Signs your kitchen extract needs cleaning

Persistent stale grease odours when cooking has stopped, smoke lingering during service, visibly sticky deposits and an extractor that sounds strained can indicate a contaminated or restricted system. Grease leaking from joints or collecting near the discharge also warrants attention.

These symptoms do not diagnose one cause. Poor airflow can also result from a failed motor, damaged belt, blocked make-up air or unsuitable design. Inspect the complete system before deciding that filter washing alone will solve it.

Hidden duct deposits can build without an obvious kitchen symptom. Maintenance should therefore follow inspection findings, use and risk requirements, not only emergency signs. A system can appear to extract normally while still holding a significant combustible load.

If records are missing, arrange a survey. The survey should inspect beyond the filters, identify inaccessible sections and establish a documented baseline for the next decision.

A commercial kitchen extract is one connected route: canopy, filters, plenum, ductwork, fan and discharge. Filters reduce carry-over but cannot capture every grease particle. Decisions based only on visible stainless steel can therefore miss the section that contains the greatest hidden deposit.

A useful survey follows that complete route. It records access points and limitations before a quote is agreed, so the cleaned scope and resulting evidence match what was physically possible.

Every project begins with a survey of the complete extract route. The survey records the canopy, filters, plenum, duct direction, access points, fan position and discharge. It also identifies sections that cannot be reached safely with the existing access. That matters because a clean-looking canopy does not prove that hidden ductwork is free from grease.

The written quote defines the included surfaces, access assumptions and any remedial work before the visit. On the day, the kitchen and nearby equipment are protected, grease is contained, and the system is cleaned in sections. After cleaning, the team records the condition with photographs and deposit readings at repeatable points so the next visit can be compared with the last one.

Useful evidence is more than a one-line receipt. It should identify the site and system, state the date and scope, show representative before-and-after photographs, record inaccessible areas and explain any follow-up action. A dated hygiene certificate supports the report, but the supporting detail is what helps a facilities team, fire-risk assessor or insurer understand what was actually completed.

Records should be retained with the fire-risk assessment and maintenance file. Cleaning frequency is reviewed against cooking hours, cooking method, observed deposit levels and any insurer-specific condition. There is no universal certificate expiry period: the relevant date is the next clean established for that system and accepted under the operator's own risk and insurance arrangements.

Collect the latest cleaning report, fire-risk assessment, insurance wording and any system drawings. Note changes to equipment, menu and hours since the previous clean. If the records do not identify the duct and fan, arrange a survey that establishes a complete baseline.

Ask for a fixed written quote. Our commercial extract cleaning starts from £550, with the final price confirmed from system scope, access and condition. Use WhatsApp or the survey form to describe the kitchen and preferred working window.