How to clean a range hood filter properly

Key steps

Follow our key steps for effective range hood filter cleaning:

1. Turn off the appliance and remove the filter.

2. Fill a sink, bowl, or bucket with hot water.

3. Choose your cleaning solution and soak the filter.

4. Scrub with a soft brush.

When you’re cooking, your range hood filter absorbs a lot of grime and grease. Can you remember the last time you cleaned yours? If not, then perhaps it’s time to look under the cover! A filter that isn’t cleaned properly can easily get clogged which makes it less effective so try our instructions below to find the best way to clean range hood filtersat home.

Rinsing and drying is a key part of range hood filter cleaning. Use cool water and air dry to make sure that no debris is left behind.

How to clean range hood filters: step-by-step

Learning how to clean range hood filterparts isn’t difficult and there are just 6 main steps. We’ll come onto the different products you can use when cleaning range hood filtersin a moment but here are the basic steps you’ll follow each time:

1. Turn off the filter. Make sure your appliance is completely cool too.

2. Carefully remove your filter. Follow the instruction manual for details.

3. Fill a sink, bowl, or bucket with hot water to soak your filter. We’ll discusshow to clean range hood filters in dishwasherlater in this article.

4. Choose your cleaning solution. Apply it to your filter taking safety precautions.

5. Soak and scrub the filter. You want to remove all the grease and grime.

6. Dry thoroughly. Put it back in your range hood only when it is fully dry.

What to clean range hood filters with?

Now let’s move onto the different cleaning solutions you can use for range hood filter cleaning. There are 3 main options we recommend:

1.    Cleaning range hood filters with baking soda

Use: washing-up liquid and baking soda.

Leave for: 10 minutes +

Combine a squirt of liquid detergent with around a quarter of a cup of baking soda before adding it to your bowl of water. Swish it around with a brush and soak your filter. After 10 minutes the baking soda should have loosened the grime. Remove the rest with a soft brush.

2.    Using degreasers for range hood filter cleaning

Use: commercial degreaser

Leave for: around 30 minutes (check the packaging)

There are a number of effective commercial degreasers you can use when cleaning range hood filters. Follow the instructions on the bottle to apply them but as a general rule of thumb you will spray them onto the filter or add to a bucket of water before soaking the filter. Only leave the product on for the time given on the packaging – often 30 minutes.

3.    Cleaning range hood filters with vinegar

Use: white vinegar and detergent

Leave for: 30 minutes +

White vinegar is another great solution for getting rid of grease and grime on your range hood filter. All you have to do is combine two cups of white vinegar with a little detergent and soak the filter for half an hour. Scrub any remaining grease off before drying.

How to clean range hood filters in dishwashers

Not a fan of soaking your range filter by hand? Good news! Your dishwasher could be a great tool for cleaning range hood filters. Follow these tips to get a helping hand with this part of the process:

• Make sure there are no delicate parts on your filter that may get broken. If in doubt, it is always best to handwash your filter than cause damage.

• Secure the filter in the dishwasher rack. Wash them on their own too. 

• Run a normal cycle. Remove as much loose dirt as you can beforehand.

• Check the warranty. Washing your filter in the dishwasher may not be recommended by the range cooker manufacturer. Always check first as you may invalidate your warranty if you use an unapproved cleaning method.

It’s one of those jobs that seems really complicated but once you’ve found the best way to clean range hood filters it becomes a relatively easy task. Follow our steps and try each of the different methods to see which works best for you.