Everything Including the Kitchen Sink: Working With General Contractors

Most commercial kitchens are required to have some type of exhaust hood, meaning a special vent above the stovetop that pulls up hot air and pushes it outside the building. This keeps the kitchen cool and can also help to control the risk of fire, as the exhaust hood can deprive a fire of oxygen and cause it to burn out more quickly. Note that a commercial exhaust hood is more than just a vent, as it typically has a fan that pulls air into the hood and also has a filter for keeping out grease and condensation. Note a few tips for cleaning your commercial exhaust hood so it's in good working order at all times.

Clean the grease receptacle properly

An exhaust hood should have grease receptacles that slide out of the side of the hood for easy cleaning. However, don't make the mistake of thinking a quick wipe with a wet rag is enough to clean these; you need to soak them in hot water and a grease-cutting detergent to get them thoroughly clean. They also need to dry completely in order to avoid having any grease catch in water droplets that are left over. Use a grease cutter to clean around the area that holds these receptacles before replacing them. Even if the hood looks clean, warm water just isn't enough to get these receptacles and their holders thoroughly clean.

Put the filters through a dishwasher

The filters in the vent hood are usually very dirty, with grease and other residue trapped on all sides. A grease-cutting detergent may not be enough to get these clean, but most are strong enough to go through a dishwasher. The heat and steam from the dishwasher can ensure that all the small parts of the filter are thoroughly clean. This will ensure it's working as it should to trap grease and keep it from entering the vent hood itself.

Use plastic scrapers

A vent hood is usually made of lightweight aluminum so that it doesn't put too much weight or stress on your kitchen's ceiling, but the lighter weight of aluminum makes it easy to damage the metal. Always use plastic scrapers, never metal scrapers, when cleaning the inside or cover of the hood. This will help to avoid nicks and scratches in the metal that can allow bacteria and other contaminants to build up and damage your vent hood over time.