depending on your cooking style.
The grease tray is located in the back of your range hood. To remove it, first, remove the filters. Then, lift the grease tray from the back of the range hood.
You may have spacers in the way of the tray that sit on the edges of the hood. If so, remove these first before taking out the grease tray.
Check out the video below to see how we remove a grease tray from our PLJW 109.48 range hood.
Recap
Hopefully, you were able to take out and clean your range hood filters with ease. You’ll either remove baffle or mesh filters that require cleaning, or charcoal filters, which need to be replaced. For replacement charcoal filters, click here.