5 Tell-Tale Signs Your Extractor Hood Needs a Deep Clean

The extractor hood is the most forgotten appliance in the kitchen. It works away above the hob, quietly collecting grease, steam and cooking smells — until one day you notice the buttons feel sticky and the whole thing has turned a strange shade of amber.

Here are the five signs it's overdue a deep clean.

1. Sticky, greasy surfaces

Run a finger along the underside of the hood. If it drags or comes away shiny, the outer casing already has a grease film. Wiping the outside never lasts — the film comes from within.

2. The filter has changed colour

A metal mesh grease filter should be silver. When it's brown or amber and the mesh looks clogged, it's saturated. At that point it's not filtering anything — it's just holding grease a few inches above your burners.

3. Cooking smells linger

If last night's frying still greets you at breakfast, the hood isn't extracting properly. A grease-clogged filter and fan can't move the air it used to.

4. The motor sounds different

A humming, labouring or rattling extractor is usually fighting grease build-up on the fan blades. Left alone, the strain shortens the motor's life — an expensive replacement for the sake of a clean.

5. The light is dim (or gone)

Grease on the bulb cover dims the hood light and bakes onto the plastic until it's part of the fitting. A deep clean includes the cover and bulb — brighter cooking, instantly.

What a professional hood clean includes

We remove and degrease the filters, clean the fan and housing, degrease the outer casing and controls, and polish the whole unit — inside and out — with food-safe, non-caustic products. It typically takes 30–45 minutes as an add-on to an oven clean.

Most customers have their extractor cleaned alongside their oven, since the grease sources are the same. If your hood is showing any of these signs, add an extractor clean to your booking.