California is famous for many things; among them, that Cali cuisine! As restaurant owners know, however, that crush of customers keeps the ovens and stovetops going for long hours. To comply with health regulations, and for fire safety, it’s necessary to keep the kitchen hood clean. When you are dealing with heavy usage, how often should you be looking for “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me?”

How often to clean the hood: on your own

Professional commercial kitchen hood cleaning should be part of your regular maintenance routine, but before you call in the cleaners, there are some things you can do on your own to extend the life of your hood and filters. Before you do these methods check with your manufacturer to ensure you are not using any materials or abrasives that can damage the filter.

• Daily (after hours or before opening): Wipe down the surface of the hood and components using a non-abrasive cleaner. You goal is to keep grease and grime at a minimum. This can be more difficult for restaurants that do a lot of heavy frying or that make sizzling steaks cooked in butter. On the other side, a restaurant serving grilled sandwiches and that doesn’t fry can get away with a wipe down every other day or so to keep the dust from piling up.

• Once a month: Remove and soak the filters. Run hot water over them or run them through a commercial dishwasher. Dry the filters before reinstalling them.

Cautions when doing your own cleaning

Make sure the unit is not in use and is unplugged. You’ll be working with warm water and detergents on a tile or laminate floor, so be very careful about spilling water and slipping.

How often to clean the hood: professional cleaning

Professional commercial kitchen hood cleaning goes beyond a surface wipe down. This is an intensive, detailed cleaning that leaves both the internal and external components sparkling and completely grease free. The cleaning should include the hood, plenum, duct risers, filtration system and filters, grease traps, fans and the surrounding ceiling and floor. Depending on the severity of the cleaning needed, a chemical solution or foaming agent may be used to soften the grease and grime before it is thoroughly washed away. The final touch? A good polish.

How often you’ll call in the professionals depends, again, on what you are serving. A restaurant that uses more oil and grease will need a cleaner more frequently. The manufacturer of the product will also have recommendations for cleaning frequency. Plan to have a clean hood before major restaurant events such private parties and Valentine’s Day. Also plan to have a professional hood cleaning done with your routine HVAC service. By pairing the two, you have an easy way to stay on your cleaning schedule.

Combine services

You can save a lot of time and money when you choose a commercial kitchen hood cleaner that offers other services you need. For example, professional trash chute cleaning, power washing, video inspection for hard-to-access parts of your kitchen equipment, air duct cleaning, HVAC maintenance, and power washing. When you don’t have to scramble to find different companies providing all these services, you save time, money, and don’t have to schedule being at the restaurant for as many after work hours.

What to look for in a commercial kitchen hood cleaning service

Your service provider should:

• Be knowledgeable about how to safely clean down to bare metal

• Make accommodations if certain brands require special handling

• Provide reports once the cleaning is done

• Be affiliated with associations that advocate for best practices in the industry

• Have a record of great customer services and readily available testimonials

Conclusion

How often you call for “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me” depends on your type of restaurant and your specific equipment. Keep your kitchen hood clean and sanitary with daily wipe downs and monthly deep cleaning. Call a professional service in on a regular maintenance schedule. Save time and money by calling professionals that can offer additional services such as air duct cleaning. Regular cleaning is key to enjoying the full-service life of your kitchen hood, and its many components.