How To Clean A Kitchen Chimney Easily at Home

Kitchen chimneys save us from dangerous fumes and smoke but cleaning the best kitchen chimney in India at home can be very difficult and annoying.

Most of the food in Indian homes contains a lot of spices and oil. Due to heavy usage of these materials chimney filters get clogged up turning them greasy and sticky.

That is why it becomes very important to clean up the chimney at least once a month. You don’t need to hire a professional every time to clean a chimney as it is very easy to do it yourself at home.

Here’s how to clean A Kitchen chimney at home easily:

Cleaning a Kitchen chimney mainly consists of cleaning the filter present inside the chimney. It is best if you go with baffle filters as they are the easiest to clean.

For cleaning the inside of the chimney you can easily clean them with a piece of cloth and some warm water once a year. It is also advisable to clean the outside and hood of the chimney using some soap solution and wipe it off using a dry cloth.

The main thing we need to consider is the filters.

Here we have mentioned 6 different methods to clean a kitchen chimney at home using different products.

1. Here’s how you can clean a kitchen chimney using liquid dishwashing soap

A dishwashing liquid is a day-to-day home use material and can be easily found in almost all homes.

Dishwash liquid soap contains surfactants that act as a catalyst to remove oil, dirt, and grease deposits on the filters of chimneys.

Requirements:

1. Dishwash Liquid Soap
2. Sponge
3. Water Bucket (Small)
4. Non-Abrasive Scrubber & a damp cloth (for regular cleaning)
5. Steel Drum (For deep cleaning)
6. Stove

For regular cleaning:

1. After removing the filters, apply dishwashing soap over the filters.
2. Immerse those filters in the bucket full of water and leave it for a couple of hours.
3. Remove the filters and gently scrub them using a damp cloth or non-abrasive scrubber.
4. Wash the filters with normal water and dry with a damp cloth completely.
5. Place the filters at their place again.

For Deep Cleaning:

1. After removing the filters, apply dishwashing soap and place them in a steel drum full of water.
2. Add 4-5 teaspoons of dish soap to the immersed solution.
3. Place the drum on a slow burner and allow some boiling for 30 minutes. Boiling water helps in removing the grease faster and easier, ultimately saving your time and effort.
4. After 30 minutes take the filters out and scrub them with the help of a non-abrasive scrubber until you get rid of all the gunk and grime on the filters.
5. Wash with normal water once you are satisfied.
6. Use a dry cloth to wipe the filters.
7. Once completely dried put them in their place.

2. Here’s how to clean a kitchen chimney with baking soda

Baking soda has so many uses that it has become an indispensable part of our kitchens. Apart from cooking, baking soda has mild abrasive properties which help in the easy and quick removal of grease, dirt, and grime.

Requirements:

1. Baking Soda
2. Moist Cloth
3. Some water
4. Scrubber
5. Salt
6. Vinegar
7. Tub

Preparations:

1. Prepare a paste of baking soda by mixing it with a small quantity of water in two tablespoons of baking soda. Using vinegar instead of water will make a stronger paste for cleaning.
2. Apply this paste thoroughly on the surface of the chimney and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Using a moist cloth wipe off the paste from the surface.

Instructions:

1. In a tub full of boiling hot water put in 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 cups vinegar.
2. Immerse the filters completely in the solution prepared for 2-3 hours.
3. After taking the filters out clean them using a scrubber to wipe dirt and grease off the filter.
4. Wash in plain water and dry them with the help of a cloth.
5. Place the filters in the chimney once they are dried.

3. Here’s how to clean kitchen chimney using Vinegar

Here we are talking about white vinegar. White vinegar is a great option to clean the exterior of kitchen appliances such as chimneys, hand blenders, food processors, etc.

Requirements:

1. Tub
2. Vinegar
3. Salt
4. Non-abrasive Scrubber
5. Wet-Cloth

Instructions:

1. In a tub full of boiling hot water add 1-2 cups of vinegar.
2. After soaking the filters in the solution for 2-3 hours take them out.
3. Scrub the filters gently using a non-abrasive scrubber and clean them with normal water.
4. Wipe clean the filters with a wet cloth then a damp cloth to dry them completely.
5. Place the filters back in the kitchen chimney.

