Today, all our lives are incomplete without kitchen chimneys. They do the job of evacuating the dirt and grime from the kitchen hob or gas or stove, whatever you use. It helps to eliminate the smoke and the vapors. However, like all kitchen equipment, they need thorough cleansing. Today, you will learn how to clean chimney with baking soda.
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Learn How To Clean Chimney With Baking Soda Today
You may know other ways to get the kitchen chimney cleaned, but that proves to be very costly. If you hire professionals to get the chimney cleaned, then it may cost you a bomb. Most companies ask you to go for AMCs or the annual maintenance contract. Your AMC cost maybe 1/7th of the chimney coast. Moreover, you can famish the amount in less than four months. Yes, it is that early. Today, you can clean the kitchen chimney in less amount.
Why Do You Need To Get The Chimneys Cleaned?
- There are numerous drawbacks to dirty and greasy chimneys. Firstly, it looks very bad. Today, most kitchens are open in nature. So, the moment your guests or someone from outside visits the dining cum kitchen area, the first thing they see is the kitchen. The guests today are busy scrutinizing how well the kitchen is organized. If the kitchen does not look good or is filled with dirt and grime, then the impression is bad in the first instance.
- If you do not get the kitchen chimney cleaned in time, then the channels get blocked. Moreover, the kitchen chimney loses its power to suck the smog and grime. This leads to the deterioration of the kitchen chimney.
- Moreover, if you do not get the kitchen chimney cleared just in time, oil droplets may fall on the kitchen hob, cooking gas, or the stove. It creates a bad impression of the person responsible for the kitchen or the house owner.
- The dirty chimney leads to a dirty kitchen, and the smog may spread to the whole dining area.
- If you are using mesh filters, and you are not cleaning them regularly, then the filters get blocked. In the long run, you may need to replace the filters. That is the reason, you need to clean the filters regularly. For the Asian kitchen, mesh baffle filters are better suited. There are charcoal filters as well, but they cannot be cleaned. You need to replace them every six months.
How Often Do You Need To Clean Chimney Filters?
You need to clean the kitchen chimney every 15 days. Or else, you can do it in a month even. If you are an Asian, then you need to get your kitchen chimney cleaned every fifteen days. The reason, being that Asians love their spices, more than anything else. If you are using less oil, then you can clean the kitchen chimney every month. In other countries, people clean the kitchen chimney as per their style of cooking. Moreover, those who cook less often can also afford to get the kitchen chimney cleaned every month.
Apart from these guidelines, if you find that the filters look dirty, visually, then do get them cleaned.
Moreover, the frequency also depends on the type of filter that you have. Let us find out more about them.
- Cassette Filter – these are made up o layers of aluminum. Moreover, they contain small holes, pores, and grease sticks. You can clean them once every 8 to 10 days.
- Baffle Filters – These filters have in-built technology to separate out grease and smoke. However, they do not get that dirty. You can clean them once every 2-3 weeks.
- Charcoal Filters – These are comprised of charcoal granules. They are adept at absorbing smoke odor, and grease. You can clean them once every 3-6 months.
How Do You Clean A Kitchen Chimney At Home?
There are a variety of materials that you can use to clean the kitchen chimney at home. Let us find out more about them.
- Vinegar – is a great cleansing agent, owing to its acidic properties. It is a dilute form of Acetic acid. You can clean the exterior of the chimney, very well with it. The hoods and panels are included. You can dip a paper towel in vinegar and rub the surface. See how well, it cleanses. You should wipe the entire external part with the tissue or towel soaked in vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then scrub off with clean water.
- Caustic Soda is another ingredient that most people use today, to clean dirt, smog, and grime from metallic surfaces. Your kitchen chimney has a metallic surface. Caustic soda is better known as Sodium Hydroxide. It is an inexpensive but very powerful industrial cleaner. You can use it to dissolve grease, oils, and fats. To initiate the process, just remove the baffle, mesh, and filters from the chimney, and place them in a metal bucket. You should know, that caustic soda heats up the water, so do not use a lightweight plastic bucket. Let the parts sit in the solution for 5 minutes. You need to make sure to do this in a well-ventilated place to allow the fumes to escape. After about 3 hours, you can wash all the components. You have to be a bit alert while doing this. Caustic soda does have the power to burn your hands. It is important to wear safety gear while you are at it.
