If you're staring at a sticky extractor hood above the hob and putting it off because it looks grim, that's normal. In London flats and terraced houses, the hood often catches far more grease than people realise, and once it's clogged, the whole kitchen starts to feel stuffy, smellier, and harder to keep clean.
A proper clean isn't complicated, but it does need to be done in the right order. If you're getting ready for an inventory checkout, trying to stay on top of regular cleaning, or sorting a neglected kitchen before guests arrive, this is the method we use for a genuinely clean result rather than a quick wipe that leaves grease behind.
Table of Contents
- Why Your Extractor Hood Needs Attention
- Gathering Your Cleaning Supplies
- The Step by Step Degreasing Process
- Maintaining Your Extractor Hood for Long Term Use
- Advice for London Tenants and Landlords
- When to Book a Professional Kitchen Clean
Why Your Extractor Hood Needs Attention
A dirty extractor hood usually gives itself away in stages. First the metal feels tacky. Then the light cover dulls over, the fan sounds strained, and cooking smells hang around longer than they used to. In a compact kitchen in Camden, Hackney or Islington, that matters quickly because steam and grease don't have far to travel.
The hood isn't just there to make noise above the hob. It's the main grease-capture point in many London homes, especially in flats where kitchen space is tight and ventilation is limited. When grease sits in the filter and on the underside of the hood, it spreads to cupboard doors, splashbacks and ceilings far faster than commonly anticipated.
Practical rule: If the hood feels sticky on the outside, the filter is usually dirtier than it looks.
This comes up all the time at end of tenancy stage. Tenants often clean the oven, hob and worktops, then forget the hood because it's above eye level. But during an inventory checkout, a greasy extractor stands out. It suggests the kitchen hasn't been fully maintained, even if the rest of the room looks tidy.
For landlords and letting agents, it's similar. A clean hood helps a kitchen feel looked after and ready for the next occupant. For homeowners, it makes cooking more pleasant. Less lingering odour, less airborne grease, less frustration.
Gathering Your Cleaning Supplies
Before you start, set yourself up properly. Extractor hood cleaning gets messy when done in a rush. Grease drips, loosened residue lands on the hob, and if you're balancing on tiptoes in a narrow London galley kitchen, poor preparation makes the whole job harder.
Start with safety
The first job is to switch the power off properly. Don't just turn the hood light off and assume that's enough. Isolate the appliance at the fuse box or breaker before you start removing filters or wiping inside the unit.
That matters most when you're cleaning around the fan housing or reaching into awkward corners. In older London properties, especially converted flats, kitchens can have tight electrical layouts and limited working space. A safe working setup is part of the clean.
What to put beside the sink
You don't need a cupboard full of products. You need the right ones.
- Washing-up liquid or degreasing dish soap for the first pass on filters and surfaces
- Sodium bicarbonate or soda crystals for heavier grease
- A bowl, sink or deep tray big enough for soaking filters
- Microfibre cloths for wiping and buffing
- A soft nylon sponge or soft brush for scrubbing without damaging the mesh
- Warm water for routine washing
- A dry cloth or drying rack so parts can air-dry fully before refitting
- Old towels or a protective cloth to cover the hob and catch drips
If the grease is thick and old, a gentle paste works better than spraying and endlessly wiping. That's one reason baking soda stays useful in kitchen degreasing. It gives you a bit more grip on stubborn residue without being as aggressive as rough scouring pads.
For nearby kitchen jobs, it also helps to tackle related grease traps at the same time. If your racks are due attention as well, this guide on the best way to clean oven racks fits neatly into the same session.
Lay everything out before you remove the first filter. Once greasy parts are in your hands, you won't want to start opening cupboards.
The Step by Step Degreasing Process
A good extractor hood clean has three parts. Filters first, then the inside housing, then the outside finish. If you do it in that order, you're not pushing loosened grease back onto surfaces you've already cleaned.
Start with the dirtiest part. It usually isn't the shiny front panel. It's the filter.
Remove and soak the filters first
Most metal grease filters unclip or slide out. Support them with one hand as you release them so they don't drop onto the hob or chip the edge of a sink. Once they're out, you can see what you're really dealing with.
For washable filters, UK care guidance is very practical. Faber recommends soaking metal or sponge filters in warm soapy water, adding soda crystals or sodium bicarbonate for heavier build-up, then scrubbing, rinsing and air-drying before refitting, as set out in Faber's cooker hood cleaning guide.
If the build-up is more stubborn, a stronger benchmark used in hood-cleaning guidance is a 15–30 minute soak in boiling or the hottest possible water with dish soap or degreaser, followed by cleaning with a soft nylon sponge or microfibre cloth and avoiding steel wool because it can damage the mesh, as explained in this range hood filter cleaning reference.
A practical routine looks like this:
- Remove the filters carefully and place them in the sink or a deep tray.
- Fill with very hot water and add washing-up liquid.
- Add sodium bicarbonate or soda crystals if the grease is thick.
- Leave the filters to soak until the grease softens.
- Scrub gently with a soft sponge or brush.
- Rinse thoroughly and leave them to air-dry fully.
If your cooker hood sits above an electric cooking zone, it helps to clean the whole area together so grease doesn't spread straight back onto a fresh surface. Our guide on how to clean an electric hob is useful for that.
Here's a visual walkthrough if you prefer to see the process before you begin:
Clean the inside housing carefully
Once the filters are soaking, turn to the underside and inner housing. This is the part many people barely touch, which is why the hood can still smell greasy after a “clean”.
Use a cloth with warm soapy water first to remove the loose film. Don't spray liquid directly into the motor area. Apply it to the cloth, then wipe. If grease has hardened around the edges, work slowly. A rushed scrub tends to smear it about rather than lift it.
