A silent danger: the area in the kitchen that we should never neglect to clean
The kitchen is one of the rooms in the house that we have to clean the most often: every time we cook, we have to clean the stove, the worktops and the dishes. But, there is one spot in the kitchen which is often neglected in the cleaning routine and can actually become a danger. We are talking about the oven's extractor hood, and in particular, the hood's filter.
Why is it dangerous to forget to clean the oven's extractor hood filter?
The hood above the stove in all modern kitchens is obviously not just a decorative item. It is used to extract cooking fumes and vapors, which would otherwise "contaminate" the home. You can open doors and windows, of course, but this can take time to work and in the meantime, we have to breath in "polluted" air. Given this, using the extractor is a much quicker way of dealing with this situation.
Over time, of course, the hood and the filter gets greasy and sticky, and this patina can be difficult to remove. But the longer we leave this cleaning chore, the more germs and bacteria will take hold in the old grease and grime.
Further, this festering grime can also attract insect pests such as ants, flies and cockroaches.
Finally, we cannot underestimate the risk a fire breaking out due to a filter blocked with grease: all it takes is a single spark to start a kitchen fire.
How to properly clean the hood's filter
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For regular cleaning (when you don't need to dismantle all the parts), a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, may be sufficient. With this spray, spray a decent amount on a cloth and rub the greasy areas thoroughly. The vinegar will dissolve away "fresh" grease patinas (if not too thick). If necessary, spray a little of the mixture directly on the hood (be careful to avoid electrical contacts or displays), leave to act for a little while, then rub clean.
Since it this is greasy grime, you will probably have to use more than one cloth, always rinsing off with hot water.
However, if you need to dismantle the filter to clean it thoroughly, then do so following the instructions for your oven. Once done, prepare a basin with warm water, a drop of dishwashing liquid and half a glass of white vinegar. Mix everything together and place the filter into the solution. Leave to soak for 20-30 minutes and then, with the help of a dish-washing brush, scrub away all the softened grease and grime. Rinse well, and reassemble only when each piece is perfectly dry.
If there are stubborn dirt spots, you can treat these with a paste made from water and baking soda, and scrubbing this on with an old toothbrush. Follow with a drop of dishwashing liquid rubbed on and then rinsed off.
Typically, routine cleaning is recommended to be done every week (or after a few "intense" cooking sessions), while thorough cleaning should be done every three months.