How often do you clean your oven range hood filter? Be honest, now – have you ever cleaned it? Your oven’s range hood handles a lot of exhaust and, if you haven’t cleaned it in a while, it could be clogged up with greasy, sticky residue.
With the holidays upon us, it’s time to clean your oven range hood filter. You need to know how to clean it, just like you need to know how to clean your gas stove burners or make basic repairs to your electric coil stove. Read on to learn where to find your oven range hood filter, how to remove it and how to clean it.
Gather Your Materials and Locate Your Oven Range Hood Filter
Any good house cleaning requires the right materials. Start with a sink full of hot, soapy water – heat a large pot of water to boiling on the stove before pouring it into a stoppered sink basin. The steam from the boiling water will begin to loosen the gunk baked onto your oven range hood filter, and you’ll soak the filter in the boiling water to loosen hardened grease and gunk a little later.
You’ll also need a nonabrasive scrubber or brush; some ultrafine steel wool; some degreasing soap, like dishwashing liquid; baking soda; and, if you prefer, a pair of gloves. Add a healthy squirt of soap and about a quarter cup of baking soda to your sink of hot water. Stir until the water is sudsy and the baking soda is dissolved.
Remove Your Oven Range Hood Filter
Your oven range hood filter is a metal grill that attaches to the bottom of your range hood. You may need to remove it from the underside of your range hood with a screwdriver, or it may slide or pop off.
Drop the metal range hood filter into the hot, soapy water and let it soak for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, check for debris and residue on and around the fan inside the range hood. Clean around the housing and turn the fan blades to ensure that they are working properly and can move without obstruction.
Checking for problems with the fan and the wiring leading to it can help you maintain your oven range hood and extend its life.
