Professional tips for degreasing commercial range hoods

As a professional who uses a commercial kitchen range hood, you know that regularly cleaning and servicing it, as well as the entire ventilation system, will guarantee not only that your equipment lasts longer but also that you, your employees and your customers enjoy an environment that’s safe and healthy. What’s more, it will reduce the risk of fire in your kitchen.

In order to degrease your professional range hood effectively, you must follow a specific process and take a number of precautions. So how exactly should you go about it? Below are a few tips from the pros.

Preliminary steps

Before you begin the process of degreasing your range hood, you must prepare for it by doing the following:

• Turn off the electricity to the fan (this is a very important safety measure).
• Wear suitable protective gear. The various chemical products you’ll use can be caustic, resulting in severe injuries.
• Make sure to have all of the necessary cleaning products and equipment on hand.
• Protect everything around your range hood (cooking utensils and equipment, walls, etc.) using tarps and boxes.
• Cover electrical switches and outlets with adhesive tape.

The process of degreasing a professional range hood

This task consists of several different phases. Here are the main ones:

1. Start by removing the filters from the hood. Place them in warm water mixed with a liquid degreaser and let them soak for one or more hours. Next, use a soft cloth to wipe off any remaining greasy residue, rinse the filters with clean water and let them air-dry. If you have a contract with a company that supplies and services grease filters, you can also simply replace your dirty filters with clean ones.
2. Remove and clean the grease traps located on each side of the hood and soak them in warm water with degreasing detergent, just as you did with the filters. After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the trays, scrub off any remaining greasy residue and let them air-dry.
3. If the motor is located at the entrance to the ducts, remove it so that you can clean it thoroughly. In any event, whether the motor is at the entrance to the ducts, a ways inside the ducts or even on the roof, you must clean it using a special scraper, followed by a stainless steel scouring pad and degreaser.
4. Use a plastic scraper to remove any dried-on grease from the inside of the hood. Spray it with degreaser, wipe it down with a sponge to eliminate any greasy residue and then rinse with clean water. You can also use a mixture of liquid degreaser and warm water, a non-abrasive scouring pad and a soft brush or cloth to scrub the inside of the hood. Next, thoroughly wipe down all surfaces of the hood with a damp cloth to remove any remaining soap and chemical cleaners. Then dry everything off completely.
5. It’s important to scrub the outside of the commercial range hood the same way as you did the inside.
6. Polish the hood using a stainless steel polisher.
7. Replace the filters and grease traps.
8. Remove the tarps and other protective implements and gather up your materials.
9. Turn the power back on.

Antiflamme Purafiltre has been specializing in professional range hood cleaning for many years. You can count of these professionals to service, degrease and clean the hoods (inside and out), roof fans and ducts in your commercial or industrial kitchen in Montreal or the surrounding areas. They know all the steps and follow them to the letter in order to ensure optimal quality. So don’t hesitate to contact them to degrease your range hood.