How To Clean a Range Hood

Ally ChildressAlly Childress

How often do you think about, let alone clean, your range hood? That's probably too long. Get it shining, and venting better, with this easy project.

Clean HoodAlly Childress for Family Handyman
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Time

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $15

Introduction

We've all set off the smoke detector while cooking. The shrill, piercing blast can spoil a perfectly good evening as we frantically wave a towel and open windows to clear the air.

Range hoods keep our kitchens smoke-free. If it's been awhile since you cleaned your range hood filters, they may not be working as well as they should. With this easy project, you can get yours back up to speed in less than an hour.

This method works for stainless steel range hoods. Never use an abrasive substance on tempered glass. And check with the manufacturer if you have finishes like copper, nickel or zinc.

Tools Required

  • Buckets
  • Microfiber cloths
  • Scrub brush
  • Sponges
  • Toothbrush

Materials Required

  • Baking soda
  • Dish soap

Project step-by-step (5)

Step 1

Make Some Suds

  • Squirt dish soap in the bucket and fill with hot water.
  • Fill a second bucket with clean water.
  • Stop up your kitchen sink and fill it with an inch or so of hot sudsy water.

Clean HoodAlly Childress for Family Handyman

Step 2

Remove Filters and Soak

  • Take out the filters from under the hood.
    • Look for the release button on the filter.
  • Soak the filters in the sink while you scrub the range hood.

Soak FiltersAlly Childress for Family Handyman

Step 3

Scrub the Hood

  • Load a sponge with sudsy water, squeeze out the excess and scrub the outside of your hood.
  • Sprinkle baking soda on your soapy sponge or directly on the hood, then scrub with the grain.
    • Use a toothbrush to scrub greasy areas between buttons, in crevices and around light fixtures.
  • Squeeze out your sponge frequently in your clean bucket and reload with suds.

Scrub With Baking SodaAlly Childress for Family Handyman

Step 4

Clean the Range Hood Filters

  • Scrub the filters in your sink with a scrub brush and soapy water.
  • Sprinkle baking soda on filters as an additional abrasive grease cutter.
  • Scrub both sides of filters, then rinse with clean water and drain.

Fill Sink With Soapy WaterAlly Childress for Family Handyman

Step 5

Wipe Down the Hood

  • Wipe down the hood with a clean, damp microfiber cloth.
    • Baking soda may require a couple of passes to remove all residue.
  • Buff the entire hood with a dry microfiber cloth for a shiny finish.
  • Replace the range hood filters.
  • Run the fan for a few minutes to draw air through the filters.
    • Water left in the filters could potentially rust or tarnish the metal.

Wipe Down With Damp ClothAlly Childress for Family Handyman