Cleaning a sticky extractor hood: 4 home remedies work wonders

Do you use your extractor hood when cooking? The whirring device is a real asset to the kitchen, especially if you are preparing dishes with a strong smell. It also protects kitchen surfaces from cooking grease. So twice as practical!

However, in order for the extractor hood to run well for a long time, it must be cleaned regularly. When was the last time with you? Has it been a while? No problem, because with our tips you can easily get rid of the sticky grease on it.

Clean sticky extractor hood

1.Dishwashing detergent

It is not for nothing that liquid cleaning agents are part of the basic equipment of every kitchen. It's just really practical for removing any kind of stains.

• Mix some dishwashing detergent with warm water. Take a sponge and dip it into the mixture.
• Now drive thoroughly over all surfaces.
• Wipe with a wet cloth and dry the extractor hood with a soft cloth.

2.baking powder

What works well for the grease grille also works well for the rest of the extractor hood. Heavy dirt in particular can be removed in no time with this home remedy.

• Mix the powder with a little water to form a paste. Rub this on the hood.
• After a short exposure time, wipe it off with a wet cloth.
• Then polish the surface with a lint-free cloth.

Tipp: Baking soda also works wonderfully for cleaning the extractor hood.

3.lemon

Citric acid is an environmentally friendly and powerful cleaner. The degreaser also makes extractor hoods shine in no time.

• Cut a lemon in half and rub the cut surface over the dirty areas.
• The juice should take effect for a short time. Then wipe it off with warm water.

4.vegetable oil

This tip may sound counterproductive at first, but it actually works. The oil dissolves the encrusted grease and makes the surface of your extractor hood shine again.

• Put some oil on a piece of kitchen roll.
• Work the oil into the stainless steel in circular movements.
• Wipe down with some household cleaner.

Tipp: Special stainless steel care (e.g. fromWürth*) cleans the metal thoroughly and also cares for it. It shimmers like new.

Insider tip steam cleaner

• Cover your stove with a few towels or newspaper.
• If necessary, dismantle the grease grille or other parts of the hood to reach dirty areas.
• Steam the affected areas with your steam cleaner. Fat etc. should soften quickly.
• Wipe with a damp cloth.

You can have one tooSteam vacuum cleaner(about fromKärcher, available here on Amazon*) use. This is, so to speak, the next stage in the development of the steam cleaner, which has the advantage that the dirt does not have to be wiped off.

Clean the extractor hood filter

1. Dishwashing liquid

What is the first thing you resort to when you have to wash greasy pots? That's right: dishwashing liquid. The liquid cleaner is also strong against contaminants on your metal filter.

• Add a mixture of warm water and dishwashing detergent to a large bowl or sink.
• Dip the metal mesh into it and let the solution work for a while.
• You can use a sponge to wipe off any loosened dirt. You can scrub stubborn residue with a dishwashing brush.

Option: Use some degreaser (like this one fromAmazon*) a. So residues don't stand a chance.

2. Baking soda

Baking powder, or alternatively baking soda, is not only an environmentally friendly home remedy, it also has! Grandma's favorite cleaning product will help you clean the grease filter in your extractor hood.

• Place the metal mesh in your sink, bathtub, or large bucket. Now sprinkle a packet of baking powder over it. Then fill your container with boiling hot water until the filter is covered.
• Let the mixture soak for half an hour. This will slowly remove the dirt.
• Use a cloth to remove any remaining dirt under running water. Finally, dry the filter thoroughly – done!

Option: Mix your powder with a little liquid in a small bowl to form a paste. Apply this to your filter with a cloth and rinse it and the dirt thoroughly after about 10 minutes.

3. Dishwasher

Yes, you can also clean your grease filter in the dishwasher if it is large enough. The problem: You have to choose a very intensive program with high temperatures to loosen the dirt.

• If your grid isn't too dirty, you can put it vertically in the machine and let it wash. But it's better not to add any additional dishes.
• If your filter is heavily coated with grease, it is best to place it horizontally in the top drawer of the machine. This allows the water to hit better and stubborn spots come loose.

Danger:Make sure your grill can withstand cleaning in the dishwasher. The manufacturer should provide information about this.

4. Oven

You read that right: You can also clean your metal filter using the oven. This warms up the remaining fat and makes it easier to remove.

• Place 2-3 layers of baking paper on a baking tray. Place the metal filter on top and “bake” it for about 30-40 minutes at 110°C.
• The fat liquefies and drips onto the baking tray.
• As soon as the fat has dissolved, you can wash off the remains.

Why do you need to clean the extractor hood?

Why should you actually clean extractor hoods? After all, they are intended to filter fat and other by-products from our cooking activities. There are several good reasons for this:

• Greasy filters are a fire risk. Fat is highly flammable and should therefore be removed.
• Performance can decrease. Bad smells, fat and oil are not adequately absorbed. The kitchen smells unpleasant and a film of grease forms on the furniture.
• The extractor hood motor can become greasy. The good piece breaks and has to be replaced. This can incur costs.
• Bacteria and mold spores thrive in the grease that accumulates on the filters. Germs multiply like crazy in the warm environment.
• The extractor hood can quickly look greasy due to the grease splashes and other residues. Cleaning is worth it for visual reasons alone.

More reading material:

How often should you clean the extractor hood?

Unfortunately, there is no general answer to this question. How often you have to clean your extractor hood depends on what and how often you cook.

• If you are a big fan of deep-frying and often fry food, you should clean the hood about once a month.
• If your dishes are a little less greasy, cleaning them every three months is enough.
• If you don't like cooking, you should do the cleaning once every six months.

In any case, remember not to delay cleaning for too long. The longer the grease stays on the surfaces, the more scrubbing you have to do.

By the way:Some older models have a grease filter fleece. This needs to be changed every three to six months. However, this equipment is rather rare these days.

Change activated carbon filter

Depending on the extractor hood, the filters used also differ:

• Extractor hoods direct the smells from the kitchen outside via a pipe. They have a metal filter that is cleaned as described above.
• Recirculating air extractor hoods return the cleaned air back into the room. An activated carbon filter is also used for this.
• Hybrid hoods can direct the exhaust air outside or release it back into the room. This type of extractor hood has both types of filters.

Of course, these filters also need to be cleaned and replaced regularly. You should change them after three to six months. This is very simple:

• First remove the grease filter from the hood. This is how you get access to the carbon filter. This is held in place by clamps that you can easily loosen by hand.
• Take out the old filter and install the new one.

Can you also clean activated carbon filters?

Yes, some newer models can be cleaned in the dishwasher or with the heat of the oven. It depends on whether the carbon filter is a disposable or reusable system. However, the standard models need to be changed regularly.