You can also use a paper towel soaked in a vinegar solution to wipe every corner of the kitchen chimney.

4. Here’s how you can clean your kitchen chimney using Paint Thinners

Paint thinners are also a great alternative to remove grease, gunk, and oil deposits from kitchen appliances such as a kitchen chimney.

Paint thinners are very powerful and you can also use a nail polish remover as a paint thinner for cleaning greasy chimneys.

Requirements:

1. Paint Thinner
2. A sharp object such as a knife or blade.
3. Non-abrasive scrubber
4. Wet cloth
5. Cotton / Microfiber cloth

Instructions:

1. Put some thinner on a piece of cotton or a microfiber cloth.
2. Gently scrub the areas with that piece where grease and oil deposits are present.
3. Clean the filters with plain water.
4. Dry them and replace them in the kitchen chimney.

Cleaning kitchen chimney with thinners follows a sniper approach instead of a shotgun approach.

Our recommendation is to clean the filters using the thinner outside in order to disperse the vapors. If you inhale these vapors it can harm your health. Use thinner for areas that are very hard to clean and reach.

5. Here’s how you can clean a kitchen chimney using a Caustic Soda

The chemical formula of Sodium Hydroxide is NaOH. It can be used as a cleaning agent for kitchen chimneys and remove stubborn grease and oil stains.

Requirements:

1. Caustic Soda
2. Water
3. Tub
4. Cotton cloth

Instructions:

1. After removing the filters from the chimney, place them in a tray and sprinkle some caustic soda over them.
2. After 5 minutes add boiling hot water to the tub so that the filter gets fully immersed. Keep the solution like this for 2-3 hours.
3. Carefully remove the filters from the solution while wearing gloves.
4. Scrub every corner using non-abrasive scrub.
5. Wash the filters with plain water. 
6. Replace them in the chimney once they are completely dry.

Caustic soda releases fumes in reaction with water which can harm your eyes and lungs. That is why perform the cleaning in a well-ventilated space.

Always keep on your gloves while performing cleaning using caustic soda and also wear other safety equipment.

6. Here’s how you can clean your Kitchen Chimney using Hot Water

As you have seen we have used water in one form or another for all the methods mentioned above. A kitchen chimney can be cleaned using only hot water if the grease and oil deposits are not too much.

Requirements:

1. Hot water.
2. Tub
3. Stove
4. Dry Cloth

Instructions:

1. After taking the filters out place them in the tub with some hot water.
2. Place the tub on a stove on slow flame for 30-45 minutes.
3. After the water cools down remove the filters carefully.
4. Wash with normal water.
5. Wipe them clean with a dry cloth and replace them in the kitchen chimney.

Some safety tips for cleaning the Kitchen Chimney:

1. Turn the power off before you take out the filters from the chimney.
2. Remove any utensils placed below the chimney.
3. Always wear gloves as they will protect you from heat, and chemicals used in the whole process of cleaning.
4. Don’t touch your face or any other part of the body after washing the filters.

How often the kitchen chimney filters be cleaned?

Many people are confused about this question as they do not have clarity. This depends on a number of factors such as the type of food prepared, the type of filter in the chimney, etc.

For Indian cooking, we would recommend cleaning the filter as per the filter type:

1. Cassette Filter – These filters contain multiple layers of mesh made of aluminum. There are tiny pores that easily trap grease or oil. It is best if you clean them once a week.
2. Baffle Filter – These are the best and most used type filters. There are curved panels made of stainless steel which are not easily clogged. Being dishwasher safe they are easy to clean and it is advised to clean them every 3-4 weeks.
3. Charcoal Filter – As these filters contain a slate with charcoal granules to absorb smoke, odor, and oil particles they are not washable. It is best if you replace them every 3-4 months.

Also Read:

Top 10 Best Chimney in India for Kitchen: Buyer’s Guide and Reviews!

How To Deep Clean Your Air Fryer in 10 simple steps