How To Clean Your Range Hood's Filter And Get Rid Of All That Grease Buildup
Keeping a kitchen clean? It's like facing a flurry of never-ending tennis balls from a particularly malicious machine. Range hood filters are just one more kitchen item that deserves your precious attention. These grease-catchers relentlessly collect pollutants while cooking, and too much buildup is a recipe for poor efficiency and heightened fire risk. Fortunately, grease removal is pretty easy: Simply leave the filter to soak in a mixture of boiling water, dishwashing liquid and baking soda.
The easiest place to do this is in the sink, where you have the most space to clean the removable filters. Leave the filter to soak for between 15 and 60 minutes, and voila, the magic happens in your absence. Dishwashing liquid creates a high-alkaline environment through a careful concoction of chemicals. Its high pH is perfect for emulsifying fat, while its surfactants simultaneously lift grease. Baking soda is the cherry on top, with mild abrasiveness and another injection of alkalinity to remove buildup.
These filters have an unfair reputation as one of the worst kitchen items to clean, but with this strategy, it's simple. When pre-soaked, all it takes is a light scrub to leave filters sparkling-new. Gently use a nylon brush for the best results; the soft bristles are perfect for dislodging anything that's lingering. Rinse, dry, and replace. Job done.
How often should you clean range hood filters?
Let's be brutally honest — range hood filters are the part of your kitchen you should probably start cleaning more. It might be easy to remember to clean worktops and splashbacks, but dare to peek upwards, and you might recoil in disgust. These filters quickly accrue a thick layer of reddish-brown grime. Despite being one of the places you might not think to clean in your kitchen, there is a sweet spot: Clean your filter at least once a month.
Out of the general line of sight shouldn't mean out of mind, especially since grease buildup is flammable. Remember that monthly cleaning is the standard; it's better to clean filters immediately after heavy usage, like Thanksgiving dinners. It sounds intense, but for regular cleaners, there are hacks to speed up the process. When washed frequently, these filters aren't as greasy and don't require the same intensity of soaking.
The final piece of potentially good news? Many stainless steel (and occasionally aluminum) range hood filters are dishwasher-safe. With tablets that don't contain chlorine bleach, it's possible to clean mildly dirty filters in a long or heavy-duty cycle.