One of the most challenging kitchen cleaning jobs is dealing with the accumulated grease and dirt in extractor fan filters. The filters are essential yet frequently forgotten when it comes to routine cleaning schedules. These grease filters serve a crucial function in stopping grease marks and vapours from reaching the extraction vents, which can create problems if they become blocked.
To revitalise your cooker hood filters and restore their shine, sustainability expert Kate, recognised as @my_plastic_free_home on Instagram, recommends using natural bleach, alternatively known as sodium percarbonate. This environmentally-friendly cleaner stays effective for several hours before breaking down into oxygen, water, and sodium carbonate when combined with water, reports the Mirror.
She states: “Natural bleach (aka sodium percarbonate) has so many uses and I can’t wait to show you how easy it is to remove that disgusting, greasy buildup on your extractor fan filters.
“Just add one tablespoon to hot water, leave for a few hours whilst it’s active and watch it work its magic.”
In her video, Kate starts by showing her followers the extractor fan filters covered with brown grease stains.
She subsequently positions them in the sink with hot water and sprinkles one tablespoon of natural bleach over them.
Sodium percarbonate becomes effective when it meets warm or hot water. When it comes into contact with water, it releases oxygen that was trapped within the peroxide.
This creates a fizzing reaction that eliminates stains, dirt, grime, and bacteria.
After a soaking period, the water in the sink had turned cloudy and contained floating bits of grease that had been extracted from the filters.
She explained: “The dirt lifts so easily. You don’t even need to scrub them. Just rinse them off and they’ll be perfectly clean again.”
Sodium percarbonate is an alkaline substance that helps break down and dissolve grease and oil-based stains, making it perfect for tackling greasy extractor fan filters.
Apart from its grease-busting properties, this environmentally-friendly cleaning product is excellent for keeping laundry naturally white by preventing fabric from turning grey through limescale build-up.
