How to Clean and Maintain a Range Hood: Filters, Fan, and Vent Duct

Regular range hood cleaning keeps smoke, grease, and odours out of your kitchen and helps your fan pull its rated CFM. Use this guide to clean a greasy range hood, wash or replace a metal mesh cooker hood filter or baffle filter, safely wipe the inside of the canopy, and maintain both ducted and ductless models.

What you need

• Phillips screwdriver or bit set
• Soft brush or old toothbrush
• Microfiber cloths and paper towels
• Dish soap + hot water (primary degreaser)
• Non-abrasive kitchen degreaser (for heavy buildup)
• Baking soda (optional for mesh filters)

How to identify common range hood issues

• Smoke hangs in the kitchen: clogged filters or stuck exterior flap limiting airflow.
• Weak capture even on high: dirty air filter, blocked wall/roof cap, or duct leaks.
• Fan humming or loud: grease on blades or a worn motor. Clean first, then assess noise.
• Buttons or lights not working: likely a control, wiring, or switch issue.

Before you clean: quick diagnostics

Step-by-step: clean a greasy range hood

1) Remove and clean the filters

Metal mesh filters (aluminum or stainless):

1. Release the latch and remove the panels.
2. Soak 10–15 minutes in hot water with dish soap. Add 1–2 tbsp baking soda per sink to cut grease.
3. Scrub gently with a soft brush. Rinse hot and air-dry fully before reinstalling.

Can mesh filters go in the dishwasher? Yes, if your manual allows it. Use a normal cycle without heated dry to avoid warping/dulling, place on the top rack, then air-dry completely.

Baffle filters (stainless): clean as above. They are heavier and usually dishwasher-safe; let them dry fully so grease drains properly into the channels.

Charcoal filters (recirculating/ductless): do not wash. Replace every 3–6 months for heavy cooking, up to 12 months for light use.

2) Clean the inside of the range hood

1. Wipe the underside and interior canopy with a degreasing dish-soap solution or a commercial kitchen degreaser rated for stainless, then rinse and dry.
2. Avoid spraying cleaner directly into switches, control boards, or the motor cover. Apply cleaner to a cloth first.
3. For stainless exteriors, wipe with the grain. Finish with a stainless cleaner to reduce fingerprints.

3) Clean the fan blades or impeller

1. With power off, remove the fan cover. Some models use set screws or a centre nut; note orientation for reassembly.
2. Hold the motor shaft steady and wipe the blades with degreaser on a cloth. Do not soak the motor.
3. Reassemble and hand-spin to confirm free movement before restoring power.

4) Check and clear the vent duct and exterior cap

• Outside, confirm the wall or roof cap flap opens freely and is not blocked by lint, grease, paint, or nests.
• Inside, inspect accessible duct sections for heavy grease. Metal ducts can be wiped near the hood connection; avoid flexible plastic ducting.
• If the duct is long or greasy deep in the run, schedule a professional cleaning.

Filter care and replacement schedule

Safe cleaners and what to avoid

• Good choices: hot water and dish soap, citrus-based degreasers, diluted alkaline kitchen degreasers, isopropyl alcohol for final degreasing on stainless.
• Baking soda and vinegar: a paste helps on stainless and enamel. Avoid prolonged vinegar contact on bare aluminum mesh to prevent dulling.
• Avoid: oven cleaner, abrasive pads, steel wool, chlorine bleach on stainless, and spraying liquids into electrical parts.

Maintenance checklist

• Clean filters and canopy regularly to maintain airflow and reduce odours.
• Wipe fan blades and check for vibration or wobble.
• Inspect the exterior vent cap and flap for free movement.
• Use the hood on low 1–2 minutes before cooking and leave it on for 5–10 minutes after to clear residual vapour.
• Cook on back burners when possible to improve capture.

When to call for service

• Fan will not start after cleaning or only hums.
• Lights or touch panel fail or trip the breaker.
• Persistent rattling or scraping after you removed built-up grease.
• Strong odour or smoke despite clean filters and a clear cap. Check our GTA service area for coverage.

FAQs

How do you clean a greasy range hood?

Remove mesh or baffle filters and soak in hot soapy water with a little baking soda. Wipe the inside canopy and fan blades with a kitchen-safe degreaser. Rinse and dry everything fully before reinstalling.

How do you clean the inside of a range hood?

Power off. Spray degreaser on a cloth, not directly inside the hood, and wipe the canopy, seams, and corners. Keep liquids away from switches, control boards, and the motor cover. Rinse with a damp cloth and dry.

Does baking soda and vinegar clean a mesh range hood?

Yes, for stainless mesh. For aluminum mesh, use mild dish soap and baking soda. Avoid soaking aluminum in strong vinegar for long periods since it can dull the finish.

What is the best product to clean a range hood?

Hot water with dish soap removes most grease safely. For heavy buildup, use a non-abrasive kitchen degreaser rated for stainless. Finish stainless exteriors with a stainless cleaner to prevent streaks.

How to clean a metal mesh cooker hood filter?

Soak in hot soapy water 10–15 minutes, add a tablespoon of baking soda, brush gently, rinse hot, then air-dry completely. Many filters are dishwasher-safe on the top rack without heated dry.

Can you put rangehood filters in the dishwasher?

Usually yes for mesh and baffle filters if your manual allows it. Use a standard cycle with no heated dry, then air-dry fully to prevent moisture in the hood. Charcoal filters are not washable.

Tip: Good ventilation improves indoor air quality. See the EPA overview of indoor air and cooking pollutants for why capture and filtration matter.

Related reading

• How to Clean a Dryer Vent