Not a Scary Hood, If You Know How to Clean It!

Ask yourself, which part of the house is your favorite? Do we have the same answer? I honestly don't know, I'm not a mind reader. But seriously though, my answer to that question would be the kitchen — because it is where all the magic happens (well, at least, for a foodie like me); it is the center of all culinary delights like bold, new recipes and comfort foods.   

But after all the exciting culinary adventures of whipping up delicious dishes and curating flavorful taste, the most challenging thing to do is keeping the kitchen workstation clean. Yes, this includes one of the most overlooked appliance when it comes to cleaning — the kitchen range hood! This may just be the reason why the kitchen, for most people, is not a beloved space at home.

Come to think of it, range hoods, out of all the household appliances, may actually be leading the design trend with innovative materials, shapes, and groundbreaking technology. But why do they have the tendency to be the dirtiest appliance in the kitchen, especially the filters? Maybe, a Spider-Man quote would be a fitting metaphor to answer that — with great power, comes great responsibility. Good news is, cleaning your range hood filter is not that complicated, and here's how:

1. Remove the filter. Most of the range hoods in the market have filters that easily pop out with a quick upward push. After ensuring that the range hood is turned-off, check around for some sort of latch to unlock the filter from its position and slide it out. 

2. Place filter in a heat-proof container. Don’t worry, this heat-proof container is nothing fancy. It can just be a casserole dish, or even the sink, as long as it is safe for boiling water. With the filter inside the container, fill it up with boiling water to let the filter soak in and break down the built-up grease.

3. Prepare a cleaning solution. Hot water alone may not be enough for thick grease, lodged food particles, and germs. Prepare a cleaning solution comprised of any dish soap and water, sprinkled with ¼ cup of baking soda. Make sure the solution is properly mixed.

4. Soak the filter and get scrubbing. Add the cleaning solution in the heat-proof container with the filter. To easily scrub away the remaining grease in the filter, let it sit for about 10 minutes for a thorough clean. Then, using a non-abrasive brush or cleaning pad, scrub the filter to remove all the grease. The Lola® Wonder Scourer™ is fit for this job because it is tough enough to wipe out grease build-up in the crevices, but gentle enough to avoid damaging the filter screens.

5. Rinse and dry. Once the filter is clean, rinse off the cleaning solution and any leftover grease. Make sure that it is completely dry using a clean rag or paper towels like the Wowables® Reusable & Biodegradable Paper Towels before placing it back in the range hood.

These tips for cleaning your range hood and filters provide you with everything you need to know for degreasing a hood. It might not be the prettiest job in the world, but taking care of your hood also means keeping the air in your kitchen clean and fresh. Doing it regularly will have your range hood looking brand new in no time, every time! So, get back to cooking!