How to Clean Kitchen Exhaust Fan: Simple Steps and Maintenance Tips

When you cook, your kitchen exhaust fan, a ventilation system designed to pull smoke, steam, and grease out of your kitchen. Also known as a range hood, it’s one of the most ignored but critical parts of any commercial or home kitchen. If you don’t clean it regularly, grease builds up inside the ducts and on the filter—this isn’t just messy, it’s a fire hazard. A clogged fan also works harder, uses more energy, and wears out faster. In restaurants and hotels, a broken exhaust fan can shut down your entire kitchen overnight.

Most people think cleaning the fan means wiping the outside. But the real problem is hidden: the grease-laden filter, the motor housing, and the ductwork behind the walls. These parts need attention every 1-3 months, depending on how often you cook. Commercial kitchens? That’s weekly. The extractor fan filter, the removable mesh or baffle that traps grease before it enters the duct is the easiest part to tackle—you can soak it in hot, soapy water or even run it through the dishwasher if it’s dishwasher-safe. But the duct system, the hidden pathway that carries grease and smoke from the fan to the outside? That’s where most failures happen. If you see grease dripping from the duct joints or smell smoke even when the fan’s running, it’s time for a deep clean—or a pro.

You don’t need fancy tools. A degreaser, scrub brush, gloves, and a vacuum with a crevice tool are enough. Turn off the power before you start. Remove the filter, soak it, scrub the fan blades, and wipe down the housing. Don’t forget the screws—they get greasy too and can rust if left alone. If your fan’s noisy, slow, or doesn’t pull air well anymore, it might not just need cleaning. The motor, the part that spins the fan blades and moves air through the system could be failing. Some motors last 10 years. Others die in 5 if they’re constantly clogged with grease.

There’s a big difference between cleaning and replacing. If your fan is older than 10 years, and you’ve cleaned it three times already, it’s probably cheaper to swap it out than keep fixing it. Newer models are quieter, more efficient, and easier to clean. And if you’re running a business, downtime costs more than a new unit. That’s why so many restaurants in Birmingham keep spare extractor fans on hand.

Below, you’ll find real guides from people who’ve been there—how to take apart a stubborn fan, what cleaners actually work, when to call a technician, and which models last the longest. No fluff. Just what works.