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How To Clean a Greasy Range Hood Filter

updated 2 days ago

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(Image credit: Cat Meschia)

When was the last time you peeked underneath your stove’s hood and checked out the exhaust fan filters? If it’s been awhile or you’ve, um, never done this, let me warn you: it’s not going to be pretty. The purpose of a range hood filter is to collect grease, so if it’s doing its job correctly, it’s going to look and feel, well, greasy.

Over time, the the filter may become so blocked with grease and ickiness that it loses its effectiveness, which is why it’s important to clean these filters periodically.

Thankfully, cleaning them isn’t hard at all!

(Image credit: The Kitchn)

This tutorial shows how to clean the filter in your sink with just boiling water, baking soda, and a good de-greasing dish soap. (I prefer Dawn .) Some hood filters can actually be washed in the dishwasher, but depending on how long it’s been since you’ve cleaned yours, I wouldn’t recommend that without at least cleaning them this way first. (You don’t want too much grease to end up in your dishwasher!)

So, let’s de-grease those filters now, shall we?

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Remove the filters from the hood :

How To Clean a Greasy Range Hood Filter

What You Need

• Very hot or boiling water
• Degreasing dish soap (Dawn works very well)
• Baking soda
• Non-abrasive scrub brush
• Paper towels or dish cloth

Instructions

1. Remove the filters from the hood :
2. Fill a sink or bucket with boiling water :
3. Pour in baking soda and dish soap :
4. Put greasy filters in water : Submerge your greasy exhaust fan filters into the water. Make sure they’re completely covered.
5. Let them soak : Allow the filters to soak for 10 minutes.
6. Scrub the filters: After soaking, take a non-abrasive scrub brush and scrub the filters. Add more dish soap to your brush if required while you scrub.
7. Rinse and dry: Rinse the filters thoroughly in hot water and dry with a paper towel or clean cloth.
8. Replace the filters and repeat as needed: Put the filters back into the hood, and repeat as needed! Cleaning the filters once a month is a good maintenance strategy.

Cambria Bold

Contributor

Cambria was an editor for both Apartment Therapy and The Kitchn for eight years, from 2008 through 2016.

Source : food