Regular cleaning of the hood components from fatty deposits ensures efficient operation of the equipment, facilitates the maintenance of furniture and the kitchen area as a whole. So, let's figure out how to clean the hood in the kitchen.

1. Preparing the hood for cleaning

Complete and thorough cleaning of the exhaust equipment is carried out after preliminary preparation, during which the following must be done:

  1. Read the hood operating manual. It contains recommendations for disassembling the structure, a diagram of the equipment, and maintenance tips.
  2. Disconnect the device from the power supply.
  3. Remove the bottom panel, behind which the filters and motors are hidden.
  4. Remove the filter.
  5. Disassemble the pipe between the ventilation duct and the hood.
  6. Assess how dirty the outside of the device is.

At the preparatory stage, it is recommended to wash each part with a degreasing cleaning agent using a hard sponge.

Popular hoods with filter replacement indicator

2. Cleaning methods using improvised means

The dirtiest element in the hood is the filter, since it is through it that the air passes, leaving traces of fat.

Filters for kitchen hoods are divided into two types:

  • Fat(grate made of anodized aluminum, galvanized or stainless steel, metal alloy, and even acrylic);
  • Carbon(a replaceable filter in the form of a cassette containing activated carbon for additional purification).

Carbon filters are usually installed on hoods if they operate in recirculation mode, without air exhaust into the ventilation shaft. They are not reusable and are thrown away as they become dirty. We will talk about how to tidy up the grease filter, which is installed by default in any hood operating in air exhaust mode.

In the dishwasher

The easiest way to clean a grease filter is to wash it in a dishwasher. You can do this procedure quite often. It will save your hands from the harmful effects of chemicals, save time, and allow you to constantly maintain the filter in good condition.

If you don't have a dishwasher, or the rack doesn't fit, the good old manual method will come to the rescue, using a variety of different cleaning agents - from synthetic to natural.

Dishwashing liquid

If you take care of your kitchen appliances regularly, about once a month or two, the procedure will not take much time and will not get on your nerves, and regular dishwashing detergent will be enough for cleaning. Liquid or gel detergents contain relatively safe chemicals that dissolve fats and dirt, so they easily cope with fresh stains.

Cleaning is performed in three steps:

  1. The detergent is dissolved in warm water, and the filter is placed in the solution.
  2. Clean with a sponge or brush until shiny.
  3. Rinse with boiling water and wipe with a napkin.

With soda

You can try to solve the problem of how to clean the hood using soda by following these steps:

  1. Select a container that matches the size of the filter, fill it with water and put it on the fire.
  2. Slowly pour half a glass of soda into boiling water.
  3. After a minute or two, insert the grate.
  4. After half an hour, remove and rinse with running water.

With laundry soap

The next safe and effective method is laundry soap. The procedure is similar to the previous method, but has its own nuances:

  1. Approximately 50 grams of soap (half of a standard bar) with a high percentage of fat is grated and placed in a container, such as a saucepan.
  2. Pour 2.5 liters of water into a container, add 50 grams of salt and soda and stir until completely dissolved.
  3. The grate is placed in the solution and boiled for 2–3 hours.
  4. After cooling, the filter is cleaned with a hard sponge and rinsed.

With lemon juice

There is another way to clean the hood from fat. Rub the filter with lemon and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the juice should eat away the fat, and it will be easily removed with a napkin. You can repeat the procedure 2-3 times.

Coca-Cola

And, of course, you can use a popular and universal household remedy - Coca-Cola. The drink is used to descale a kettle, iron, wash out greasy stains from clothes, and also wash filters. Success is ensured by the properties of orthophosphoric acid. The procedure is very simple:

  1. Place the filter in the container.
  2. Pour Coca-Cola so that it covers the part completely.
  3. Leave for an hour.
  4. Clean with a sponge.
  5. Rinse with running water.

With acetic acid or vinegar

The filter is moistened with the product using a napkin, and after 15-20 minutes the layer of dirt and grease is cleaned off with a metal sponge and rag.

Popular hoods with stainless steel filter

3. Radical cleaning methods

If none of the above methods using improvised means have produced a clean grate without any traces of grease or dirt, it is worth resorting to more aggressive chemicals.

Household chemicals

Among the products containing active chemical components that cope well with the fatty layer, the following should be highlighted:

  • Ammonia. If you boil the filter in 4 liters of boiling water with 100 mg of ammonia added for 10-15 minutes, the oldest fatty deposits will come off. The main thing is not to forget to wash the grate after the procedure.
  • Liquid drain cleaner, commonly known as "Mole". Pour the liquid into the container, lower the filter, hold for 10 minutes, clean and rinse.
  • Dry "Mole". The grate, placed in a container, is sprinkled with powder and filled with boiling water. A reaction will occur within 10 minutes, corroding the fat. Then the part must be thoroughly rinsed with water.
Important! Aggressive cleaning agents are dangerous to health, so before cleaning the hood filter from grease, open the window, put on rubber gloves and a respirator. After the procedure, carefully pour the solution into the toilet.

Store-bought chemicals, along with fat, can corrode the thin metal elements that make up the filter grid. Therefore, thorough cleaning should only be done in very advanced cases and no more than twice during the entire period of using the hood.

Steam cleaning

Another effective, although somewhat extravagant method for tech who do not like to work with their hands and are used to quickly solving difficult problems is a steam cleaner with a point nozzle. The steam has a temperature of over 150 degrees Celsius and removes grease and dirt in a matter of seconds. The unit itself is not cheap, but such an investment pays off quite quickly, because it can be used to clean not only kitchen utensils, but also plumbing, since steam is also an excellent disinfectant.

Popular steam cleaners

4. Pollution prevention

As you know, it is easier to prevent any problem than to look for solutions later. Therefore, to save yourself from long and numerous experiments on how to clean the hood from fat, it is better to listen to several recommendations from experienced housewives:

  • To make cleaning easier, remove any grease splashes from the grate surface immediately after cooking.
  • Fat particles also settle on other components of the hood - the body, the pipe. As practice shows, they are easily put in order with simple dishwashing detergents.

In each home, the hood is used with different intensity, and the models differ, so each housewife finds her own cleaning product that allows her to maintain perfect cleanliness in the kitchen without unnecessary hassle.