When was the last time you inspected the vent hoods in your restaurant’s kitchen?

Between the chaos of dinner rushes and that customer who has returned an order for the third time, it’s easy to forget about exhaust hoods.

But cleaning commercial vent hoods isn’t just a nice luxury. It’s a necessity.

Why is it necessary to clean vent hoods on a regular basis, you ask?

The exhaust hoods in your kitchen aren’t there for show. They are your primary defense against grease fires, smoke, and health code violations.

Cleaning stove vent hoods sometimes takes a backseat to other priorities. When you’re busy explaining to a customer that no, we can’t prepare your dish that way, you have no time to focus on cleaning.

Thankfully, there’s a way to clean that won’t soak up your time. This guide will teach you how to clean kitchen vent hoods, giving you more time to put out metaphorical fires…instead of real ones.

Why is it Necessary to Clean Vent Hoods on a Regular Basis?

We know what you may be thinking.

Is learning how to clean vent hoods for restaurants really that important? Can’t I just tell my employees to do it?

The truth is that cleaning stove vent hoods is that important. Without learning and teaching your staff how to clean kitchen vent hoods, you’ll spend hours on ineffective methods that destroy productivity.

After all, your customers won’t accept a 2-hour wait time if you explain that you and your staff were cleaning commercial vent hoods instead of working on their meals.

Health and Safety Compliance

A failing health inspection grade is a death sentence for your restaurant. At any moment, an angry official with a clipboard can enter your restaurant, wander into the kitchen, and change the entire trajectory of your business.

Health inspectors and regulators aren’t waiting around listening to your excuse for failing to learn how to clean kitchen vent hoods promptly. They’ll give you a failing grade, and even your most loyal customers will think twice before dining with you again.

Improving Air Quality

Have you ever dined at a restaurant that just smelled great? And we’re not just talking about the fantastic aroma of the food when it hits your plate–some restaurants make you feel right at home.

It’s likely because that restaurant is doing a fantastic job of cleaning stove vent hoods and other crucial kitchen equipment.

A dirty vent hood does the opposite. Not cleaning commercial vent hoods in your kitchen will lead to grease-filled air that can even go to front-of-house areas.

If your customers enter and immediately feel like they’ve stepped into a deep fryer, you must clean your equipment.

Extending Equipment Lifespan

Why is it necessary to clean vent hoods on a regular basis?

If you’re noticing a theme, it’s this–not doing so impacts your bottom line.

When your exhaust hoods are clogged with grease and gunk, you’re damaging the efficiency of your HVAC system and ovens. Both will work overtime to compensate for the loss of effectiveness, leading to frequent repairs and replacements.

If you don’t want to buy new ovens or HVAC systems every few months, cleaning stove vent hoods in your kitchen is a must.

What’s the Best Way to Go About Cleaning Stove Vent Hoods?

Cleaning commercial vent hoods is an essential part of operating your restaurant smoothly.

However, not all methods for cleaning stove vent hoods are equal.

There are major differences between the three most common options–manual scrubbing, hiring professionals, and using a pressure washer.

Manual Cleaning vs Professional Services

The first two options each have more cons than pros.

Manually cleaning stove vent hoods is affordable–in terms of money.

The issue is that it costs you and your staff far more in terms of time. Manual scrubbing takes hours and barely delivers effective results.

The last thing you want is for one of your sous chefs or dishwashers to scrub away at the vent hood for hours after closing. It will upset them and cost you several hours of labor for no good reason.

Professional services are slightly quicker, but they are absurdly expensive. You’ll pay thousands of dollars monthly for something you could do yourself. And there’s no way to guarantee they’ll do a good enough job keeping your kitchen safe from grease fires.

Therefore, there’s only one way you should be cleaning commercial vent hoods–with a pressure washer.

Why Pressure Washing is the Way to Go

Grease doesn’t mess around. It’s not something you can just scrub at once and clear away. You need potent forces and effective chemicals to get the job done.

Businesses worldwide have been pressure washing commercial buildings to get incredible cleaning results in minutes.

Restaurant pressure washing is no different. A pressure washer’s powerful jet stream can remove grease with the same effort it requires to swat a fly.

Investing in a machine isn’t just applicable to your kitchen equipment. You can use it anywhere on your property, such as for pressure washing parking lots or sidewalks outside your property for increased curb appeal!

Picking the Perfect Pressure Washer for the Job

With so many different types of pressure washers, you shouldn’t just pick the first one you see on the shelves and start blasting away. You need to know what to look for in a pressure washer, especially when cleaning commercial vent hoods.

There are three categories to weigh: sizing, engine type, and water temperature.

PSI and GPM determine sizing. They stand for pounds per square inch and gallons per minute, defining how much force and volume your water stream has.

You want the pressure washer PSI vs GPM ratio to give you enough power and water to wash away grease–without going overboard and damaging your sensitive equipment.

Look for machines that can reach the 2500 to 3000 PSI range, with a water volume of around 4 GPM.

The engine type is a matter of electric vs gas pressure washers. An electric model will be ideal for cleaning indoors because it is low-noise and lacks fumes.

You could use a gas model if you have fantastic ventilation and open every window, but we wouldn’t recommend it.

