Cleaning a Kitchen Chimney at Home can be a time-consuming process, and most people want to avoid it as much as possible. On the other hand, we all know that chimney cleaning is essential for its smooth operation. Normally, hoods contain detachable mesh or baffle filters that are easy to clean.
Clogging is an inherent issue that we all confront with our chimneys. This could result in poor performance and damage. Cleaning a chimney takes a long time. However, we guarantee that if you follow the below-mentioned techniques, you will be able to accomplish the task faster than ever before.
Why is it necessary to regularly clean the Kitchen Chimney?
The majority of our Indian cooking uses a lot of spices and oils, which produces a lot of smoke. The smoke produced during preparation causes the chimney filters to become oily and sticky. The oil and grease from the smoke might become clogged in between the filters, reducing the efficiency of the chimney.
If your filters are not cleaned, grease/oil drops from the filters may fall onto the open flame of the stove, causing a fire. It could potentially get into the meal you’re preparing and taint it. Oil sticks and other gas particles frequently clog inside the filters of non-auto-clean chimneys. This has an impact on their suction power. For these reasons, your chimney must be cleaned on a regular basis either on weekly basis or as needed. You have to put in a lot of effort to clean the kitchen chimney.
Are all Types of Chimney Filters Washable?
A kitchen chimney filter is a necessary component that removes impurities such as smoke, dust, fumes, odor, oil, filth, and other contaminants from the surrounding air, leaving it clean and pure. Kitchen chimney filters are divided into three groups based on the materials used in their construction: mesh filters, baffle filters, and charcoal filters.
Cassette Filter / Mesh Filter
Multiple layers of aluminum or stainless-steel mesh are used to make mesh or cassette filters. These meshes have microscopic holes that catch solid pollutants like oily and greasy particles while enabling smoke to escape. These contaminants clog the microscopic pores in the meshes. The blocked filters reduce the suction power of the chimneys and increase their noise level.
As a result, mesh filters must be cleaned on a regular basis. These mesh filters must be removed and washed at home, or a professional chimney cleaning must be hired. Despite their low cost, these filters require more care than other filter kinds.
Carbon/Charcoal Filter
Many little charcoal particles make up the charcoal or carbon filters. Impurities like oil, grease, heat, and smoke absorb themselves in the holes of charcoal carbon. They eliminate the smoke’s smells. Both duct and ductless chimneys use these filters. They are frequently used in conjunction with mesh or baffle filters because they are optional filters.
They are pricey filters that cannot be washed. The charcoal granules must be replenished every three to four months because oil and other pollutants adhere to them. The charcoal filters are well-suited to the cleaning requirements of Indian kitchens.
Baffle Filter
A flow control panel made of stainless steel or aluminum curves makes up the baffle filter. This one-of-a-kind design collects oily, greasy, and fume particles while allowing smoke to travel through freely. This filter separates oil and odor from smoke particles using an ingenious “cut and slash” operation.
Baffle filters are more advanced than mesh filters in terms of filtering performance. Furthermore, these filters are simple to maintain because they only need to be cleaned every 2 to 3 months. Even if oil particles become stuck on the stainless steel or aluminum layers, the suction force of the chimney is unaffected.
Baffle filters are specifically built to suit the hygiene needs of Indian kitchens.
Methods for cleaning the Kitchen Chimney
Using dishwashing liquid:
Remove the hood filters and add some washing liquid to them. Take hot, boiling water and immerse the filters in a tub deep enough to accommodate them. Allow them to sit for an hour or two. Once in a while, a non-abrasive scrub is used to clean the filters. Allow them to dry so they may be placed inside the chimney.
Using baking soda and vinegar:
You may require certain room supplies such as baking soda, vinegar, and salt. Vinegar can be used as a general cleaning agent. Vinegar has disinfectant effects in addition to its acidic and mild abrasive qualities. Put the filters in a bath and fill them with hot water. Mix in 2-3 tbsp baking soda, salt, and 1 cup vinegar. Allow them to soak for a brief period of time before cleaning thoroughly.
Using caustic soda:
Take a receptacle or tub, sprinkle the caustic soda evenly over the filters, and then pour boiling predicament. Take proper care because vapors may appear once the water is poured. Allow it to rest for an hour or two before rinsing with clean water and fitting it again after it has dried.
Cleaning the outsides of the hood
Scrub the outer body of the chimney with a damp soft cloth. If there is a lot of grime, add some cleaning detergent and wipe clean with a clean towel.
If you use your chimney in recirculation mode, you must use charcoal filters, which cannot be cleaned and must be replaced every 3-4 months based on usage. Returning to clean up, you will simply do it yourself with the help of some basic chemicals that you may find in your kitchen.
Concluding Remarks on Cleaning Kitchen Chimney
To preserve the longevity of any kitchen appliance, it must be properly maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. A chimney is utilized in every home to remove dust, grease, and grime from the kitchen. A modern chimney has more advantages than a traditional one. You may like to visit our post on Auto-clean Chimney in this regard. Although auto-clean chimneys are more expensive than standard kitchen chimneys, they are well worth the investment.
