Cleaning a commercial kitchen hood is a huge job, but it is necessary to make sure that this essential piece of equipment is kept in working order. Commercial kitchen hoods remove smoke, odors and airborne grease that come from the many cooking services and appliances in a commercial kitchen. Cleaning a commercial kitchen hood needs to be done every four to six weeks. While some kitchens are set up to have staff complete this large task periodically, some restaurant owners prefer to search online for commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me and leave it to a professional cleaning company.

Commercial kitchen hoods that are not maintained can become dangerous fire hazards. Grease collects on the surface and can ignite if the heat is high enough on the cooking surface below. Reducing the potential for kitchen fires is an important reason to keep on top of commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me.

When a restaurant manager decides to have staff clean the kitchen hood rather than searching online for “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me,” she needs to remember a few key points:

1)  Prepare for the Cleaning

Make sure that the surrounding surfaces and adjacent equipment is covered. Grease and dust will become dislodged during cleaning and can make a wider mess in the kitchen. This is a big reason why typing “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me” into a search engine and hiring a professional is a tempting idea.

Before cleaning, the kitchen hood should be turned off and unplugged. Refer to the kitchen hood manual for all safety procedures to follow before continuing with the cleaning process. All appliance pilot lights in the kitchen should also be shut off, as well as any gas valves. It is important to follow all safety precautions before proceeding, which is a big reason why many restaurant managers opt to find a professional who specializes in commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me.

2)  Clean the Grease Traps

Most commercial kitchen hoods have four grease traps: two on each side of the hood. They should be removed, emptied, and cleaned thoroughly. Grease and dirt build up in the traps and can impede the ventilation that the kitchen hood was designed to provide. This grease can be highly flammable and can be the cause of a major kitchen fire. Traps should be soaked in degreaser and air dried while the rest of the cleaning process is being completed. The grease traps are the messiest and dirtiest parts of a commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me.

3)  Clean the Filters

Just like grease traps, filters need to be removed and degreased when kitchens are completing their commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me. Soak the filters in an appropriate degreaser product, scrub, rinse, and air dry the filters before reinserting into the kitchen hood. Sometimes, these filters will need to be scrubbed vigorously in order to remove all of the dirt that builds up in them. Professional commercial kitchen hood cleaning services near me have all the degreasers and tools necessary to properly clean and maintain kitchen hood filters.

4)  Surfaces

When a commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me is being completed, all of the surfaces of the hood need to be thoroughly cleaned. Both the inside and outside of the unit must be wiped down using an appropriate cleaning solution. It is very important that all accumulated grease, dirt, and dust is removed completely in order to avoid potential kitchen fires.

5)  Clean Up

After the commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me has been completed, it is important to thoroughly inspect and clean all surfaces in the kitchen. Grease and grime can sometimes fall to the floor and create a slippery, unsafe surface. Don’t forget to turn the gas valves back on and re-light the pilot lights.

Professional Services

Commercial kitchen hood cleaning is a very large and taxing job. The kitchen needs to be shut down for the entire cleaning process. Most kitchen managers search for “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me” because the professionals can get the job done much quicker. The professionals have the right tools, degreasing products, and protective coverings. They can complete the cleaning job in a shorter period of time with little-to-no mess left in the wider kitchen area.