How to clean a kitchen hood

Wouldn’t it be great if your kitchen hood could always be efficient and last forever?

Cleaning and maintaining your kitchen hood is essential to keep it sparkling and ensure its optimal extraction capacity. In this article, I will explain how to clean it properly and what maintenance tasks are necessary.

Before diving into the topic, it's important to determine what type of hood is installed in your kitchen: do you have an extractor hood or a recirculating hood? This makes a big difference in the cleaning and maintenance process. (You'll find out more as you read!)

Keep reading as I explain:

  • How to thoroughly clean the external casing of your hood, depending on the materials
  • How to properly maintain the filters

Let’s get started! But first, an important note…

Why is it important to clean your kitchen hood regularly?

Many people believe that the sole function of a kitchen hood is to prevent smoke and odors from spreading in the house. In reality, its role has a significant impact on various aspects of daily life.

A kitchen hood, besides eliminating odors and smoke, is also crucial for our health and the safety of the cooking environment. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Health: The kitchen hood is designed to trap grease and cooking fumes, which may contain harmful substances. Depending on the type of cooking, these fumes can include harmful compounds such as acrolein, acrylamide, and PAHs. The hood helps prevent these substances from spreading throughout the kitchen. If the hood is not cleaned thoroughly and regularly, these pollutants can be released into the air and inhaled, leading to headaches, nausea, and respiratory irritation.
  • Safety: Poor cleaning of the kitchen hood can lead to grease buildup on its surface. If exposed to the flames from the stove, this grease could potentially cause a fire hazard.

It’s clear that regularly cleaning the hood is essential for maintaining clean and healthy air while also preventing unpleasant and dangerous incidents in the kitchen.

Cleaning the external surface of the kitchen hood

A quick tip before you start: Always remember to turn off the hood while cleaning it!

Cleaning a stainless steel hood:

If your hood is made of stainless steel, you can clean it using warm water and mild soap, following the direction of the metal grain.

For stubborn grease, avoid acids and abrasive sponges, as they could damage the surface. Instead, use a specific degreasing product designed for stainless steel.

Clean stainless steel hood
Clean a built-in hood in wooden cabinets

Cleaning a built-in hood in wooden cabinets

To clean the external wooden parts of a built-in hood, use a solution of warm water, a few drops of dish soap, and vinegar. This mixture effectively degreases the surface without damaging the wood.

Avoid abrasive or aggressive products and instead use a special wood-friendly degreaser.

Cleaning a glass kitchen hood:

If the external parts of your hood are glass, use a solution of water and mild soap.

For tougher stains, prepare a solution with one liter of water, one tablespoon of vinegar, and one tablespoon of lemon juice.

Again, avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive sponges to prevent scratching the glass.

Clean a glass kitchen hood

How often should you clean your kitchen hood?

The cleaning frequency for a kitchen hood depends on several factors, including:

  • How often you use it
  • The type of food you cook
  • The hood’s power and efficiency

In general, I recommend cleaning the external surface once or twice a week to prevent grease and dirt from accumulating and to maintain hygiene in your kitchen.

When it comes to grease filters or activated carbon filters, we’ll discuss how to maintain them in the next section.

How to Clean Kitchen Hood Filters

When it comes to maintaining the internal components of your kitchen hood, specifically the filters, it is essential to distinguish between extractor hood and recirculating hood. In short:

  • Extractor hoods use grease filters to capture fumes, odors, and harmful substances before venting the air outside through a duct system.
  • Recirculating hoods, also equipped with grease filters, do not expel the air outside. Instead, they purify it using activated carbon filters before recirculating it back into the kitchen.

Understanding what type of hood you have in your kitchen helps determine the correct maintenance process to keep it clean and fully functional. Let's go into detail about how to clean the filters.

1 - Cleaning Grease Filters (for both Extractor and Recirculating Hoods)

Grease filters are present in both extractor and recirculating hoods, and since they serve as the first barrier against kitchen fumes, regular cleaning is essential—about every 2 months. This prevents grease buildup that could block the mesh structure and reduce suction efficiency.

Follow these steps:

  1. Remove the grease filter from the hood.
  2. Wash the filter:
    • By hand: Soak it for about 30 minutes in a solution of warm water and vinegar or spray a degreaser over the surface. Using a sponge, gently clean the entire surface without applying too much pressure to avoid damaging the mesh. Then, rinse it thoroughly under warm running water.
    • In the dishwasher: Place the filter in the upper rack and run an intensive wash cycle.
  3. Dry the filter with a microfiber cloth.
  4. Reinstall the filter in the hood.

Read the in-depth guide on how to degrease grease filters>>

-->Note: If, after removing and cleaning the grease filters, you notice that they are yellowed, damaged, or still dirty despite cleaning, it's best to replace them with new filters.

2 - Cleaning Activated Carbon Filters (for Recirculating Hoods Only)

If your hood is recirculating, in addition to cleaning the grease filters, you also need to maintain the activated carbon filters, which purify the air before recirculating it into the kitchen.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Standard activated carbon filters cannot be washed and must be replaced approximately every six months.
  • A clear indicator that the filters need replacing is the presence of unpleasant odors in the air being recirculated.

There is also a special type of regenerable activated carbon filter called Long-Life filters. These filters require a higher initial investment but can be regenerated using a specific cleaning process, making them a cost-effective long-term solution.

You can find both standard and regenerable activated carbon filters at FiltroCappa.

Cleaning the Internal Surface of the Hood

While cleaning the hood filters, it is also good practice to check the internal surfaces and remove any grease buildup.

Clean the inside of the hood with a degreaser and a microfiber cloth, ensuring no detergent residues remain. Alternatively, you can use a cloth dampened with warm water, wringing it well before wiping the surface. Dry the surface completely before reinstalling the filters.

Regular internal cleaning ensures hygiene in the kitchen and prevents stubborn grease accumulation over time.

FiltroCappa: Assistance for Your Kitchen Hood

In this article, we've discussed how regularly cleaning your kitchen hood is essential for maintaining its functionality. We've also explained how to properly clean both grease and activated carbon filters.

If you notice any malfunctions in your hood and need expert advice, contact us. Through online assistance, I can help you identify the issue and recommend a solution.