How to Clean A Range Hood

If you cook at home often, chances are you own a range hood. These appliances, which can also be called wall hoods or island hoods depending on their placement, provide style and ventilation in your kitchen. They remove smoke, odors and greasy residue from the air in your cooking space to keep the air—and your cabinets—clean. They also probably don't get cleaned as often as they should. As range hoods trap grease and other food residue, improper cleaning (or not cleaning them at all) can potentially lead to a grease fire that can cause structural damage to your home. Giving your range hood a good scrub will keep you safe and maintain its ability to ventilate. Keeping your appliances clean will also make your kitchen look and smell better, too.

If you cook daily or near daily at home, you'll want to clean your range hood's filter monthly. Wiping down the exterior regularly will keep it clean and shiny while making it much easier when you do the occasional deep clean.

Learning how to clean a range hood will depend on what you have installed in your kitchen. There are certain variations of range hood styles that require slightly different cleaning methods. One of the main differences is whether your appliance features removable grates or removable mesh filters. Others have charcoal filters which need to be replaced periodically. If your appliance features a removable component, cleaning should be fairly simple. First, you'll need to remove the grate or filter so you can clean every side. From there, it's time to get scrubbing. If this is your first time learning how to clean a range hood, you're in luck; most of the items you need are probably already in your home.

What You'll Need:

• Warm water
• Dish soap
• A soft sponge or dish brush
• A clean towel
• Optional: vinegar

Once you've removed the grate or mesh filter, dilute some dishwashing detergent in warm water. Using a soft cloth or a sponge, wipe away the dirt, dust, grease and grime from your hood's filter. If you're having trouble with a particularly caked-on mess, don't turn to abrasive cleaners or harsh scrubbers; a mixture of vinegar and water should do the trick. Once the filtering component is clean, be sure to rinse it in warm water and gently dry with a clean, soft towel or microfiber cloth. Of course, many filters are also dishwasher safe; in that instance, you can simply place them on the bottom rack and run your dishwasher on the pots and pans cycle for clean, shiny grates.

Now that you've cleaned the filter component, it's time to tackle the body of the hood itself. While you or your dinner guests may not see this part of the appliance, keeping the interior of your hood is crucial to keep it working properly and prevent grease buildup that could potentially lead to a grease fire. A degreaser product is ideal to clean the interior because some food splatters will inevitably make their way past the filter and inside the appliance itself. Be sure to spray the solution on the paper towel or cloth you're using; do not spray directly into the appliance. Be sure to use a damp cloth to wipe away the degreaser once the degreaser has done its job. If the interior is fairly clean and you opt to simply use warm water, ring out the towel you're using as too much moisture can damage your appliance. Once you're done, wipe dry with a microfiber towel or soft cloth.

The exterior of your range hood should also be wiped down. Over time, grease, dust and other food residue will build up on the outside of your appliance. Tackling the filth layer by layer is a good strategy to ensure thorough cleaning. First, tackle the first layer by dry dusting the outside of the hood. Next, you'll want to wipe down the exterior. As with the grates, warm water with dish detergent is a great way to gently but effectively clean your ventilation system. For particularly sticky stains, a mixture of water and vinegar should do the trick. Again, avoid harsh or abrasive cleansers. A microfiber cloth works great on stainless steel, which is what most of these appliances are made of. Be sure to wipe following the grain.

If you've owned your range hood for years without cleaning it, the grease and food residue may be too far gone to properly remove without causing damage. In that case, visit our Glenview showroom or shop online to find a new ventilation solution for your kitchen. If you're looking for a particular product recommendation, call 800-860-3577 to speak with our kitchen appliance experts. If you'd like to learn more about these ventilating appliances, be sure to read our range hood buying guide.

You should always follow the manufacturer's guidelines, but it really depends on how often you are using the hood and the food you cook. If you cook daily, several times a day and your cooking consist of a lot of sauteing or frying, or extremely fragrant dishes, you should deep clean your hood at least once every month. Mesh filters or baffles should be cleaned daily or at least a couple times a week. If you cook daily but only occasionally cook greasy or highly fragrant dishes, a thorough cleaning once a month and a minimum of weekly mesh filter/baffle cleanings will keep your hood looking good. If you don't cook often and rarely use your hood, you can go longer without a thorough cleaning but should still clean the filters periodically depending on usage. We also recommend tainless steel cleaner wipes or sprays to help prevent grease buildup on the exterior between cleanings. This is especially true if you use your hood often: pay special attention to the walls and cabinets surrounding your range and hood, especially the upper cabinets surrounding the hood. If you see buildup on the hood, it is also on your surrounding cabinets so when you do your weekly or monthly thorough cleaning you may also want to do a quick wipe down of any surrounding surfaces.

Have you actually looked at how filthy your hood gets? Vent hoods are designed to ventilate your kitchen and remove smoke, steam, odors and heat as well as trap grease so that it doesn't build up on your kitchen cabinets, walls and appliances. If you use your vent hood but don't clean the filters or baffles, dirt, grease and odors will build up on the filter making it less effective. It also builds up on the surrounding surfaces of the hood including your walls and cabinets, over time you will notice a greasy film on your hood, backsplash, and cabinets that's almost impossible to remove depending on how long it's settled on the surfaces, along with a strong odor every time you turn on your hood. Regular cleaning will help prevent buildup and keep your hood running at peak performance

Every manufacturer is different, so you should always follow the manufacturer's guidelines for cleaning your specific model. A rule of thumb is to clean the filter/baffles using hot water for 15 to 30 minutes with any degreasing dish soap, baking soda and hot water, or an over-the-counter degreaser that is safe to use on stainless surfaces. If it's really caked on, you can soak your filters overnight in boiling hot water with dish soap and baking soda to help loosen the build-up. Some filters or baffles are dishwasher-safe so you can pop them in the dishwasher.