Kitchen hood cleaning is essential to maintaining a clean and safe working environment. A dirty hood can cause fires, employee hazard zones, and EPA/OSHA violations. This is why it is important to have a regular schedule for kitchen hood cleaning. It is also a good idea to have a third-party professional perform the cleaning.
Depending on the size of your kitchen and the type of food that you prepare, you may need to have your hood cleaned on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis. Cleaning your hood is especially important if you use wood burning stoves.
To begin the cleaning process, remove the hood fans from the ductwork. Clean and dry the fan blades and the shroud. When the fans are clean, you can reinstall them. Then, you will need to clear out the trashcans. These cans should be replaced with empty cans when they are full.
After the fans and trashcans are cleared, you will need to soak the hood filters in warm water for at least two hours. If the filters are too dirty, you may want to pressure wash them, or wash them manually. Keep in mind that you should always check with the manufacturer of the hood filter for more detailed instructions.
Once you have the fans and filters soaked, you will need to wash the interior of the hood. This should be done using a non-abrasive scrubbing pad. You will need a cleaning solution that consists of warm water and a liquid degreaser. In addition, the hood box itself should be washed with Hood Cleaning a mild detergent solution.
Before you can start the cleaning process, you will need to disconnect your gas lines. Once you have removed your gas lines, turn off the pilot lights. Also, you will need to unplug any appliances that aren’t in service.
A typical hood cleaning can take between three to four hours. However, you may need to clean it more often if you have a lot of grease in your hood. Because the kitchen exhaust system is an essential part of a restaurant, it is important to keep it in good condition.
Hood cleaning services typically use hot water power washing to get rid of grease and other contaminants. The power washers will use about 1,500 to 2,000 psi. They will also use heavy-duty tarps to capture runoff.
During the cleaning, your kitchen hood will be polished both inside and out. Typically, a hood cleaning service will also polish the outside of the hood canopy and the plenum area. Your hood is also cleaned of any grease splatters, which is important in eliminating a potential fire hazard.
Most restaurant kitchen hoods are required to be cleaned semi-annually by law. This should not be a problem if you are using a reputable company that will clean your hood on a regular basis.
Cleaning your kitchen hood is essential to your safety and your business’ success. Using a cleaning service will ensure that your hood remains in excellent working condition.