Your options for water temperature are hot water and cold water pressure washers. We prefer hot water models, as they provide the extra oomph you need to blast away that grease.

Choosing the Right Detergents

Once you find the ideal machine, pick up a tub of pressure washer detergent. Water alone isn’t enough to handle embedded grease.

If you’re wondering what soap to use in a pressure washer, look for an NSF-rated food-safe blend.

We highly recommend Hoty’s Carbochlor and Duct Boss blends. Both are NSF-friendly, and the latter is specifically formulated to handle the unique cleaning needs of vent hoods.

Hotsy isn’t just the best pressure washer soap on the market–it’s also the industry leader in machines. The brand has been a titan for over 5 decades.

If you’re looking for an industrial hot water pressure washer in Houston to blast away grease, there’s an authorized Hotsy dealer who can help.

Source All the Essentials at Hotsy of Houston!

Hotsy of Houston is Southeast Texas’ #1 home for all things pressure washing! Businesses across the area, from local mom-and-pop shops to major brands like HEB and McDonald’s, have relied on us for industrial pressure washers in Houston.

Hotsy is renowned as the best commercial pressure washer brand in the industry. Our inventory of powerful Hotsy machines will give you the force you need to eradicate grease.

Our friendly and experienced team will walk you through every step of the process. We’ll teach you how to use soap with a pressure washer, how to rent a pressure washer, what to wear when pressure washing, and even how to maintain a pressure washer once you’re done.

If you want to experience the fantastic cleaning ability but aren’t ready to buy, we also provide reliable industrial pressure washer rental in Houston. We service across Houston from Liberty to Fort Bend with speedy delivery, replacements, and affordable pressure washer rental costs.

Beyond machines, we also provide the best pressure washer accessories and soaps from Hotsy for getting the job done right.

How to Clean Vent Hoods for Restaurants: Step-by-Step Guide

After getting set up with equipment, you’ll need to learn how to use a pressure washer to clean stove vent hoods.

Removing Filters and Components

Before you spray a single drop of water, you’ll need to prepare the area. We recommend taking photos of your vent hood with the filters before disassembling it.

Put on your protective equipment, then begin breaking down the vent hood. Carefully remove the filters and internal components so you can clean behind them.

Applying Degreaser

Remember the tub of Hotsy Duct Boss (or Carbochlor) you bought earlier? It’s time for its moment in the spotlight.

You’ll apply the soap starting at the top of the vent hood, using gravity as an assistant. Let it flow down the hood until it covers every inch.

Let it work magic for 5 to 10 minutes on the hood. This will loosen the grease and set you up for success later on.

Cleaning the Interior and Exterior

You can finally experience the wonderful feeling of watching grease melt away.

Begin with the interior of your hood, using a wide-angle nozzle to keep the pressure dispersed. As with the soap, you want to work from top to bottom.

Keep moving your spray around as much as possible. Focusing on one spot directly for minutes at a time may damage the underlying surface.

Once the interior is clean, drop the PSI down by 2-400 and hit the exterior. Follow the same pattern of wide sprays in a top-down motion.

Cleaning Filters and Grates

Clean the filters and grates you removed following the same technique as the hood. Apply your Duct Boss or Carbochlor, let it soak, and then rinse it down gently. You want to stick to lower PSI settings in the 2500 range.

Inspect each component; if you haven’t been keeping up with your routine, some may be beyond cleaning and need replacement.

Rinsing Off Residue

Once the bulk of the grease and gunk is gone, you’ll want to go back over everything to clear off any moisture or residue. Use hot water to clear away the remaining stains from top to bottom. We recommend rinsing twice for a shiny fish.

Inspecting for Cleanliness

Take a quick breather and pat yourself on the back–your vent hood looks much better!

Give everything an inspection. If grease remains, repeat the entire process before putting everything back together.

Reassembling and Testing

Once everything looks clean and dry, you’ll want to pull out the photo you took earlier. Reassemble all the filters and grates where they came from.

You then want to test to ensure that everything is working effectively. Fire up the system and make sure it has smooth airflow (rather than that greasy, jilted sound you probably heard before cleaning).

If your inspection passes the test, you’re all set! If you aren’t renting, just find a safe indoor spot for pressure washer storage on your property so you’re prepared for the next cleaning session.

Final Thoughts on Cleaning Commercial Vent Hoods

As you can tell, learning how to clean kitchen vent hoods is easier than you thought. It all comes down to choosing the right equipment–a high-quality electric pressure washer–and avoiding ineffective and costly cleaning methods like manual scrubbing.

Our team at Hotsy of Houston is here to help you streamline your restaurant cleaning process. With our inventory of reliable machines for sale and rent and our specialized knowledge, we’ll get you set up with the perfect tools to eliminate grease without breaking a sweat.

We’ve helped businesses in several other industries find industrial cold water pressure washers in Houston, including:

So, if you’re ready to experience the unparalleled cleaning power that hundreds of other Southeast Texas businesses use daily, look no further than Hotsy of Houston! Stop by our Pasadena storefront or give us a call to learn more.

Cleaning Commercial Vent Hoods: How to Clean Vent Hoods for Restaurants