How to clean a Range Hood

So, you have a great range hood in your kitchen. It’s quiet. It’s stylish. It’s exactly what you need to direct all that odor, grease, and smoke out of your home. You love cooking, right? It’s inevitable that your beautiful range hood is going to start to look a little grimy after a while. You have to admit that you hate cleaning your range hood. You must still do it, of course or you can also call a trusted hood cleaning company. But you will grumble all the way through the chore. The worst part is the amount of elbow grease required to scrub it clean. Even then you found that the grease would just smear rather than wipe off.

If you find yourself in the same boat, don’t worry. There is a solution!

Filter your Range Hood

If your range hood is equipped with a filter, cleaning it will be very easy. All you need is water, a pot, and baking soda. Follow these steps:

• Remove the filter.
• Add water to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add ½ cup of baking soda. (Add 1 tablespoon at a time, otherwise it will boil over and create an even bigger mess!)
• Carefully place the filter in the hot water.

The grease will begin to slough off before your eyes. You can repeat this process if the filter is heavily caked in grease. Remove the filter from the hot water and rinse under cool running water. Let the filter air dry for several hours or overnight.

Degrease your Range Hood

Some range hoods don’t have filters. Instead, they come with grease guards that come apart easily. The best way to remove the build-up on this style of hood is to wipe it down thoroughly with a degreaser. Make your own degreaser by mixing water and baking soda into a paste. Or you can buy a degreaser and use that instead. You’ll find degreasing products in stores that sell household cleaners. Before purchasing any of the possible brands available out there, make sure that you take a moment to read through the cleaning instructions that should have come with your range hood. If you don’t have that information, and you’re not sure what material your range hood is made from, you should err on the side of caution. Look for a 100% natural degreaser that will be gentle on all materials. Heavy-duty or abrasive cleaners might end up ruining the finish of your range hood. It’s best to stay far away from those!

Wipe your Range Hood

So, you’ve done a great job removing all of that built-up grease on the inside of your range hood. Now, you’ll need to turn your attention to the exterior parts. During regular use, a range hood will become warm enough to attract dust and grease splatters that miss being vented outdoors. Simply wiping the exterior areas with a damp cloth just won’t work. So, grab that degreaser you used for the grease guards and spray some on the outer parts as well and clean your range hood. After you’ve degreased, wash the surface with water and a very gentle soap. Dry thoroughly. You’re doe! Once you’ve tried using a degreaser as your first plan of action, you’ll never dread cleaning the range hood again.