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If you cook anything on the stove, you know like I do, it can get pretty messy. From grease splatters to spilled ingredients, not to mention burned-on food and other debris. While I can easily wipe away the mess from my counters and backsplash, cleaning up my stove, range, and kitchen hood can often prove to be more difficult.
If you have stainless steel, a range hood filter, or other delicate vertical surfaces around your stove, it’s important to use a mild cleaning solution that won’t damage them. Usually, an all purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth can work for most kitchen surfaces and kitchen cabinets. But when left uncleaned for a long time you can end up with tough grease and tough stains. For these stains, I would suggest using a stronger cleaner.
A common issue I have to deal with when cleaning my stove is stuck-on grease. Grease from cooking can be a real pain to remove, and it’s not uncommon for me to use a lot of scrubbing and elbow grease in order to finally get the job done. But when I do manage to clean up the greasy mess, I’m usually left with a ring of grease around the edge of my stove. This is due to the fact that grease and other residues tend to collect in these crevices, making them difficult to remove.
Another issue I encounter when cleaning my kitchen hood is often an accumulation of dust, dirt, and grease. This is usually caused by airborne grease particles that get stuck in the filters. To clean my kitchen hood, I need to remove and replace the filters regularly to ensure they are free from grease and other debris. The grease on my kitchen hood can also be difficult to remove, as the grease tends to be a heavier mix of dust and dirt.
While an oven cleaner can serve as a heavy-duty degreaser, the fumes can be hazardous to your health. Also when you’re dealing with factors like an exhaust fan and range hood, you need to be careful not to use a cleaner that will damage them. A greasy range hood and gas ranges can be cleaned with an all-purpose degreaser, and the range hood can be wiped down with paper towels. Other options include a pressure washer, which can be used to break up and remove greasy build-up.
In my quest for home making, I have done quite a bit or research, trial and error, and experimentation to figure out the best way to keep my stove clean. Here I will share a few of the tips I’ve learned along the way.
Related: 19 Kitchen Table Centerpiece Ideas For Everyday
Bonus: To make my kitchen cleaning routine effortless and fuss-free, I developed a printable checklist that hangs on my fridge for quick reference. Never again will you forget about your house chores with this helpful list! Download it today below to get started right away:
Cleaning The Kitchen Hood
The kitchen hood can be tricky to keep clean, as it is often subjected to grease, dust, and dirt. To prevent the buildup of these substances, I suggest cleaning your kitchen hood regularly. Make sure to clean both sides of the filters and replace them every couple of months.
Best Degreasers For The Kitchen Hood
The best degreaser for the kitchen hood should contain a high-strength degreaser with no phosphates and d-limonene that help to break down oils, greases, and other residues.
Natural materials like essential oils, white vinegar, and even green tea can help to remove grease and odors from your kitchen. For a deep clean, use a combination of these ingredients to create a homemade degreaser that’s safer for food prep surfaces. The best kitchen degreasers contain harsh chemicals so I prefer to look for a high-performance degreaser with a non-toxic formula. Although I prefer natural ingredients, I’m confident that these degreasers will do the trick.
My top picks are:
Household Products
Shout. For an effective yet simple way to clean baked-on grease from a stovetop, spray the kitchen hood with Shout stain remover, let sit for five minutes, and wipe clean.
Baking Soda and Vinegar. Baking soda and vinegar are an amazing combination for breaking up grease and cleaning the kitchen hood. Add a few tablespoons of each to a bowl with hot water, mix together, dip a cloth into the solution, wring it out well so that it’s not dripping wet, and then wipe down the kitchen hood.
Dish Soap. Dish soap is a powerful degreaser and can help to break down built-up grease. Use a few drops of dish soap in warm water to create a cleaning solution for the kitchen hood, dip a cloth into the mixture and wipe away the grease.
Hot Towel Mask. With a microwave, you can heat up a few wet towels and place them on the kitchen hood. This will help to loosen any built-up grease and make it easier to remove.
Tips to make it sparkle: When cleaning, be sure to rub with the grain of your appliance for optimum effectiveness. Wipe it dry in wide left-to-right movements, similar to windshield wipers, in order to prevent streaks and spots from forming. Additionally, using distilled water rather than tap water can help if you have hard water running through your tap.
How Often To Clean Kitchen Hood?
Unlike the stovetop, which should be cleaned after each use, the kitchen hood can typically be cleaned every two to three months. This is because it doesn’t come in contact with food as often and therefore won’t accumulate grease quite as quickly. However, if you notice a buildup of dust and dirt on your kitchen hood, it’s time to give it a good cleaning.
Cleaning The Stovetop
Dish Soap. When it comes to cleaning my stovetop I like to keep it simple. To remove grease and another residue, I use warm soapy water to wipe down the surface of my stove. Additionally, a scrubbing brush or an old toothbrush can be used to get into any crevices or hard-to-reach spots that need extra cleaning.
Baking soda paste. If I’m dealing with stuck-on food, I usually start by letting the stove cool down before taking a damp cloth and wiping away as much of the food residue as possible. For tougher spots, I like to use baking soda paste. To make this paste, mix together a few tablespoons of baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste over the area and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before wiping it away.
Stovetop Protector. To protect my stove from future messes, I recommend using a stovetop protector. These are generally made out of silicone and help to provide a non-stick surface which makes cleanup much easier in the long run.
While a variety of surfaces can accumulate food stains, aluminum filters or an aluminum surface should not be cleaned with chemical cleansers or abrasives as they can cause discoloration and damage to the surface. For stubborn oils and grease buildup, baking soda mixed with water can help to break it down and wipe away any residue. Additionally, a vinegar mixture of 5 parts water to 1 part vinegar can help to remove any lingering odors.
How Often To Clean The Stovetop
It’s important to clean your stovetop after each use. This will help to prevent the buildup of grease and residue which can eventually lead to a nasty mess.
Additionally, if you notice any build-up in between cooking sessions, I suggest giving the stovetop a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth before starting to cook. This will help to keep the surface clean and reduce your chances of having to deal with stuck-on food residue later on.
The real hack to making the task of cleaning your stove easy is to set a schedule for yourself. Even with the best degreaser for the kitchen hood and other products, the amount of time between cleanings makes a difference. I like to give my stovetop a deep cleaning once a week and a quick wipe-down after each use. Doing so makes the grease and dust on the kitchen hood much easier to deal with and keeps the stove looking clean and sparkling for much longer.
An oily kitchen range hood or stubborn grease on your stove doesn’t have to be a chore. With the right cleaning products, tools, and tips you can easily keep your kitchen range hood or stove clean so it looks great for years..
With a few simple steps, you can keep your kitchen hood and stovetop looking squeaky clean all year round. Start by using the right cleaning products to break down grease and residue, then follow up with a hot towel mask or a stovetop protector to help prevent future messes.
Finally, set up a regular cleaning schedule so that you can keep your stovetop looking brand new for as long as possible. With the right maintenance and care, your kitchen hood and stovetop will be sparkling clean in no time.