How to Clean Kitchen Chimney

Chimneys are the heart of modular kitchens today. They are beautifully designed air vent deodorizers. Since hygienic cooking gives a congenial experience to every home, chimneys have become the need of the hour for most of the residents and commercial sectors. Cleaning kitchen chimneys is a time-consuming affair. The polluted smoke particles stuck in the chimney filters decrease the efficiency of the chimney.

With advancement in the field of technology, the industry has also been bestowed with ‘auto cleaning’ technology furtherance. Cleaning becomes easier and quick with the help of best auto-cleaning chimneys. If you have a big budget, you can opt for one! Manual cleaning chimneys demand some extra time and energy expenditure as compared to the automatic ones. But they are pocket friendly. There are several advantages of having chimney in your kitchen, be it automatic one or manual one.

Though the manual Chimney Cleaning is a bit difficult to cleanse, here are a few steps that will show you how to clean kitchen chimney. Employing the methods listed below can be a BONANZA for many households!

How to Clean Chimney?

We always try to add a pinch of yum and experiment with our daily cooking. Good food is loved by all, but what about a messed kitchen? The mess that takes place while experimenting is the most tiring one to clean. Also, to add, the chimneys that save us from suffocating while experimenting needs proper cleaning. Here are a few listed chimney cleaning tips that will inform you how to clean kitchen chimney.

Method 1: Chimney Cleaning with Dish-washing Liquids

A liquid dishwasher is a basic household element. The surface-active agents present in the dishwashing liquid help in easily unblocking the oily deposits, relieving the chimney from greasiness. You can also name it as a ‘kitchen chimney cleaning liquid’ and this is how to clean kitchen chimney grease with following steps:

Steps to follow:

• The filters must be carefully removed and kept in a safe place
• Using a soft spongy scrubber, scrub the filter by pouring a few drops of the dishwashing liquid
• Next step is to fill a bucket with hot water
• Place the filters into the hot bucket making sure that they completely drown in
• Let them stay for an hour or two
• Scrub them again using a non-abrasive scrubber
• Lastly, rinse with cold water and allow it to dry completely

This method has proved to be an economical one. One of the benefits of using this method is that the liquid is already available in the homes and helps to remove the stains from the chimney in one go!

Method 2: Chimney Cleaning with Baking Soda

Baking soda caters to several purposes. You might be wondering how to clean chimney with baking soda? With a slight bitter and salty taste, it functions in co-occurrence with baking powder and acts as a raising agent in many baked products. Because of its unique and highly alkaline composition, baking soda can also serve for cleaning the household like chimney and cleaning mattresses too! Yes, you read it right! Follow these basic steps and experience the ‘magical soda’.

• Begin by filling a hot water bucket / container
• Add in 2-3 tbsp of baking soda accompanied with 3 tbsp salt and 2 cups of vinegar
• Immerse the chimney filters into the prepared solution and allow it to soak for 2 hours
• Scrub the filters thoroughly and allow them to dry

Experience the magic of this incredible ingredient from your kitchen cabinet!

Method 3: Chimney Cleaning with Hot Water

Wow! one of the most economic, easiest and commercial ways of cleaning the chimney filters. Hot water is a proven solution to many problems since ancient times. This too is one of our ancestral suggestions to clean greasy and oily subjects with utmost ease.

• In a big steel container pour enough water to drown the filters completely
• Keep the container to boil on low flame for 30 minutes
• Turn off the stove and keep the filters aside carefully
• Rinse them with cold tap water
• Wipe using a dry cloth
• Finally place the filters back to their original positions carefully, once dried

Method 4: Chimney Cleaning with Vinegar

Though vinegar is a famous ingredient associated with the Chinese cuisine, it can also do wonders in cleaning the chimney as it does in enhancing the savor of the cuisine. Vinegar possesses mild abrasive properties which help to get rid of the stubborn stains. You can use it for cleaning dishwasher too.

• In a boiling water container, add adequate amount of vinegar (approx.2 tbsp)
• Plunge the filters into the water and let it stay for 2 hours at least
• Scrub it nicely using a soft scrubber and then wipe with a dry cotton cloth

Note: Leaving the filters overnight would result in better effects as vinegar possesses mild acidic content.

