What Does Hood Cleaning Involve?

Kitchen exhaust cleaning, also known as hood cleaning, is a necessary process used to clean the fans, hoods, ducts and vents of the exhaust system. This type of cleaning is typically used in commercial kitchens and restaurants, ensuring that expensive equipment stays in good condition. Not only does hood cleaning improve the performance of the exhaust system, but it also helps to prevent fires and accidents.

Since exhaust systems must be inspected on a regular basis, keeping them in the best possible condition is extremely important. The accumulation of grease can be very dangerous and needs to be avoided at all costs. If regular kitchen exhaust cleaning isn’t performed, the grease can build up and become a serious fire hazard.

Hood Cleaning Process

The process of cleaning the exhaust system is a bit involved. It’s best to hire a professional for this process to ensure that everything gets properly cleaned. The cleaning process includes:

• Caustic Chemicals – These types of chemicals are used to help break down grease. They are applied with a sprayer and have to sit on the grease for a specific amount of time before being washed off. Hood cleaners use only food safe chemicals, adhering to specific regulations throughout the process.
• Scrapers – Only used in extreme circumstances where the grease has built up so much that chemicals cannot be applied, scrapers help to remove excessive grease. Scrapers may also be used to remove the massive amount of build up before applying caustic chemicals.
• Hot Water Pressure Washing – After chemicals are applied, pressure washing is often used to remove the chemicals and further clean the system. Some machines use boiling water, with a pressure up to 2000PSI.
• Finishing – After the cleaning process is complete, most professional hood cleaning companies will actually polish the hoods to make cleaning easier in the future. This will also improve the appearance of the system.

After the cleaning process is complete, most cleaning companies will post a certification sticker on the hood of each of the systems cleaned. This enables the system to remain in compliance with local, county and state regulations.

Commercial cleaners have to follow the cleaning guidelines outlined in the NFPA 96 Fire Codes. These guidelines provide the necessary codes for the use of food safe caustic chemicals, pressure washing and ways to safely collect the dirty water created during the cleaning process.

Trying to handle this type of cleaning on your own is very difficult. Since kitchen exhaust cleaning must adhere to specific governmental regulations, it’s better to trust this job to a trained professional. For more information, give us a call today at (702) 384-7907.