The cooker hood must be kept clean at all times to effectively deal with unpleasant odors and fumes. Ideally, any hood should be cleaned at least once every two weeks, but this is not always possible. Therefore, in this article, we will tell you in what ways you can thoroughly clean the hood in the kitchen from fat, and you can choose the most optimal and convenient option for yourself.
Preparing the cooker hood for cleaning
First you need to disassemble it. This must be done according to the instructions that are attached to the product. Carefully remove all parts that have been damaged by plaque. If they are bolted, remove them and put them all together in a separate place so as not to lose.
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Sample instructions on how to prepare the hood for cleaning:
- It is necessary to unplug the power cord from the socket to de-energize the device until you do this - you cannot disassemble the hood.
- Follow the instructions to remove the grease grates by unscrewing the clips.
- Remove the air line. In some hoods, this cannot be done, in which case, simply clean the places that are available.
- Remove deposits and soot from the outside and inside of the appliance.
- Soak the filters in soapy water and wash with a hard sponge.
- Dry all parts and put them back together.
- Connect the hood to the mains, check it is working properly.
Folk remedies against fat plaque
There are several popular and proven ways to clean the hood from plaque and grease. The methods differ in the degree of complexity and in price, so each hostess will be able to choose the fastest and most convenient one for herself.
Can I wash with vinegar, lemon
Vinegar, in addition to its usual use for cooking and canning, is ideal for high-quality cleaning of the device from plaque. As an acid, vinegar undiluted effectively removes fat. How to use: Apply undiluted acetic acid to contaminated parts and leave for 15-20 minutes to act. After this time, wash off the remaining dirt with a sponge, rinse thoroughly with clean water and leave to dry.
Remember that you need to work with vinegar only with gloves and it is advisable to protect your face, as the vapors negatively affect the nasal mucosa. It is also better to use acetic acid rather than table vinegar - it is not as effective due to the low percentage (9% acid in table vinegar versus 70% in acetic acid).
Lemon or citric acid are also great for removing old grease from removable parts. You should apply undiluted lemon juice or acid to the elements, wait about the same time as in the vinegar method - about 20 minutes. Then remove any remaining dirt and rinse thoroughly with water.
Baking soda to fight grease on a hood over a kitchen stove
Soda is another fairly effective and budget-friendly way to clean hood screens.
What you need to do for this: fill any very spacious metal bowl / saucepan or other container with water 2/3 and put it on fire. After boiling, set the gas to a minimum, then add soda to the water at the rate of 1 cup per 5 liters of water. Do this carefully and take your time, as boiling water can boil when mixed with soda.
Then soak the filters in the liquid for 15-20 minutes. Plaque should begin to recede from the nets. If the dimensions do not allow keeping the filters completely in the container, immerse one by one on different sides, adding a little soda each time.
Take out the nets, clean them from the remaining dirt with a sponge and soap and wash thoroughly in warm water. Baking soda and water will help clean the hood filters of even the most stubborn fats.
How to clean with ammonia
It is guaranteed to clean everything it can. But remember that during and after cleaning you can have a strong unpleasant smell for a long time. ammonia, so take care of this in advance - open the windows and try to ventilate as much as possible premises.
The method of cleaning filters using ammonia:
- Take a roomy vessel;
- Pour water there and bring to a boil;
- After boiling, add ammonia in the proportion of 100 ml of alcohol to 5 liters of water;
- Soak the filters in this solution and keep for about an hour - and if the contamination is strong, it can be brought up to 2-3 hours. All this - with minimal fire;
- After the plaque begins to recede, rinse the filters with a sponge under warm water, cleaning them from the remnants of dirt.
Can I wash with laundry soap
Using soap is a fairly simple way to clean your hood. There are two ways to clean the grates with laundry soap.
- Rub a bar of soap into a container of warm water, dissolve and soak the grates in it.
- Rub the filters themselves with soap. Then take a large baking sheet, fill it with hot water and put the filter rubbed with soap into it. Keep it all for about 30-35 minutes. After a while, thoroughly clean the grease catchers with a sponge and rinse with water.
