How to Deep Clean a Greasy Range Hood and Filter

That Cleaning Girl · Deep Cleaning

The range hood is the hardest-working, least-cleaned thing in most kitchens. It catches grease every time you cook, and most people never look underneath it. If you just tackled your cabinets with How to Get Sticky Grease Off Kitchen Cabinets, the hood is the source of a lot of that grease, so clean it next and the cabinets will stay cleaner longer.

Why the range hood matters

A range hood pulls up steam, smoke and grease from the stove. The metal mesh or baffle filter traps the grease before it gets into the fan and ductwork. When the filter gets clogged, the fan can't pull air as well, smells hang around longer and more grease lands on your cabinets. A heavily coated filter can also drip. And grease buildup near a heat source is never a great idea, so a clean hood is a safer hood.

Most people don't realize how dirty their filter is until they pull it out. In homes that cook a lot, it's common to find the mesh so coated that light barely passes through it. That's not a failure on anyone's part. The filter is doing exactly what it was built to do, and it just needs emptying now and then, the same way a vacuum bag does.

Before you start, gather what you'll need:

• A sink, bucket or large pot big enough for the filter.
• Very hot water from the tap or a kettle.
• Degreasing dish soap and baking soda.
• A soft brush or an old toothbrush, plus a non-scratch pad.
• Microfiber cloths, gloves and a step stool.

Step 1: Remove the filter

Turn off the hood and the stove and make sure everything is cool. Most filters pop out with a small latch or a tab; some slide out. Check your manual if you're not sure. Note which way it goes back in. If your hood has charcoal filters (common on hoods that recirculate instead of venting outside), those can't be washed and simply get replaced.

Step 2: The soak

Fill the sink with the hottest water you can safely handle and add a good squirt of degreasing dish soap and a few spoonfuls of baking soda. Stir it up and lower the filter in so it's fully covered. Let it soak for fifteen to thirty minutes. You'll often see the water turn cloudy and brown as the grease lets go.

After soaking, scrub gently with a soft brush, working along the mesh rather than across it. Rinse with hot water and check it against the light. If spots are still clogged, repeat the soak. Let the filter dry completely before putting it back.

Step 3: The hood itself

While the filter soaks, clean the hood. Start with the underside, which is usually the greasiest part and the easiest to forget. Wipe it with a cloth wrung out in hot soapy water, rinse the cloth often and keep going until it comes away clean. For baked-on spots, use a little baking soda paste and a non-scratch pad.

Then do the outside. Stainless steel hoods look best when you wipe with the grain and buff dry. Painted or enamel hoods just need soap, water and a dry cloth. Don't forget the buttons or controls, which collect a sticky layer of their own, and the light covers, which can get so coated the bulb looks dim.

Step 4: Don't skip the wall and cabinets

The backsplash behind the stove and the cabinets on either side of the hood catch everything the hood misses. Wipe them while you're there with the same warm soapy water. If you clean the hood but leave the wall, the kitchen will still look greasy.

How often to clean it

It depends on how you cook. A household that fries, sears and cooks every night needs to clean the filter more often than one that mostly microwaves. A rough guide:

• Heavy home cooking: soak the filter about once a month.
• Average cooking: every two to three months.
• Light cooking: a few times a year, and at every deep clean.
• The hood surface: a quick wipe once a week, especially the underside.

Signs it's overdue

Not sure when it was last cleaned? A few signs tell you:

• The filter looks dark or feels tacky to the touch.
• Cooking smells linger long after dinner.
• The fan sounds louder or seems to pull less air.
• You see drips forming on the underside of the hood.
• The cabinets beside the stove get sticky again quickly after you clean them.

If you've never cleaned the filter before, the first soak may take two or three rounds. That's normal. After that, regular cleaning keeps the job short, and each soak takes less effort than the last.

A small job with a big payoff

Cleaning the range hood takes less than an hour, most of which is just soaking. The payoff is a kitchen that smells fresher, cabinets that stay clean longer and a fan that does its job. It's one of the first things we tackle in kitchens here in Ellis County and the south DFW area. To see the full list of what's covered, visit our deep cleaning services page.