6 Easy Tips To Clean A Greasy Kitchen Chimney At Home

Kitchen Chimney Cleaning At Home

Cleaning your kitchen chimney is a very difficult and time-consuming task. Most of our Indian cooking involves a lot of spices and oils which generates a lot of smoke. The oil and grease from the smoke can get stuck in between the filters and can decrease the efficiency of the chimney. If your filters are not cleaned then the grease/oil drops from filters may drop on the open flame of the stove and cause a fire. It may also fall into the food you are cooking and contaminate it. So your chimney must be cleaned regularly.  You don’t need to spend a fortune to hire a professional cleaning service. You can use some commodities found in your kitchen to clean your chimneys such as caustic soda, vinegar, dishwashing liquid, salt, and more. Read on to find out how.

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1. Dishwashing Liquid

The liquid surfactants present in dishwashing liquids can easily unblock and remove the grease and oil deposits on the filters of the chimney. The cleaning agents in dishwashing liquid work well with chimney filters. Carefully remove the filters present in the chimney. And apply some dishwashing liquid over the filters using a sponge. Now, fill a bucket with hot water and place the filters gently inside the water and leave for 1-2 hours, remove them from the water and scrub using a scrubber. Finally, wash with plain water and let it dry completely.

2. Vinegar

Vinegar is probably already in your kitchen cupboard. Vinegar can be used as an all-purpose cleaning agent. Apart from its acidic and mild abrasive properties, vinegar also has disinfectant properties. Vinegar can make your kitchen germ-free. For a quick clean of the kitchen, dip a paper towel or tissue in the vinegar solution and simply wipe the surfaces clean. To thoroughly clean filters using vinegar, fill a small tub filled with hot boiling water, add 1-2 cups of vinegar, and mix well. Now, immerse chimney filters into this solution and leave it for 1-2 hours. Remove the filters and scrub them with a non-abrasive scrubber. Next, wipe them with a wet cloth and let it dry completely before placing them back into the chimney.

3. Caustic Soda

The acidic nature of caustic soda will remove the grease or oil stains with ease. It’s an inexpensive but powerful industrial cleaner that can dissolve oils, grease, fats, and other organic compounds from industrial equipment. Caustic soda mixed with hot water works very well for cleaning kitchen chimney grease. Take a small tub filled with hot boiling water, remove the filters from the chimney and place them on a tray now, power boiling water over them as soon as you do this, fumes will come out. Let it stay for 2 – 3 hours without disturbing it. after completion remove them and gently scrub them and wash them with plain water let them dry completely and place them back Note: Don’t touch caustic soda with bare hands as it can cause chemical burns. It is preferred to wear protective gear while following this procedure.

4. Baking Soda

Baking soda is an acclaimed all-purpose cleaning solution. The mild alkaline and abrasive properties of baking soda remove the grease and oil stains easily without causing any harm to the surface. All you have to do is make a thick paste of two tablespoons of baking soda by adding a little amount of water. Apply this paste over the surface and allow it to stay there for 5-10 minutes. Clean it off with a wet cloth to remove the grease. Another way to use baking soda is to take a big tub, fill it with hot boiling water and add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda, 2 cups of vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons of salt into it. Now immerse the filter into the solution for 1-2 hours after removing the filters gently scrub them and wash them with plain water and dry them completely before replacing them.

5. Paint Thinner

Paint Thinner has the capability of removing stubborn grease and oil stains with ease. Paint thinner contains powerful cleaning agents that contain organic solvents such as Acetone, Toluene, Turpentine, and other mineral spirits. To remove oil and grease on the filters, soak the thinner in a piece of cloth and rub on the chimney. It will easily break up the oil and grease stains giving you amazing results. In case you don’t have paint thinner you can also use nail polish remover. After scrubbing the grease stains, use a cloth immersed in nail polish remover to clean the filters.

6. Detergent powder

Detergent powder mixed with boiling water helps to remove the oil and grease stains. The surfactants present in Detergent easily removes the grease. To clean the chimney first remove the filters and then take a metal tub and fill it with the boiling water, pour 3 tablespoons of detergent powder and boil the water once again. Now, put the filters in boiling water. Oil and grease will automatically disappear. Place filters under running water and scrub them with a wet cloth and let it dry completely before placing the filters into the chimney.

How often should you clean the filters?

It all depends on how often you cook and the type of food you prepare. However, it is advisable for chimneys to be cleaned once every 2-3 months at the least. If you prepare a lot of oily and spicy food, it’s best to clean the meshes and filters once a month. Also, the frequency of cleaning depends on the type of filters present in your chimney.

• Cassette Filters – These filters are made up of multi-layered layers of aluminum. These filters contain small pores, grease sticks, and block them. So, it is important to clean them once in 8 – 10 days.
• Baffle Filters – These filters have the technology of separating smoke and grease. They don’t get clogged regularly. So, clean them once in 2 – 4 weeks.
• Charcoal Filters – The charcoal granules present in it absorb the smoke, odor, and grease. They cannot be cleaned so they should be replaced once in 3 – 6 months.

Kitchen Chimney Cleaning Tips – Conclusion

Cleaning your kitchen chimney could be something you dread doing. But it can be done effortlessly with just a few kitchen products. So think twice the next time you pick up your phone to book an expensive cleaning service. All it takes is some elbow grease and some underrated kitchen products to make your kitchen look sparkling.

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