How to Clean an Exhaust Hood

Cleaning your exhaust hood restores it to its original shine and increases its efficiency. Grease and soil can build up under the hood, drawn by the exhaust fan into this hard to reach area. A dirty hood can drip grease onto the stove below, adding to your cleaning chores as well as becoming a safety hazard. Cleaning the hood both inside and out on a regular basis with soap and degreaser gives a fresh touch to the whole kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Dish soap
• Nylon scrubbing pads
• Cleaning rags
• Scrub brush
• Rubber gloves
• Degreaser
• Hot water
• Newspaper
• Stainless steel or metal polish

Instructions

1. Turn light and fan switches off and allow the light bulbs to cool. Remove the bulbs and set them aside. In hoods with a filter screen, remove the screen and soak it in hot water and dish soap.

2. Turn off all stove top pilot lights, if any. Place newspaper on the stove top and surrounding counters to catch drips and splatters.

3. Start with the outside upper surface of the hood. Wearing rubber gloves, soak your scrubbing sponge in hot soapy water and spray with degreaser. Wipe the surface in small circles, working from top to bottom, being careful of drips. Repeat scrubbing with the sponge on stubborn grease spots, rinsing your sponge often.

4. Scrub the inside surface of the hood, also cleaning the fan blades and surrounding area, being careful of sharp edges and electrical connections. Cleaning down and out from the top center, scrub to the edges, cleaning the gutters last. Spray gutters and other hard to remove grease spots with degreaser and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Use care cleaning the area near the light socket.

5. Carefully clean the light bulb with a wet soapy rag, dry and replace. Clean the filter screen using a scrub brush, degreaser and hot soapy water. Rinse it in hot water. Dry and place it back in the hood.

6. Buff the hood surface with a dry rag and stainless steel or metal polish to restore the shine and luster.

7. Remove the newspaper and clean any spots on the stove top or counters. Relight pilot lights if needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray the degreaser directly on the sponge to eliminate runoff and drips.

• Take care in turning off and relighting any pilot lights on the stove top.

• Keep the fan turned off.

• Be careful of your balance when reaching up into the hood. Place step stools or ladders on dry floor. Use mats if floor is slippery.

• Adequate ventilation is required when working with degreasers.

References

• Michigan Exhaust Hood Cleaning, Restaurant and Industrial
• Kitchen Exhaust Hood and Equipment Cleaning