How to Clean a Kitchen Exhaust Fan In Your Home In 7 Easy Steps
If you've ever cleaned your kitchen exhaust fan or hired a professional house cleaner in Melbourne, you know it's not for the faint of heart. It's dirty and greasy, requiring much more elbow grease than most other cleaning jobs around your house. It's not just about cleaning the blades and the vents but also about ensuring that the motor is in good working condition.
But don't worry! We've got you covered with these tips and tricks to make this task easier for you to ensure your exhaust fan is clean, safe, and ready to use.
Cooking is one of life's great joys. Unfortunately, it can also be one of life's great smells. If you've been trapped in a room with someone cooking something you don't like, you know what we mean.
So how do you get rid of those nasty odours? You clean your kitchen exhaust fan!
The kitchen exhaust fan is a crucial part of any home. It's essential for keeping your kitchen clean and free from odours and helps ensure that your home stays healthy.
Cleaning your kitchen exhaust fan once every couple of months will keep your kitchen smelling fresh and ensure that the air in your home stays clean. It doesn't have to take long, and it's easy to do once you know how.
Here are seven steps to cleaning a kitchen exhaust fan in your home to make your kitchen smell fresh again!
What You'll Need
Instructions
1. Switch off the kitchen exhaust fan
Before you clean any kitchen exhaust fan, you must turn it off and unplug it first to avoid any injuries. No matter how serious the situation is, never take the chance of harming your hand in an attempt to clean and remove the exhaust fan's grease.
If the fan is plugged into a wall outlet, unplug it after turning it off. Additionally, you have the option of turning off the electricity in the entire kitchen.
2. Check the exhaust fan blades
Ensure that the blades of your kitchen exhaust fan are freely moving before you begin the cleaning process. You should check on the blades if you haven't turned on the fan in a while.
You might also need to thoroughly grease the exhaust fan blades if they need to move smoothly. Otherwise, cleaning the grease off your exhaust fan's efficiency will be fine.
3. Clean the kitchen exhaust fan filter hoods
After ensuring the fan blades are working, it's time to remove the filter hoods and clean them. The dust and debris frequently hamper the exhaust fan's blades and smooth operation of the filter. Ensure you regularly wash this area to prevent grease from accumulating and dripping.
Before you start cleaning, wear gloves first as protection from much grease and dirt. A mixture of hot water and dish soap can wash the filter hood. When spraying the DIY cleaning solution, wait a bit before cleaning the filter hood with a soft cloth or rag.
With a soft cloth, scrub the interior and exterior of the kitchen exhaust hood to prevent the buildup of gunk and grease that can result in fire dangers.
4. Clean the exhaust fan filter
Filters capture grease, dust, and other pollutants in kitchen exhaust fans. If not cleaned frequently, these kitchen exhaust fan filters can quickly develop a layer of thick, oily residue and lose their efficiency.
Remove these filters and immerse them in a hot water solution to release the grease. After soaking, they can be cleaned with a nylon scrub brush or dish sponge to remove any leftover residue.
5. Clean the exhaust fan blades
Never spray cleaning solution directly into your kitchen exhaust dan when cleaning the fan blades. You should keep the electrical parts dry when performing maintenance.
Always scrub using a cloth dipped in the solution rather than spraying cleaner straight onto filthy spots to prevent unintended dampness in the appliance.
6. Clean the kitchen exhaust fan
You can gently spray your exhaust fan with soapy water made of hot water and dish soap. Depending on how much grease has accumulated on the exhaust fan, the appropriate amount of liquid should be sprayed.
After spraying the cleaning solution on the exhaust fan, wait a few minutes before rinsing it. Allow the soapy water to settle for a few minutes. The cleaning solution would dissolve the greasy grime on your fan during this period.
7. Wipe the exhaust fan and let it dry
When the liquid does its job, gently wipe your exhaust fan with a fresh cloth or towel. Even though degreasing fans with warm water and dish soap rarely necessitates repeated attempts, you might try again if the initial results could be better.
Allow your exhaust fan to dry completely before turning it back on. While the appliance is still wet, you want to avoid transmitting any energy.
Reassembling your unit is necessary once every component is dry. Before connecting the unit back in, filters and traps must be reinserted.
Enjoy a Fresh-Smelling Kitchen!
There you have it! You now know how to clean a kitchen exhaust fan in your house in seven easy steps. It's essential to clean it regularly to ensure that your kitchen exhaust fan stays in good working order and doesn't need to be replaced. It will ensure that the fan can adequately remove odours from your kitchen and keep them from lingering.
If you have an exhaust fan in your house older than ten years, it's time for a change anyway, so give your home a fresh start by replacing it with a new one. And with our ultimate how-to-clean a kitchen guide, you'll be able to tackle any mess confidently and leave your kitchen sparkling!
FAQs
When do you need to clean your kitchen exhaust fan?
The kitchen exhaust fan is critical to your home's ventilation system, but it can get dirty. You'll know your kitchen exhaust fan needs cleaning when you see dust and other particles collecting on the blades or if the air smells bad or like smoke.
You should also properly clean the fan when:
- It starts making a lot of noise, which means the motor is getting old and needs replacing.
- You notice that you have to turn it on more than usual to eliminate some odours in the kitchen.
- If you've had any plumbing work done recently, there could be dust or residue inside the ductwork that has now been released into the air with each use of the kitchen exhaust fan.
How often do you clean the kitchen exhaust fan?
As advised by the experts, you should clean your kitchen exhaust fan every six months. Aim for once every three to four months if you frequently cook. A charcoal filter on your kitchen exhaust fan cannot be cleaned. You may have a professional inspect your kitchen exhaust fan once a year to protect your safety.
Why do you need to clean your kitchen exhaust fan?
It's essential to have a clean exhaust fan for various reasons. An unclean exhaust fan can cause moisture buildup in your ductwork, which leads to mould and mildew growth. It can lead to health problems for both humans and pets.
An unclean exhaust fan will reduce airflow through your ductwork, which means that your air conditioner or furnace has to work harder for each degree it cools or heats your home, which means higher energy bills.
Dirt and debris on the fan blades will cause them to wear down more quickly than they would otherwise, and when they wear out, they have to be replaced at great expense.
