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Clean the range hood's metal grease filters about once a month if you cook most days: pull them out, soak them in very hot water with a degreasing dish soap or a little baking soda, scrub gently, rinse, dry, and slide them back. A filter that is saturated with grease stops catching more, lets grease into the fan and duct, and is itself fuel a few inches above the burners.
The hood is the kitchen's exhaust system. Its filter is the part you can maintain in twenty minutes; the fan and the duct behind it are what the filter protects.
Why does a greasy filter matter?
A greasy filter matters for two reasons: airflow and fire. Grease-clogged mesh lets less air through, so the hood removes less steam, smoke, and combustion gas and the cabinets and ceiling take the grease instead. And grease on the mesh, the fan, and the duct is flammable; a flare-up on the range can light it, and a duct fire spreads out of sight. Cleaning the filter is the cheapest kitchen fire prevention there is.
What do you need?
A sink or a tub large enough to lay the filters flat, very hot water, a degreasing dish soap or a scoop of baking soda, a soft brush, and towels for drying. For a recirculating hood, a replacement charcoal filter in the size the manual gives. Nothing abrasive and no oven cleaner on aluminum mesh; it pits and discolors the metal.
- A sink, tub, or large baking sheet with sides
- Degreasing dish soap, or baking soda for a stronger soak
- A soft brush (a dish brush or an old toothbrush)
- Towels or a rack to dry the filters flat
- Replacement charcoal filter, if the hood recirculates
What are the steps?
Turn the hood off, release the filters (most have a spring latch or a tab to slide), soak them in hot soapy water until the grease loosens, brush both faces gently, rinse in hot water, let them dry completely, wipe the hood's inside surfaces and the fan housing you can reach, and replace the filters the right way round. Then note the date.
- Turn the hood and its light off. Let the surfaces cool if you have just cooked.
- Release each filter. Look for a latch, a tab, or a small lever at the front edge; push it and the filter drops down. Note which way it faces.
- Fill the sink with the hottest water the tap gives and add the dish soap, or a few tablespoons of baking soda for a heavier grease load. Lay the filters flat and let them soak for ten to fifteen minutes. Done when: the water looks cloudy and the grease feels loose.
- Brush both faces gently along the mesh. Do not scrub hard; the mesh bends and the layers separate.
- Rinse under hot water until it runs clear. Repeat the soak if the mesh is still tacky.
- Dry the filters fully, flat on a towel or a rack. A damp filter back in the hood collects dust that turns into paste.
- While they dry, wipe the underside of the hood, the inside of the filter cavity, and the fan blades you can reach with a degreaser-dampened cloth. Do not spray anything into the motor.
- For a recirculating hood, check the charcoal filter behind the mesh and replace it on the manual's schedule; it cannot be washed.
- Replace the mesh filters facing the way they came out and confirm the latches click. Run the hood and feel for air at the filter face. Done when: the hood pulls a paper towel against the mesh.
When should you stop and call a pro?
Call an appliance technician if the fan is loud, wobbles, or pulls weakly with clean filters, if the light or the fan switch fails, or if you smell burning when the hood runs. Call an HVAC or duct cleaning company to clean the duct itself if grease drips from the hood or the exterior cap is coated; that job is above the ceiling. Do not disassemble the fan housing beyond what the manual shows.
A hood that vents into the attic or a wall cavity instead of outdoors, which happens in some new homes, is a builder item and a moisture and fire hazard; check the termination once, the same way you check the bath fan ducts.
What should you record?
Record the cleaning date, whether the filters came clean or need replacing, and the charcoal filter's part number and change date if the hood recirculates. Set the monthly clean as a recurring task next to the dishwasher filter; the two are the same twenty minutes.
Common questions
Can the filters go in the dishwasher?
Many aluminum mesh filters can, on a normal cycle, and the manual will say. Aluminum can discolor in some detergents, which is cosmetic. Charcoal filters from a recirculating hood cannot be washed at all; they are replaced.
How often should the filter be cleaned?
Monthly if you cook most days, especially with oil or on a gas range; every two or three months for lighter use. If the mesh looks brown or feels tacky, it is overdue. A hood that seems to pull less air than it used to is usually a full filter, not a failing fan.
Does the hood actually need to vent outside?
A ducted hood that vents outdoors removes heat, moisture, and combustion gases as well as grease, and is the better design. A recirculating hood only traps grease and some odor with a charcoal filter and sends the air back into the kitchen. If yours recirculates, keep both filters fresh and run the fan whenever the burners are on.
What should you do next?
Clean the filters this weekend and set the reminder. The other two kitchen jobs of the same size are the dishwasher filter and the garbage disposal; together they are one afternoon a month and they end most kitchen smells.
