Cooking releases a lot of smoke, grease and particles that can make your kitchen sticky in the long run. If you cook, you must be well-acquainted with the importance of a well-functioning stove range hood. A range hood sucks anything unnecessary in the kitchen and coughs it out so your kitchen can be smoke-free and squeaky clean.
However, it can get sticky and dirty from all the oil buildup and clogged pipelines with heavy use. Hence, it needs maintenance and regular cleaning for proper functioning. Doing so increases efficiency and also its lifespan.
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How to clean your range hood?
Did you know Americans spend 400 hours of their time in the kitchen every year? While that doesn’t seem like a vast number, it is more than an hour of cooking every day. You need a stove range hood to let out all that smoke to avoid suffocation while cooking.
You can implement the following tips to keep your range hood clean and working like a charm.
Clean the Range Hood surface
You can clean the range hood’s surface with a cleaning spray. Use a degreaser if the surface is too sticky and has stains. Now, spray the entire surface and wait 10 minutes for the dirt to dissolve. Then take a soft scrub or sponge to scrub gently in round movements.
Pro-tip: Turn off your hood to avoid shock while cleaning. Also, cover the lights and electrical components using newspaper scraps and tape.
Clean the Air Filter
The air filter sucks in smoke and pushes it outside your kitchen. It will naturally get dirty with all the cleaning regularly. Remove the air filter from the hood and soak it in a bucket filled with a degreasing solution for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also add baking soda for a thorough cleaning.
Once the water solution turns dirty, take a cleaning brush (pick a soft one to avoid scratches) and rub off any remains. Wash the filter with warm, soapy water. Put it back once it is completely dry. For charcoal filters, it’s best to replace them annually or when it loses their efficacy.
Check the vent and duct
Often, grease can get stuck to the vent if you do oil-based cooking. In such situations, the range hood will have an airflow restriction and extract smoke or oil particles ineffectively. It may also lead to possible fire hazards and suffocation.
Since you cannot clean the inside of the vent yourself, you must immediately call a cleaning professional.
Clean the fan blades
The fan blades of your range hood pick up dirt and grease quickly. This puts additional pressure on the motor and will probably lead to burnout. So, use soapy water, ammonia-added water, and scrub to wipe the blades.
Clean the fan blades every 4-5 weeks, and you will always have a smooth and efficient motor. However, clean the blower wheel if the motor is acting up despite a clean fan blade. If the problem persists, you most likely need to replace the motor.
Wrapping up
While a lot of stove range hoods come with an auto-clean function, you must keep a check on the filters and vent from time to time. Preventive measures go a long way to extend the health of your range hood.
A good old soapy water mixed with ammonia and scrubbing will do the needful while cleaning the blades and air filters. You can also put them in the dishwasher as long as they’re dishwasher-safe. Check the user manual if that’s safe.
Further, don’t forget that air vent because that’s how you will save yourself from a fire. If you follow the above steps regularly, rest assured that you will enjoy cooking much more.