A few areas need extra care:
- The rim around the filter opening often holds a thick line of grease
- Corners and seams trap sticky residue
- The light surround can dull with cooking film
- Fan cover areas should be wiped gently, not flooded
The inside should end up clean to the touch, not just less visible from below.
If residue remains, go back with a fresh cloth rather than pushing dirty grease around with the first one. In small London kitchens, this is often where the difference lies between a surface that looks passable and one that would satisfy a proper end of tenancy standard.
Finish the exterior properly
The last stage is the bit everyone sees. It also tends to be the easiest to get wrong. Too much product leaves smears. Harsh pads leave scratches. Quick wipes often leave a greasy haze that shows up as soon as the kitchen light hits it.
For heavier build-up on the exterior, Faber's method recommends a paste made from sodium bicarbonate or soda crystals, then a damp wipe, rinse and microfibre buffing. That same approach is especially useful for painted hoods and stainless steel fronts where grease has bonded to the surface.
Use this order:
| Area | What works | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Front panel | Damp cloth, degreasing paste for stubborn patches, microfibre buff | Over-wetting controls |
| Underside lip | Warm soapy wipe, repeat if sticky | One quick pass |
| Stainless steel finish | Gentle wipe, then buff dry with microfibre | Rough scrubbers |
| Fine mesh parts | Soft nylon sponge | Steel wool |
A clean extractor hood should feel dry, smooth and grease-free. If your hand still drags across the surface, it needs another pass.
Maintaining Your Extractor Hood for Long Term Use
A deep clean resets the hood. Maintenance stops you having to fight the same heavy grease again.
Set a routine that's realistic
The simplest routine is filter care. UK appliance guidance is consistent that filters should be cleaned regularly to keep the hood effective, and one manufacturer recommends monthly filter cleaning to maintain airflow and reduce grease build-up, as noted in this appliance care guide.
In London flats, that monthly habit is especially sensible. Many kitchens in terraced conversions, newer developments and compact rental properties rely on the hood as the main control for vapour and cooking odours. If the filter is blocked, extraction drops off quickly.
A workable upkeep list is short:
- Wash the metal filter regularly so grease doesn't harden
- Wipe the underside often before residue builds into a sticky layer
- Dry filters fully before refitting so moisture isn't trapped
- Listen for changes in noise, rattling or weaker extraction
If smells linger even after the hood itself is clean, the issue may be further along the system in a ducted setup. In that case, guidance on home duct cleaning can help you understand when the vent path may need attention as well.
Know which filters can and can't be washed
This catches people out all the time. Metal grease filters are generally the washable part. They trap grease. They can be soaked, scrubbed and dried before going back in.
Charcoal or carbon filters are different. These are common in recirculating hoods, which you see often in London flats without external venting. Those filters deal with odour, not just grease, and they aren't cleaned in the same way. If your hood uses them, check your appliance manual and replace them when needed rather than trying to wash them.
If a hood still smells stale after the metal filter is clean, check whether it also uses a charcoal filter.
Advice for London Tenants and Landlords
Extractor hoods get missed because they sit above eye level. During a move-out clean, that's a costly mistake. Letting agents and inventory clerks may not say much about a gleaming worktop if the hood above it is still tacky, streaked, or clogged with grease.
What tenants should check before inspection
If you're leaving a flat in Wandsworth, Islington, Clapham or Canary Wharf, treat the extractor as part of your end of tenancy kitchen checklist, not as an optional extra. A proper finish means:
- The filters are removed and cleaned
- The underside is grease-free to the touch
- The outer casing is wiped and buffed
- The light area and visible edges are clean
- No cooking odour is hanging around the hood
That matters because kitchen appliances are judged on condition, not effort. If you're trying to protect your deposit, this guide on how to get deposit back from landlord is worth reading alongside your kitchen clean.
For renters who know the whole property needs more than a basic tidy, it can also help to compare specialist move-out services such as Atticus' bespoke end of tenancy cleaning so you know what a thorough tenancy-ready standard usually includes.
What landlords and agents should look for
For landlords in Kensington, Chelsea, Fulham or Battersea, the extractor hood is a quick indicator of how the kitchen has been maintained. If the filter is greasy, there's a fair chance grease has travelled onto top cupboards, tiles and paintwork as well.
Before a new tenant moves in, check for these basics:
- A secure, clean filter fit
- No visible grease on the chimney or canopy
- A fresh-smelling kitchen after cooking
- No sticky residue around controls or handles
A clean hood helps the whole room present better. It also gives incoming tenants a clearer sense that the property has been properly prepared.
When to Book a Professional Kitchen Clean
DIY works well when the grease is recent and you've kept on top of it. It's less realistic when the hood hasn't been cleaned for a long time, the mesh is heavily clogged, or you're dealing with a full move-out clean on a deadline.
That's usually the point where a professional kitchen clean saves time and frustration. It also helps when the extractor hood is only one part of a bigger job, such as deep cleaning the hob, oven, splashback, inside cupboards and flooring before a landlord visit, guest arrival or tenancy handover.
For one-off or deep cleaning jobs across Greater London, one option is London House Cleaners, which provides vetted and insured domestic cleaning services within the M25, including kitchen degreasing and end of tenancy cleaning. That's often the practical choice when you need the extractor cleaned properly and the rest of the kitchen brought up to the same standard in one visit.
If you've got the time, the method above will do the job well. If you haven't, or the grease is beyond a manageable home clean, it's sensible to get help before the problem spreads further across the kitchen.
If your extractor hood, hob and surrounding kitchen need more than a quick wipe, you can book with London House Cleaners for a one-off deep clean, end of tenancy clean or regular domestic cleaning service across London within the M25. We keep booking straightforward, pricing clear, and if something's missed, our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee means we'll put it right.
