One of the most difficult areas of a commercial kitchen to keep clean is the exhaust system that removes cooking fumes from above the kitchens to the outside air. With a little knowledge, much of this maintenance can be done as a matter of course by your own kitchen staff. This article describes how often components should be cleaned, as well as some of the hazards to be aware of.

One of the most rapidly contaminated areas of a kitchen is the area above the cookers, where air and fumes are vented to the outside through an exhaust canopy that will contain grease filters to capture oil and grease. that are released in the cooking process. as well as fans to force air circulation outside the building through an extraction duct.

Grease filters themselves are meant to capture contaminants and to remain effective they will need regular cleaning before they reach the point of saturation. How often the filters need cleaning will depend on the type of establishment, but to give you a rough idea, here are some recommended cleaning intervals for the different elements in a heavy-duty extraction system (for example, fast food restaurants). performance or food factories) and light use (for example, school kitchens or workplaces).

Baffle Filter: (wash every 1 to 7 days)
Mesh filter: (wash every 5 to 7 days)
Electrostatic filter: (change every 3 to 6 months)
Charcoal Filter: (Replace every 3 to 6 months)
UV tube: (clean every 1 week to 2 months and replace after 8000 hours of use)
Grease Drawers: (Clean every 1 to 7 days)
Remove the ducts: (clean every 3 to 12 months)

When cleaning grease filters and grease collection drawers yourself, they are often best washed in a commercial dishwasher, so they must be designed, sized, and built to be durable enough to withstand regular washing in this environment. .

As long as cleaning intervals are not too long, washing with mild soap or detergent and warm water, followed by rinsing with clear water, is usually quite adequate for most equipment. When too long a period is left between cleanings, grease will stick and require special attention. An improved cosmetic appearance will be achieved if the cleaned surface is finally dried.

In reality, deciding how often to clean up is relatively subjective, and ultimately the decision is up to the facility administrator. However, the simplest guideline to follow is that if a surface or component looks dirty, then it needs cleaning.

There’s no reason you shouldn’t do most of this work yourself, but a little training and an understanding of the risks will help ensure you can do it safely. It is strongly recommended that an internal site-specific risk assessment of potential risks and hazards be carried out.

For example, if your system has specialized odor removal systems such as UV, ESP, or Carbon Cells, in-house staff members will require specific training in monitoring, testing, and handling of the various components.

It is also important that when handling any component of a canopy, people wear suitable, grippy, cut-resistant work gloves to protect against metal edges, as well as any detergents and cleaning agents used. Even with a well-finished filter panel, it is surprisingly easy to cut through the soft, water-soaked skin during the cleaning process. Grease filters, by their very nature, will have a layer of grease and therefore be slippery and difficult to handle. Gaining access to the filters for removal and replacement will inevitably mean reaching higher than head height, so suitable access equipment or safe work procedures may be required.

Of course, no grease filtration system is going to be 100% effective and therefore there will always be some grease that passes through the filters and accumulates on the internal surfaces of the filter housings, fans and the ducts. Once again, the amount of fat carried through any filtration system will depend a lot on the type of cooking and the ingredients used. If left unattended, hidden grease deposits will not only negatively affect hygiene, but can also cause a serious fire hazard. Therefore, it is important to perform a deep cleaning of the complete extraction system in a maximum cycle of six months and even every three months when the use is particularly intense.