What is the best way to clean the fan in a range hood? Steam?

Gayle
by Gayle
Not talking about the exterior of the hood over my countertop range, but the inner workings, the fan.

  7 answers
  • Kelly Kelly on Feb 06, 2018

    The metal mesh filter should come off giving you access to the fan

    • Gayle Gayle on Feb 06, 2018

      Thanks, Kelly. Getting TO the fan is not my problem. But how does one get up inside to degrease the inside? Some videos show the homeowner actually removing the unit; I can't do that. Wondering if liquid harms the "guts" of the unit. And if anyone with a steam cleaner has done that.

  • Too25815564 Too25815564 on Feb 06, 2018

    I took mine apart and used oven cleaner. It Did a great job

    • Gayle Gayle on Feb 06, 2018

      Thanks, Toofar. Wow. I don't think I am capable of taking the unit apart. Seems spraying oven cleaner up in the fan (with the range below) would be a terrible mess. Some have suggested buying a new range hood is the best solution, but I hate to believe that : /

  • 27524803 27524803 on Feb 06, 2018

    Whatever you do... make sure that you can unplug it first... and that you wait until it is COMPLETELY dried out before you plug it back in.

  • Eva Eva on Feb 06, 2018

    The 99 Cent Store has a degreaser called "Awesome" and it is amazing. I would do a one part Awesome to 4 parts warm water. I spray, or swab, the hood, wipe and it comes clean, or for heavy grease I scrub with a Scotch Brite sponge then rinse when all done. Use rubber gloves as it will strip your hands and that's not fun.

    • See 2 previous
    • Gayle Gayle on Feb 06, 2018

      Yes, the thing I really want to know is if getting anything sprayed (liquid or steam) up into the fan unit is harmful to it (unplugged, of course). My unit is 12 years old and has only ever been wiped down every year or so—never "deep" cleaned. Now, sometimes yellow grease accumulates at the edges of the filter. So although the hood and filters look all clean and shiny, there is obviously major grease up inside. You see the problem. Thanks for your time : ) Hoping you don't have this same issue—but you sure might : /

  • Danielle Odin Danielle Odin on Feb 06, 2018

    I take the fliter off. It is clipped in and easy to unlatch then I soak it with white vinegar and dawn dish soap rinse well and clean the fan that will be visible while the filter is off. You can use a sprayer to get inside.

    • Gayle Gayle on Feb 06, 2018

      Thanks, Danielle. I use your method to clean the filters but my challenge is the fan that lies above : / With the range below it seems anything sprayed up inside will be a terrible mess. I am surmising that after one unplugs the power that moisture will not hurt the fan unit (hope I am right about that). So maybe steam will be a good chemical free solution.

  • Too25815564 Too25815564 on Feb 06, 2018

    Yes. Cove your range and counter with plastic tarp. That's all I did

  • Danielle Odin Danielle Odin on Feb 07, 2018

    I use white vinegar and I don't wet it too much, just enough to cut the grease and wipe it off.

    • Gayle Gayle on Feb 07, 2018

      Thanks, Danielle. This inner fan is coated with grease; much of the surface is not easily reached by hand so I'm thinking it may need a spray with some "umps" to it. But, white vinegar IS sure a good degreaser : )