Kitchen extract ductwork deep cleaning

No grease filter captures everything. Fine aerosol passes into the plenum and duct, where it settles on internal surfaces. Over time that deposit can form a continuous combustible path from the cooking line through the building. The risk is not visible from the kitchen floor, which is why internal access and evidence matter.

Technicians use a combination of hand scraping, chemical degreasing and mechanical agitation selected for the duct material, geometry and deposit. Residue is contained and removed rather than pushed further along the route. Fire dampers, flexible joints and sensitive equipment are identified before work begins.

A system can only be cleaned properly where technicians can reach and visually verify its surfaces. The survey locates existing panels and identifies long runs, changes of direction or equipment that block access. If a section cannot be reached, it is marked on the schematic and excluded clearly from certification rather than assumed clean.

Compliant access panels can be proposed as separate remedial work. Once fitted, they allow repeat inspection and cleaning at future visits, reducing uncertainty and making maintenance planning more consistent.

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.