Christmas is only a few weeks away, and it’s important to ensure your kitchen is prepared for the big day. One of the most neglected areas to clean is extractor fans.
Extractor fan filters above the stove are designed to remove smoke and steam while cooking, but they can become a hotspot for bacteria, food particles, and grease stains.
When extractor fans are not cleaned regularly, they can not only make a kitchen smell awful and be ineffective at filtering smoke, but if left too long, they can also become a major fire hazard.
However, do not worry if your filters have not been cleaned in a long time. Eric, an expert from Proline Rangehoods, has shared that you can give them a deep clean in “just 10 minutes.”
Eric said: “If you neglect cleaning your filters, hand washing may be your only option. The dishwasher might not be able to get your filters as clean as you’d like. They may need a deep clean to cut through all the grease and grime.”
How to clean an extractor fan in 10 minutes
Cleaning extractor fans can be tricky if grease has been allowed to build up, as this fatty stain is tough to remove without scrubbing at it for ages.
However, one of the best ways to cut through grease naturally is to use baking soda as it is alkaline, which can naturally dissolve acidic grease, so it becomes much easier to clean.
Washing liquid is also incredibly effective because it contains surfactants, which are designed to break grease into smaller droplets so water can quickly rinse them away.
You will need
- 240g of baking soda
- Dawn dish soap (or any washing up liquid)
- Warm water
- Sponge (do not use a coarse brush as it will scratch the surface)
- Dishcloth
Method
To begin, remove the filters from the stove’s hood. This might be difficult, but fan filters have been designed to come off easily for cleaning.
Eric said: “Most filters should easily slide or pop out of the underside of the hood. If you have honeycomb filters, you will usually find a metal loop to push the filter up and slide it out.
“If you have baffle filters, simply lift the back of the filter, move it to the back of your hood, and slide the filter out with the front edge first.”
Next, fill the sink with hot water, only about a third of the way full, as the grease will be much messier to deal with if the water is overflowing.
Add the baking soda and a few squirts of dish soap to the water then mix until you see bubbles.
Submerge your filters in the water and gently begin to wash them lightly with a sponge. Do not worry if the grease stains do not come off at this point; scrubbing them now should simply help loosen the stains.
Leave the filters to soak for 10 minutes, as the baking soda and washing-up liquid will need time to break down the grease.
Only once the time is up should you thoroughly wash the filters. Make sure to wash them in a circular motion, and the grease stains should be quickly removed.
Rinse the filters with clean water and dry them with a dish towel. Once you are sure the filters are completely dry, put them back into the fan.
Your extractor fan will be spick and span through the rest of winter, so you can enjoy the holidays knowing every inch of your stove has been properly cleaned.
Eric said: “After you’re done cleaning, put a reminder on your calendar to clean your range hood filters again in one to three months. It will keep your exhaust hood working properly for years to come.”
