Extractor Fan Maintenance: Keep Your Kitchen and Bathroom Fans Running Smoothly

When you turn on your extractor fan, a device that pulls out steam, smoke, grease, and odors from kitchens and bathrooms. Also known as range hood fan or ventilation fan, it’s not just a convenience—it’s a health requirement. Without proper extractor fan maintenance, grease clogs the motor, dust smothers the blades, and moisture turns into mold on your walls. These fans don’t last forever, but most failures are preventable.

Think of your extractor fan, a mechanical system built to move air out of enclosed spaces like a car engine: it needs regular cleaning, checks, and occasional part swaps. The kitchen ventilation, the system that removes cooking fumes and prevents sticky residue buildup is under constant stress from grease and heat. Over time, the motor wears out, the bearings get noisy, and the duct gets blocked. You might notice it’s louder than before, doesn’t pull air well, or leaves grease on your cabinets. These aren’t signs you need a new fan—they’re signs you need maintenance. And if you skip it, you’ll end up paying more for a full extractor fan replacement, the process of swapping out a worn-out unit with a new one than you would’ve spent on a simple clean-out.

Most people think extractor fans are "set and forget," but that’s where things go wrong. A fan in a busy restaurant kitchen needs cleaning every month. A home bathroom fan might only need it twice a year. But either way, if you don’t check the filter, wipe down the blades, or clear the duct, you’re asking for trouble. The same fan that keeps your walls dry can become a fire hazard if grease builds up inside. And if it stops working, you’re left with damp walls, bad air, and a house that smells like last night’s fry-up. The good news? Most issues can be fixed with a screwdriver, some degreaser, and ten minutes of your time. You don’t always need a pro. Sometimes, you just need to know what to look for.

Below, you’ll find real-world guides on what goes wrong with these fans, how to tell if it’s time to clean or replace, and exactly how to do it yourself. Whether you’re dealing with a noisy bathroom fan or a kitchen hood that’s lost its punch, there’s a step-by-step fix here for you. No fluff. No theory. Just what works.