Home · Cleaning · Best practice · Degreasing a kitchen properly
Cleaning best practice
The short answer
Grease needs an alkaline degreaser, warm water and dwell time; extraction filters and the cabinet tops above the hob are where it accumulates unseen.
Cooking aerosolises oil, which settles on every surface in the room and then collects airborne dust. The result is the sticky film found on top of wall units.
How it is done
- Alkaline degreaser, applied warm, given time to work.
- Do the extraction filters: soak them, do not wipe them.
- Cabinet tops, the sides of the hob housing and the wall behind it.
- Rinse afterwards, because degreaser residue is itself sticky.
Why it matters
A greasy extraction filter is both a fire risk and the reason a kitchen smells of last month's cooking. It is also the single item most often skipped in a routine clean.
questions
Asked about this
In a kitchen used daily, monthly is reasonable. Filters that have never been cleaned usually need soaking rather than wiping.
Strong alkalis can dull aluminium and some painted finishes. Test first, and use a milder product on lacquered or anodised surfaces.
references
Background reading
- Grease (lubricant) — Wikipedia
- Detergent — Wikipedia
External encyclopaedia entries for the underlying concepts. They explain the science; the practice above is how we apply it in UAE properties.