One of the most difficult areas of a commercial kitchen to keep clean is the exhaust system that removes cooking fumes from above the ranges to the outside air. With a little knowledge, much of this maintenance can be done as a regular activity by the kitchen staff themselves. This article describes how often components should be cleaned, as well as some of the hazards to be aware of.
One of the fastest polluting areas of a kitchen is the area above the cooktops, where air and fumes are vented outside through an exhaust hood that will contain grease filters to capture oil and grease that are released during 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 get a rough idea, here are some recommended cleaning intervals for the different elements in a heavy duty extraction system (e.g. fast food restaurants high-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)
Carbon 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)
Extract 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 constructed 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 a clean water rinse, is usually quite adequate for most equipment. When too long a period is left between cleanings, grease will set in and require special attention. An improved aesthetic appearance will be achieved if the cleaned surface eventually dries.
In reality, deciding how often to clean is relatively subjective and ultimately up to the facility manager to make the decision. However, the simplest guideline to follow is that if a surface or component looks dirty then it needs cleaning.
There is no reason why you shouldn’t do most of this work yourself, but a little training and 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 conducted.
For example, if your system has specialized odor removal systems such as UV, ESP, or Carbon Cells, internal staff members will require specific training in monitoring, testing, and handling 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 the detergents and cleaning agents used. Even with a well-finished filter panel, it’s surprisingly easy to cut through 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 filters for removal and replacement will inevitably mean reaching above head height, so proper 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 very much depend 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 carry out 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.
