2021 is halfway over, and things are starting to feel like they are getting back to normal. As more and more social restrictions and guidelines are being lifted, people are flocking to restaurants and other businesses to get the feeling of normalcy back in their lives. The hospitality industry is seeing a huge uptick in business, and restaurants especially are seeing a busy summer season coming in fast. Now that we're in June it's time to step up and make sure your kitchen exhaust system is in tip-top shape with a deep cleaning and maintenance.  Keeping up with regular cleaning and maintenance is the one of the easiest ways to ensure that your kitchen and equipment are functioning properly so that your restaurant is always up and running.

When it comes to deep cleaning, National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 96 gives a very solid outline for what is expected and best practices for your exhaust hood cleaning and inspections. A thorough exterior cleaning of the kitchen area is expected daily by employees and keeping up with these regular daily cleanings will help prevent grease buildup and other issues that can make a deep clean more extensive.  Deep cleanings of food cooking equipment at high-volume restaurants are recommended monthly, and low volume operations such as churches, day camps, etc. can benefit from a quarterly or semi-annual deep cleaning.

Deep cleaning of exhaust hood systems and other restaurant equipment is recommended on a bi-yearly basis, ideally every six months.  NFPA 96 gives the following scope for exhaust hood deep cleaning:

• Hoods should be disassembled for cleaning and degreasing. This applies to hoods as well as the hood filter tracts, removable grease cups, and grease troughs.
• Inspect exhaust fans for loosening or worn-out fan belts.
• Roof and / or wall mounted fans should be removed from ductwork for degreasing of the base, shroud, and blades.
• Hood filters, parts, and accessories should be cleaned and degreased, and replaced if necessary.
• All accessible parts of exhaust fan ductwork need to be cleaned for each hood.
• All affected areas of the hood system should be thoroughly cleaned, including the removal of plastic and any debris.
• Polish any stainless steel ductwork with food-safe polish.
• When cleaning is complete, provide a complete, detailed written report of all work performed along with any deficiencies in the exhaust hood system and your recommendations for addressing said problems.
• Provide a certificate showing the company name, the person performing the work, and date of cleaning of each hood.

Because a deep cleaning of the exhaust hood system can be a very thorough and elaborate process, it is highly recommended to hire a professional hood cleaning service to do the deep cleaning of the system. Not only is an exhaust hood cleaning service more efficient in terms of capabilities, they also will be familiar with the expected cleanliness guidelines and will help ensure there are no violations or failures with a kitchen inspection.

HoodMart provides our customers with a wide range of exhaust hood systems - from Compensating (Short Cycle) to Perforated Supply Plenum (PSP) - as well as all exhaust hood accessories such as hood filters, canopy hood lights, and curbs.  If you still have questions regarding cleaning your exhaust hood system or the purchase of your hood system, please feel free to contact one of our experts today by calling us at 1.800.715.1014 or contacting us through our live chat system.