Range hoods play an important role in cleaning smoke particles and eliminating hot gases and odors from the cooktop, thus keeping you and your family healthy. However, for a range hood to perform to its optimum capability, you must properly maintain and use it according to the stated specifications. One of the most vital maintenance is to clean the filter, which is tasked with removing smoke particles from the air. If not cleaned regularly, let us say every 3 months, it will be clogged with grease and this leads to higher power consumption since proper functionality of the range hood is impacted. This article gives a step-by-step guide on the best way to clean a range hood filter.
- Detach the Filter From the Range Hood
All range hoods have a filter located at the lower surface of the range hood, around the lighting area. Most of the filters are easy to remove and you can do that by just pushing it slightly in the upward direction. Just in case the filter is mounted to the range hood by use of screws, use a screw gun to remove the screws, something that should be very easy and simple.
- Place the Filter in a Large Sink, Pot or Bucket
After you have removed the filter, place it in a large sink, pot or a bucket. If you have a large sink, it should be idea since it is best cleaned if it is lying horizontally in the sink. However, if your sink is not big enough, do not panic. Dip the sink in a large pot or a bucket such that when you pour in the cleaning solution, the filter is fully immersed.
- Prepare the Cleaning Solution
Pour in some spoonful of baking soda in the sink, add some cleaning detergent and then pour in lots of boiling water into the sink and use a cooking stick to stir until the solution mixes evenly. Instead of a home cleaning detergent, you can use lemon juice or vinegar. Alternatively, you could go online and learn how to make an all-purpose cleaning solution so that you do not have to make the solution every time you clean the filters in the future.
- Soak for Some Few Minutes
Let the filter sit immersed in the solution for about 10 to 20 minutes. This allows the solution to act on the grease so that you do not have to scrub it so thoroughly. Solution molecules attach to the grease, making it lose and easy to remove. Most of the grease comes off the surface of the filter while it is soaking in the solution.
- Use a Brush to Scrub the Grease
Remove the filter from the hot solution using a stick then use a non-abrasive scrub brush to remove grease from the surface of the filter. This should be easy and simple since the grease debris has been loosened by the cleaning solution, while most of it has already come off.
- Clean the Filter in the Dishwasher
After all the grease debris has come off the surface of the filter, put the filter in the dishwasher and turn the hot cycle for pots and pans so that the sticky and oily grease left can be completely cleaned off the surface. However, before putting the filter in the dishwasher, ensure that you have scrubbed all the grease debris from the surface. If the scrub brush is not working, look for a stronger hard brush. This will prevent cross contaminating the dishwasher since this could affect its optimum performance and you do not want that.
- Leave it to Dry for Some Time
When it comes to drying your range hood filter, you should not be tempted to use a vacuum cleaner. The filter should be left to dry naturally on its own. This is because vacuuming the filter only moisturizes the filter without giving it time to dry completely. Allowing the filter to dry naturally removes all the water and thus prevents the possibility of growth of mold in the range hood. If you are in a hurry, you can use a soft dry cloth to wipe most of the water before leaving it to dry. After the filter is completely dry, mount it back into the range hood.
You will be amazed at just how well your range hood will perform after giving the filter a thorough cleaning. Your power bills will drastically come down since the range hood will no longer require blowing so hard. In addition, you will realize how clean the air in the kitchen will become and this will improve your health.