Commercial kitchens are expected to maintain the highest level of cleaning due to the handling and use of food products. This prevents the spread of germs and keeps all customers safe. However, staff must maintain the cleanliness of every area of the kitchen, including kitchen ducts and exhaust fans.
If your commercial kitchen requires duct cleaning services, you can rely on the team of professionals at First Cleaning to provide this service. Our technicians will clean hard-to-reach areas and ensure your kitchen exhaust ducts are clean when we leave the site.
Read on to learn more about kitchen ducts and how you can keep these vital systems clean.
What is an exhaust duct?
Industrial exhaust ducts direct hot and cold air to other areas while extracting unwanted pollutants from the room. They are used in most industrial or commercial settings but are available for home use in homes or rental buildings.
Some properties or businesses are legally required to install proper ductwork in the building, especially those that cook and prepare food.
How often do you need to clean a kitchen exhaust duct?
The amount of cleaning a kitchen exhaust duct requires depends on its use. Businesses like bakeries, which have standard cooking times, have less stringent cleaning requirements for their ducts than restaurants that operate 24 hours a day.
For a high usage of 12-16 hours, cleaning should take place every 3 months
Lower usage of 6-12 hours requires a cleaning service every 6 months
Minor usage of 2-6 hours needs annual cleaning
These exhaust ducts require more frequent cleaning than the air ducts in other companies. This is because the buildup of grease, oils, and organic smoke will eventually make the duct unable to direct air properly.
This creates a serious fire hazard as grease can drip from the ducts, or smoke can flow into the kitchen.
Signs that your kitchen exhaust duct needs cleaning
There are several signs that you can recognize when your kitchen exhaust fan needs cleaning. An easy way to tell if it is working properly is to turn on the fan and place a sheet of newspaper underneath it.
If the paper flies into the exhaust grille, it is working. However, if it does not, it is likely that it needs cleaning, or that something is blocking the duct. Another way to tell if your kitchen exhaust duct needs cleaning is to look for some of the following signs:
The room fills with smoke while cooking.
The hood makes a loud noise.
A bad smell comes from the duct.
Grease, oil or fat drips from the grate.
What are the risks of a dirty kitchen exhaust duct?
Commercial kitchens must maintain good hygiene and cleaning standards. Failing to do so can lead to a number of hazards that could eventually lead to injury or accident, resulting in the business being shut down.
Leaving your kitchen exhaust fans, ducts and filters to accumulate grease and smoke residue will not only lead to eventual breakage but also:
Kitchen fires from oil and grease
Inspection failures
Lowered hygiene standards
Slip, trip, and fall hazards
How to clean a kitchen exhaust duct
Do not attempt to clean your kitchen exhaust system yourself, as this requires professional help due to the risks involved. However, you can clean your exhaust fan hood filters yourself. They are usually removable and can be easily cleaned in the sink using a degreaser and a cleaning brush.
Simply wiping down the hood where grease and smoke residue accumulates can help prevent further buildup in the filters. However, if you clean the filters and there is a lack of air extraction, you should seek professional cleaning services.
What to do when your duct needs cleaning
If your kitchen ductwork needs cleaning, do not attempt to do it yourself. This should be done by a qualified cleaner or technician, as the build-up of smoke and grease in the vents can be dangerous when interacting with them.
Instead, you should not use the hood and switch to a replacement if possible. You should clean the detachable filters in the meantime, and arrange for air cleaning services from a reputable cleaning company to restore the condition of your ductwork.
Get in touch
If you think you need kitchen drain cleaning, the professionals at ICE Cleaning can step in and deep clean your exhaust ducts, kitchen hoods and vents. We use the latest technology to remove all obstructions in your ductwork systems and ensure they are safe to use again.
Our team is available 24/7, 365 days a year, nationwide. You can find out more about our services by calling 052 252 3500 or contacting info@firstcleanuae.com
