The kitchen hood is of great importance, especially on a functional level. Cleaning the cooker hood and its filters is an operation to be programmed on a constant basis, to maintain the correct level of hygiene and perfume in your home environment. The kitchen hood acts as a filter against odors, bacteria, harmful fumes, frying fumes, splashes of fat that can be released while cooking. The outer part harmonizes with the design of the environment, while inside we find in practice a perfect and effective cleaning systemwhich provides for the absorption and disposal of all annoying and possibly dangerous germs: grease is a flammable substance, and could in extreme cases cause a fire if it were hit by a flame.
Also for this reason the hood is an element that must be checked and sanitized , carrying out in addition to regular cleaning also any maintenance interventions, in case the need arises. A litmus test to notice if the hood does its job perfectly and the smell of frying: an excellent hood avoids (or strongly limits) the nesting of these unpleasant fumes in the corners of the kitchen, so much so as to force you to close the doors that give on the sleeping area or open the windows wide.Kitchen hood: materials and types
The kitchen hood can be made of different materials , such as:
- stainless steel;
- copper;
- bronze;
- plaster;
- panels with a wooden surface.
The kitchen hood, like all filters, must be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. Its interior, which represents operation, is filled with fumes, grease deposits and particles that can be completely eliminated by cleaning or replacing the filters . Residues from food cooked daily (fried fumes, steam, oil or butter) are trapped in the hood, and can become bacteria in some cases toxic. It should be specified that there are two systems with which a kitchen hood is inserted:
- candidate;
- filtering.
In the first case, the hood takes care of extracting the fumes and introduces them outside the building, into the open air, thanks to a pipe, a duct. In the second case, the hood filters the air and reintroduces it into the same environment. Obviously, depending on the type of hood, the parts to be cleaned also change. The extractor hood, which is the most “performing”, requires careful maintenance of the duct that carries the vapors and fumes outside, through a flue. The filter hood, on the other hand, must be disassembled and the filters must be carefully sanitized, where bacteria and germs from the evaporation of food may have become impregnated. Clean the hoodand important to ensure optimal operation of the appliance. A hood encrusted with grease is not able to filter fumes and odors well. The hygiene of the kitchen also requires this periodic passage, perhaps not very funny but of clear importance. Clearly all parts of the hood must be cleaned:
- the external body;
- the fan;
- and filters;
- the duct (if present).
How to clean the hood How to clean the kitchen hood
First of all the components must be differentiated and for each of which the correct product must be used. First of all, any hood must be divided into two areas:
- external hood;
- internal hood.
Clean the outer hood
The outer hood and the visible surface. It should be cleaned at least once a week and it is very simple to take care of it, using one of these systems:
- hot water and vinegar or water and lemon juice;
- water and bicarbonate;
- hot water and Marseille soap (a powerful natural degreaser, used for some time to sanitize laundry);
- a multi-surface degreaser product (clearly the type of material used for the external part of the hood is very important in deciding which product to choose).
Attention: it is better to avoid alcohol or corrosive products, as they risk damaging the outside of the hood, as well as undermining its functioning. The advice is to take your time for the hygiene of this element and carry out two passes: the first to sanitize with the natural product or detergent, perhaps with a sponge, more efficient in removing dirt, and the second to dry and finish the cleaning activity with a semi-moist cloth. Alternatively, you can also boil a solution of water and vinegar right under the hood, in a large pot, and let it evaporate to sanitize the external surface of a built-in or retractable hood with the help of steam. It is a convenient method, but it does not replace the periodic “classic cleaning” activity with a sponge or cloth.Cleaning the internal hood
The internal part , the heart of the hood, is the most complex to clean, because usually it is necessary to remove the external grill (and sanitize it thoroughly) to access the internal components and the filters to be thoroughly degreased. The first thing to do is then remove the most superficial part in order to access the inside of the appliance and carry out the various operations.
The grid can be wiped with water and vinegar or with a good degreaser, and washed with running water. While cleaning the filters, you can put it to drain somewhere and get some air. Remember to dry this component thoroughly, especially if it is made of metal such as stainless steel, also avoiding the formation of halos.How to clean the hood filters
The hood filters are distinguished from those of an extractor and filter hood. In the first case we find only the anti-grease filters, which capture splashes and fumes, but are concentrated to throw all the germs and bacteria back into the outside air. The filter hood, on the other hand, as the name implies, is based precisely on the use of filters to clean the internal air and therefore makes the hygiene of its internal components even more important.
Filters are generally made of metal and represent the innermost part of the hood; they serve precisely to retain fumes, odors, splashes of grease and food residues. They must be extracted, after having removed and sanitized the lid, and the concave surface of the hood must be carefully cleaned with a cloth dipped in a solution of water and vinegar (or water and lemon juice) or with a degreasing product. Removing the filters also allows inside the hood to take in air and get rid of fumes and odors. There are many doubts about the correct cleaning of the filters . Among the most popular questions there is also the dilemma of cleaning or replacing these components of the hood. Filters can be cleaned in several ways:
- there are those who put them in the dishwasher to carry out a thorough sanitation (without ever exaggerating with programs that are too “strong” or at very high temperatures);
- there are those who soak them for a few hours (the time span of one night would be ideal) in a basin full of hot water and vinegar or water and bicarbonate and then rub them carefully with a sponge to remove any encrustation.
The outside of the filter is the mirror of its health: when it becomes excessively yellow, it requires replacement. The activated carbon filters must be replaced periodically and never washed. Their function is to absorb odors and for this reason they cannot be sanitized but only changed. Their life cycle is about four months against synthetic filters which, on the other hand, last a couple of months. The type of cleaning of the kitchen hood , as well as its frequency, must be established according to the type of element you have in your home. There are hoods with an imposing external part and built-in hoods, of which only the external surface, a kind of metal plate, must be passed, and then proceed with the sanitation of the components. Cleaning the hood: useful tips and tricks
Cleaning the kitchen hood is an important operation and to do it in the best way you can consider these golden tips :
- never use water alone to clean filters or hood components: it is not sufficient to sanitize and may contain limescale;
- pay attention to the degreasing product: a universal multi-surface detergent can be a good idea, but first the instructions on the product packaging must be carefully read, in order not to risk damaging a delicate material, that of the hood external coating;
- avoid using alcohol: it increases the risk of flammability and risks damaging the metal surfaces;
- methodically schedule cleaning, for example by marking the dates on which it is scheduled on the calendar;
- remember to replace the filters periodically, so that they perform their function perfectly;
- better to boil the water before adding it to vinegar, bicarbonate or lemon juice, to eliminate as much as possible the presence of bacteria and impurities.
A clean and sanitized hood is the guarantee of a kitchen that shines and smells, also because the system of elimination and purification of all fumes works best when it is taken care of and planned on a regular basis.