Method 5: Chimney Cleaning with Paint Thinner

A paint thinner is a dissolvent to thin oil-based paints which are also used to clean up the mess after painting. Commercially, they are spirits of minerals having a high contingency point of about 40 °C (104 °F). It is therefore a perfect solution to clean kitchen chimneys too! If you fall short of a paint thinner, then you also have nail polish remover to the rescue!

• Soak a cotton cloth in the paint thinner
• Gently scrub the filters with the cloth to get rid of the stubborn stains
• Once you are successful in scrubbing out the stains, wash the filters thoroughly under tap water
• Place the filters under sunlight to dry them naturally

Method 6: How To Clean Chimney with Caustic Soda

Caustic soda is an alkali which is versatile in nature. With the formula NaOH it is a salt called sodium hydroxide. It possesses the properties which are extremely irritating and corrosive in nature. It is an effective ingredient which gives excellent results just in a single use.

• Place the filters in a tray
• Sprinkle caustic soda over the chimney filters
• Pour in boiling water
• Allow it to stay for 2-3 hours
• Lastly, rinse with clean water and allow them to dry naturally

A few precautions are to be kept in mind while using caustic soda viz.,

• Keep it out of reach of children
• As soon as you see fumes emerging out, distance yourself from the tray and avoid inhaling it
• Since caustic soda is a strong alkali, it may burn the fingers if touched with bare hands
• Throughout the cleaning process, make it a point to cover the hands and feet properly to avoid direct contact with the chemical
• It is also important to cover the eyes while using the chemical as it may also cause burns resulting in permanent damage of the eyes

How to Clean Chimney Mesh at Home?

Since we’ve read enough about the chemicals one can use to clean the chimney filters, we must not overlook the cleanliness of the mesh. It is also important to learn about the household ways to clean the chimney mesh.

Mesh filters have earned a name alongside Baffle filters in the Indian society. Spicy and oily food prepared in the Indian household result in creating a mess in the kitchen. Hence, mesh filters have small pores to absorb the smoke and help with a clean mess free kitchen. Unwanted particles that clog the pores of the chimney need to be wiped clean in order to continue with the cleanliness routine of the kitchenette.

The first step to clean the mesh filter is to soak it in boiling water by adding 4-5 tbsp of regular detergent powder. A brush must be used to scrub the mesh thoroughly. After the mesh completely dries, fix it back carefully.

(NOTE: Mesh filters are manufactured from aluminium, therefore the use of harsh detergents and chemicals must be avoided as it can decolorize the filter)

How Frequently should the Chimney be Cleaned?

All mechanical equipment needs a time to time service to function efficiently. Chimneys too go through the same. The chimney filters must be cleaned once in a fortnight, i.e. once in every 2 weeks. It is always important to be a good observer, whether it is dusk or dawn, one must keep an eagle’s eyes and ears to stay alert. When the chimney starts producing heavier sounds than usual, it indicates that the time has come to “rejuvenate the machinery”.

Cleaning helps to avoid accumulation of “anti-social elements” in the chimney. Also, to keep in mind, regular cleaning of chimneys helps to increase the durability of the product hence, making it a product worth the money spent!

Note: After cleaning your kitchen chimney, you should also consider cleaning your kitchen exhaust fan, because even the best exhaust fan for kitchen requires maintenance.

How to Clean Grease from Chimney Filters?

Can you imagine the mess grease creates! Cleaning grease has always been a tough job. It seems slippery the more you try to scrub it off. But your job can become much easier if you learn of the proper methods to wash off this messy element. Here’s a guide to get you a little help the next time you decide to clean the mess.

• Pour in some liquid dishwash and baking soda in equal amounts into hot boiling water.
• Soak the greasy filters completely into water. Therefore, use a suitable container
• Let them stay for 10-15 minutes
• Use a non-abrasive scrub to cleanse the filter
• If necessary, add more liquid dishwash/soap while scrubbing

Conclusion

To sum it all up, the above details cover up on almost all possible economic ways to clean the chimneys. Hence, there is no more excuse to not clean the chimney next time! Such economic cleaning ways are a boon to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.

The food we eat must be prepared in a hygienic environment in order to protect us from all kinds of illnesses. Therefore, even the minute details must be taken care of properly. Cleaning the cookhouse is always misinterpreted as a burdensome affair. On the contrary, it is the easiest job if you are patient enough. Maintaining regular cleanliness can help.

The techniques are just some general instructions to keep in mind while cleaning chimneys. Not all chimneys are same therefore, it is important to first read the cleaning instructions well and if you are still confused, ask for a professional help then!