The Importance of Cleaning a Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Hood

Restaurants across the nation are as busy as ever, turning out burgers, grilled chicken, french fries, you name it. As the saying goes, if you feed them, they will come! But in order to keep a restaurant safe and popular, it has to be maintained a high level of cleanliness. One area that is often overlooked is cleaning the interior of the commercial kitchen exhaust hood over the ranges, fryers, and grills. While the visible exterior gets scrubbed and shined up, the interior can be accumulating grease, gunk, and grime. 

Why is a Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Hood Necessary?

A commercial kitchen exhaust hood is installed over cooking areas to reduce steam, smoke, and odors in the kitchen. A fan draws the heat up through ductwork and safely outside through a vent.

When hundreds of meals are being cooked daily, that steam and smoke will hover in the air till it became unbearable; not to mention it would drift into the dining area eventually.  Exhaust systems keep the air clear and fresh.

Why Is It Important to Keep the Exhaust System Clean?

As important as it is for the outside of the exhaust hood to look nice and clean for inspections, keeping the inside clean is even more important for several reasons.

• Makes the unit run more efficiently
• Prevents grease fires 
• Keeps you in good standing with health regulations and insurance liability 
• Keeps you in good standing with customers ( no one likes a dirty atmosphere to eat in!)

How Do You Clean a Commercial Exhaust Hood?

The interior walls and mechanisms of the exhaust unit collect grease and debris over time and require cleaning about four times a year in the average restaurant. Those that use solid fuels should be cleaned even more often.

Make sure EVERYTHING (related to stoves, grills, etc.) is turned off and has had time to cool down before you get started.

Grab some rubber gloves and a degreaser solution, and let's go!

• Filters - Filters are the first thing you'll come to inside your exhaust hood. Push up, slide them out for easier cleaning, and remove any spacers along the edges as well. Scrub off the majority of the debris with a brush or scouring pad, and then run them through the dishwasher if they fit. They can also be soaked in the sink a few hours before scrubbing if the grime is excessive.                                 
• Grease Trap - On the sides of the hood, there are grease traps. These collect any grease that runs down the inside of the unit. You'll want to carefully remove them and properly dispose of the grease they contain. Soak the traps if necessary, and scrub clean.
• Fans - Your hood may have one or more fans in it; take off the protective covers and unscrew the fan heads. Clean them as you have done with the other parts.   
• Hood - Give the empty interior a good cleaning, and then do the same with the exterior. Use a non-abrasive scouring pad to prevent scuffs on the surface.

Now it's time to reassemble everything!

What About the Ductwork?

Yes, unfortunately, the ducts get messy too in the process of running a restaurant. Restaurant exhaust ducts require some special care, however, and are hard to access for cleaning by hand. After you have thoroughly de-greased the exhaust hood, you may want to call a professional to come to inspect the ductwork. 

Who Can You Call for Help?

If you're worried about grease accumulating in your commercial kitchen exhaust system, contact the professionals at Midwest Duct Cleaning Services today! We've been serving the Kansas City area since 1986, and we'd be happy to give you a free quote!