- Baking Soda is another top ingredient that you can use to clean filters. It chemically Sodium Bicarbonate. It is abrasive in nature. You can follow more or less the same process to clean the filters, mesh, and baffles.
- Paint Thinners are also used today, to clean the filters, mesh, and baffles. They contain organic solvents such as Acetone, Toluene, Turpentine amongst other mineral spirits. You can clean the grease and grime that lodges in the nooks and crevices. These work instantly to remove the dirt and grime. You should clean the chimney filters outside if you are using thinners. This is to ensure that the fumes are able to escape.
- Dishwashing liquid is also frequently used to clean the chimneys, filters, mesh, and baffles. You can use this method to clean the filters, baffles, and mesh to clean through this method.
- Hot water – is something that is omnipresent in the household. You can easily clean the chimney baffles, mesh, and filter with hot water. It is one of the oldest ways to clean the kitchen chimney. Moreover, it perfect for all those busy bees today. The boiling water has the power to unblock the grease and break down the oil in a matter of minutes. However, you can still put them aside for 30 minutes together.
Detailed Methods To Clean Chimney Filters
There are five methods, through which you can clean the kitchen chimney. There are plus and minus points for each method.
Method 1 – Cleaning Chimney With Dishwashing Liquid
You require dishwashing liquid, a scrubbing brush, and boiling water to clean the chimney. Moreover, you can also add baking soda to it. You may or may not use it.
Firstly, you need to remove the filters from the chimney. Most of the filters are attached via a lock. You can remove the lock and take the filter out. Now, you need to fill a bucket with boiling water and add 4-5 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid to it. You need to mix it with a scrubbing brush. Now, soak the filters in the water for about 10 minutes. Now, scrub the filters with a scrubbing brush. Now, once the dirt washes away, you can rinse the filters with fresh water. Dry them and fix them back into place.
You can try Presto Dish Wash Gel to wash the filters apart from the mini wire brush.
Key Features:
- Effective and powerful dish wash formula for dirt, oil, and grime
- Harsh on stains, but gentle on your hands
- Removes foul odor
- Leaves the filter sparkling clean
Pros:
- The dish wash gel is available at home, so you do not go and buy it
- You do not need to spend money on buying expensive stuff
Cons:
- If your chimney is very dirty, you may not be able to clean it in this manner
- You need to really work hard on it
Method 2 – Cleaning Chimney With Baking Soda, Salt, And Vinegar
You need baking soda, salt, and vinegar. And, additionally, you also need a scrubber brush or a worn-out toothbrush. Moreover, you need boiling water as well. The steps are pretty simple. You need to remove the filters from the chimney. Now, fill a bucket with boiling water. Put 3 tbsp of baking soda, and salt, along with 2 cups of boiling water. Soak the filters in this concoction for 2-3 hours. Scrub with a brush after this time has elapsed. Now, clean the filters with fresh water. So, now you know how to clean chimney with baking soda.
Method 3 – Cleaning With Detergent Powder
Today, you can also utilize detergent powder, to clean the chimney filter. Moreover, you need just two ingredients – detergent and boiling water.
Firstly, you need to remove the filters from the chimney. Take a big bucket or a tub and fill it with water. Heat the water on a stove, and boil the water. You can cover the boiling tub with a lid, to speed up the process. Add about 3 tbsp of detergent powder. Now, put the filters in the water. Let the tub simmer for some time. Now, slowly pick up the filters from the water, and brush them. Use the wet toothbrush to clean the dirt and grime. Now, clean it in hot or cold water. Use a clean cloth to scrub off the dirt and grime.
You can use Tide Detergent Powder for this purpose.
Key Features:
- Removes grime and dirt from every nook and corner
- Has the power of bar
- It works in half the dosage of other ordinary detergents
- Easily dissolves in water
- It has superior formulation
Pros:
- It will set you by a few minutes to clean by this method.