Steam cleaning
It is easy and simple to clean the hood with a steam generator. This is a special device that allows you to clean all accessible surfaces using steam at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius and above. They can clean not only the filters themselves, but also all available hood elements. Use a narrow brush attachment and fill the generator container with water. Separately, it is worth putting a bowl with soapy liquid in which you need to moisten the nozzle from time to time. Then start cleaning with the generator, carefully working on all the parts on which the plaque has settled. The steam cleaner not only cleans the hood efficiently, but also disinfects its surfaces.
A steam generator is a fairly inexpensive and effective cleaning device.
Special household chemicals for cleaning the grate (mesh), hood filter
If you are not satisfied with the use of folk remedies, and you want to clean the grilles of the hood from dirt when the help of modern chemicals, then special preparations based on formic acid. You can also use a concentrated dishwashing detergent: fill the grates with detergent, leave them for a while. When the dirt starts to come off, it is worth very carefully cleaning the elements and rinsing with warm water.
Also, for cleaning the elements, special products are suitable, designed for cleaning an electric or gas stove, oven, or specifically for a kitchen hood. Fill with the chosen agent filters previously stacked on top of each other in a basin or other roomy container, leave it all for a certain time (it should be indicated in the instructions for drug). After that, of course, thoroughly rinse the filters under water, cleaning them with a sponge or brush. For stubborn dirt, repeat the above steps again.
Extremists who want to remove grease from parts as quickly as possible can try using special agents for cleaning drain pipes (powders or gels). These funds are quite harmful to the human body, so use them as carefully as possible, following instructions, namely: depending on the consistency of the product, pour or cover the gratings with it, soak it all in water. Leave it on for a short amount of time. Then very thoroughly clean the remaining dirt under the water with a sponge or brush. Make sure that the product does not remain on the removable elements.
Remember that some strong remedies are made with hazardous acids or alkalis.
Also, use all possible protection when using such chemicals - wear rubber gloves, try not to get the funds on your face - on your skin or in your eyes.
Care features
Typically, the grease grate is made of aluminum or stainless steel. This mesh is reusable - it can be cleaned and reinserted repeatedly without any problems. But some models are equipped with disposable filters - carbon cassettes. In such cases, look for filters just behind the traps. Such devices do not need to be connected to ventilation.
What is the principle of such filters? In air recirculation (described in more detail in this article). The body of the device is usually made of plastic; activated carbon plays the role of an adsorbent. Such filters cannot be cleaned using the methods described above - you just need to change the insert. These filters are enough for moderate work for three months, with saturated - for one and a half to two.
We will also tell you about a little trick that will allow you to extend the life of your charcoal filters. After finishing cooking, leave the appliance to work for a few more minutes, during which time the charcoal granules will dry out and last longer.
How to properly wash the outer surface of the hood? This is just as important as cleaning the filters, because dirt and dust collects on the outside, and if add moisture and fat to them, you get a sticky mixture, which, when solidified, will be extremely difficult clear. It is advisable to monitor the cleanliness of external parts more often, since they will have to be cleaned of old dirt while standing on a stool, which is obviously not very convenient.
Pre-wet the surface of the hood with water. Treat it with a mixture of a tablespoon of dish detergent mixed in one glass of water. Leave it on for a short time to allow the mixture to dissolve the dirt. Make sure that liquid does not come into contact with other surfaces. After a certain period of time, clean the surface. For stubborn stains, you can gently use citric acid or strong stain removers.
After removing the solution from the surface, rinse thoroughly with clean water and wipe dry. Of course, we advise you to clean up dust and dirt as often as possible. This is not only a matter of convenience, but also of aesthetics - a dirty hood will look very sloppy.
How often to clean
As we said at the very beginning, the optimal cleaning schedule is once every two weeks. But sometimes it is not possible to carry out cleaning in such a routine - it depends on the load and on what food is most often prepared in the kitchen. If preference is given to fried food, then cleaning will have to be carried out a little more often due to the fact that frying shortens the life of the grease catchers.
Disposable filters should be replaced as they become dirty. It is even better if you purchase several replacement filters in advance for timely replacement. It is also convenient in the event that the manufacturer decides to suddenly discontinue production of your particular model of the device. If possible, simply immerse contaminated cleaning elements in the dishwasher. It is both effective and much more comfortable for you.
General cleaning of the kitchen should be done about once every three months.
Video: how to clean a kitchen hood
Remember that the service life of the cooker hood directly depends on the timely cleaning.
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