Busy restaurants require heavy-duty, large industrial cooking equipment. When it comes to the oven, a ventilation and exhaust fan called the oven hood should be used to help keep smoke and other smells that are a result of intense cooking at bay. If the oven hood is not cleaned on a regular basis it can become clogged and serious problems like fire or the production of noxious fumes can be produced. Here is the process that should be followed in order to properly clean a restaurant oven hood.

Clean Grease Receptacles

The grease receptacles inside of the oven's hood need to be removed first when cleaning. They should easily slide out of the side or the bottom of the hood, where you can dump any liquid grease that has accumulated there. Grease should always be dumped into a container and never into the sink to avoid drain clogs. After the grease is disposed of, you should soak the receptacles in hot water and dish detergent. Make sure that all residual grease is gone and place them on a rack to air dry.

Cleaning Filters

Oven hoods in both residential and industrial environments use a filter to help trap excess food particles. Much like the grease receptacles, the filter should be soaked in hot water and detergent. In this case, it will help break down all of the particles and make them easier to clean more thoroughly. You may have to let the filters soak for a while depending on how much buildup is inside. Once the grease and residue is broken down, use a scrubber and gently continue to scrub the filters to get the remaining residue off. If you really want to ensure that the filters are clean, run them through the dishwasher for one cycle and let them dry before re-using. 

Wipe Down The Surface

The exterior of your restaurant's oven hood should also remain as clean as possible. Use a degreaser and spray it directly onto the surface of the hood. It should start working to break up the film and grease within a few minutes. Then, use a scrubbing sponge or a cloth and begin scrubbing down the hood's exterior by hand. There may be some spots that are more stubborn than others, but they should be able to be removed with a little elbow grease. You might have to use a scraping tool to really get down to the surface of the hood and get grease off. Try to use a plastic scraper so you don't damage the metal on the oven hood. Make sure that all chemicals used are completely cleaned off of your oven hood before reassembling the filter and grease receptacle. Regular hood cleanings will help make your kitchen a safer place for employees and customers, and a more pleasant place to work.