- You may the powder at home. In fact, most homes do.
- You do not have to work that hard.
- No harmful chemical is required for the cleaning process.
- Now, you can easily clean the chimney.
- It is one of the cheapest methods to do the cleaning.
- This method is less time-consuming.
Cons:
- No cons
How To Maintain Auto-Clean Chimneys?
Today, you can use a variety of kitchen chimneys. Now, just using them will not suffice, you need to clean them and maintain them as well. We have already listed the various methods, through which you can clean normal chimneys. Now, the removal of harmful substances is absolutely necessary to keep your kitchen chimney working for longer. Life without a kitchen chimney is next to impossible today. You have to purchase the kitchen chimney, to keep your kitchen walls, cabinets and furniture, free from dirt and grime. You have to keep it smoke-free.
Today, many companies have come up with chimneys. There are so many of them, that you can often get confused. So, you need to check out the various features online and you can also go and physically verify the chimneys before making that ultimate buying decision. The various chimney companies worth mention is Elica, Faber, Kutchina, Glenn, Sunflame, Inalsa, Hindware, Whirlpool, and KAFF, to name a few.
The brands are varied, and so are the features. You will find that each kitchen chimney differs from one another in some way or the other. However, they have one thing in common – they need cleaning on a regular basis. They may sport different kinds of filters.
Auto-clean chimneys are a new lot. They also have an oil-collector and can separate smoke and fumes. They are even able to purify the air in the kitchen. However, they have some differences when pitted against the normal kitchen chimneys. They come with auto cleaning features. So, that means that you do not need to open the baffles, mesh, and filters to clean them. Moreover, their lifespan is more than normal kitchen chimneys and so is their’s price. The auto-clean function self-cleanses the oil collectors and filters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of kitchen chimneys are there?
The two main types of kitchen chimneys are the wall-mounted variety and the island variety. The wall-mounted variety is fitted against the wall. The island chimney is a hanging one and located at the center of the kitchen. There are some sub-categories as well. There is another type of chimney that is hidden within the kitchen cabinets. You can buy any one of these types, depending on the shape and size of the kitchen. Moreover, they have different functionalities as well. You ought to take into account your budget, size, and shape of the kitchen as well.
What are the kitchen chimney usage guidelines, that can help you help you maintain them?
Today, you can maintain the kitchen chimney, if you follow a few guidelines. The kitchen chimneys are built to eliminate smoke, grease, oil, and grime from the kitchen. It results due to the use of oil in the kitchen. You should always follow the guidelines before using the kitchen chimney. It is very necessary. The kitchen chimney and the hob should be located at a gap of 25-30 inches. They also need the exact voltage of power, to run smoothly. 2 phase voltage is sometimes not enough.
Moreover, you should have proper earthing facilities. You should never use the gas burners open, when not in use. The filters are flammable, and excessive usage or exposure may damage to the point of no return. So, you have to be a bit careful. You should also remember never to leave your frying pans unattended at any point in time.
Which ones are the best kitchen chimneys?
Today, there are so many different kitchen chimneys in the market, that you will be spoilt. Indian cooking or Asian cooking involves a lot so fats, frying, and oils. Moreover, each food has a distinct aroma. So, you might find that the kitchen is full of various aromas. They emanate from the hob and spread into the adjoining areas as well. So, you need to invest in a kitchen chimney. Some of the best ones include Faber, which is the most outstanding kitchen chimney. The chimney does not have a filter. It has high suction power and 3-speed control sensors. It also produces very little noise, so many people are buying this kitchen chimney.
Glen is another brand worth mention here. Glen is in fact is one of the best companies to start with. These chimneys come with innovative design. Moreover, it has one-touch controls and is very easy to operate. The fans and housing are also made from metal. That makes them very durable.
Conclusion
There are so many different types of kitchen chimneys. So, you should also read about their cleaning guidelines before purchase. So, you have to get one today. Today, you have also learned how to clean the chimney with baking soda. That is one of the best ways to clean today.
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