Canopy and filter cleaning

The canopy is isolated and protected before removable baffle or mesh filters are taken out. Internal and external stainless-steel surfaces are degreased, capture edges and channels are cleared, and washable filters are soak-cleaned before refitting. Damaged or unsuitable filters are recorded rather than hidden by the clean.

The plenum behind the filters is inspected because this is where airborne grease begins to collect beyond normal staff cleaning. Where safe access permits, the condition is photographed and compared with the connected ductwork. Any grease leakage, failed seals or missing access points is included in the findings.

Daily wiping protects food-contact hygiene and keeps visible stainless steel presentable. It cannot reach the internal plenum, duct bends, risers or fan. Filters also reduce grease carry-over but do not capture every particle. A canopy can therefore appear clean while a combustible deposit remains elsewhere in the route.

The survey checks whether canopy-only work is appropriate or whether a full-system clean is due. This avoids selling a limited clean where the fire risk sits beyond the filter bank, and gives the operator one written scope before work starts.

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.