How to Clean a Kitchen Hood Filter and Fan at Home (Singapore)

Last updated: 10 October 2026 · By the Sureclean cleaning team

Short answer: To clean a kitchen hood filter, switch the hood off at the mains and unclip the metal filters. Soak them for 15–20 minutes in very hot water with dishwashing liquid and a few spoonfuls of baking soda. Scrub gently with a soft brush, rinse, and let them dry completely before you refit them. Charcoal filters cannot be washed and must be replaced. Wipe only the parts of the fan housing you can reach, and leave the motor and ducting to the manufacturer’s service team.

Why do kitchen hood filters get so greasy in Singapore?

Singapore kitchens get heavy use. Wok frying, deep frying and daily stir-fries put fine droplets of oil into the air. The hood filter is there to catch them before they reach the fan and ducting. In HDB and BTO flats the kitchen is often compact or open to the living area, so a clogged filter soon leaves a cooking smell across the whole home.

Humidity makes it worse. In a cooler climate, grease dries to a film. Here it stays tacky, and dust sticks to it. Within a few weeks a mesh filter can turn from silver to amber. Airflow drops, and the hood gets louder while extracting less.

The filter is the part designed for you to remove and wash. This guide covers how to clean a kitchen hood filter at home, what you can safely do with the fan, and where a professional spring cleaning service fits in and where it does not.

Which type of hood filter do you have?

Check what is fitted before you start. Most hoods sold in Singapore use one of three filter types, and each needs different care.

• Aluminium mesh filters are layered metal mesh, common on slimline and chimney hoods. They are washable, but strong alkaline cleaners can darken aluminium, so use gentle products.
• Stainless steel baffle filters are angled metal channels, often found on higher-powered hoods used for heavy wok cooking. They are washable and tougher, so they can take more scrubbing.
• Charcoal (carbon) filters are used on recirculating hoods that do not vent outside. You may find these in some condos and flats without an external duct. They absorb odours and cannot be washed. Replace them on the schedule in your hood manual.

Many recirculating hoods have both: a metal grease filter in front and a charcoal filter behind it. Wash the metal one and replace the charcoal one. If you are unsure, look for the model number. It is usually on a sticker inside the hood once the filter is out, and the manual will say whether the filter is dishwasher-safe.

How do you clean a kitchen hood filter step by step?

Set aside about 45 minutes, most of which is soaking time. You need a basin or sink big enough to submerge the filter, dishwashing liquid, baking soda, a soft brush and a dry towel.

• 1. Switch off at the mains. Turn the hood off at the wall switch so the fan and lights cannot come on while your hands are inside.
• 2. Remove the filters. Press the release latch and lower each filter carefully, because old grease can drip.
• 3. Prepare the soak. Fill the sink with the hottest water you can safely handle. Add a generous squeeze of dishwashing liquid and a few spoonfuls of baking soda, and stir until the fizzing settles.
• 4. Soak for 15–20 minutes. Turn the filter over halfway through if it is not fully covered.
• 5. Scrub gently. Brush along the mesh or baffle lines with a soft brush. Avoid steel wool, which scratches and bends aluminium.
• 6. Rinse and repeat if needed. Heavy build-up may need a second soak.
• 7. Dry completely. Stand the filter upright or towel it dry. Refit it only when it is fully dry, so no water drips onto the motor.

Can you clean the hood fan yourself?

Partly. The fan and motor sit behind the filter, and most manufacturers do not intend owners to take them apart. At home, limit yourself to the parts you can see and reach once the filters are out.

• Wipe the inside of the hood canopy and the filter frame with a cloth dampened in warm, soapy water, then dry with a clean cloth.
• Wipe any fan cover or grille you can reach without tools. Keep the cloth damp, not wet.
• Clean the outside panels and buttons with a non-abrasive cleaner suited to stainless steel or glass.
• Replace light bulbs only with the type given in the manual.

Do not spray liquid into the motor housing, remove the blower or open the ducting. If the hood rattles, smells of burning or has lost suction even with clean filters, the likely cause is grease inside the blower or duct. That job belongs to the hood manufacturer’s service team or a specialist hood contractor. Sureclean does not degrease hood interiors, motors or ducting, and we prefer to say so plainly rather than take on work outside our scope.

How often should you clean a kitchen hood filter?

It depends on how you cook. As a practical rule for Singapore homes:

• Daily wok frying or deep frying: wash metal filters every 2–4 weeks.
• Cooking most days with lighter methods: every 1–2 months.
• Occasional cooking or mainly reheating: about every 3 months.
• Charcoal filters: replace them at the interval in the manual, or when odours stop clearing.

Go by the signs, not just the calendar. The filter is due if it looks dark or feels sticky, the hood sounds louder, cooking smells linger, or oil drips from the edge. Fresh grease comes off far more easily than baked-on layers, so frequent light cleans take less effort than one hard scrub a year.

A short habit helps too. After a heavy cooking session, wipe the hood exterior and the wall tiles behind the stove before the film sets in the humidity. In landed homes with a separate wet kitchen, that space usually builds up faster than the dry kitchen, so plan cleaning around it.

How much does kitchen cleaning cost in Singapore?

Cleaning a hood filter yourself costs very little: dishwashing liquid, baking soda and a brush you probably already own. Replacement charcoal filters come from the hood brand or its stockists. Prices vary by model, so check with the retailer.

Professional hood degreasing is a specialist service. Sureclean does not offer it, so we do not publish a price. Ask the hood manufacturer or a hood-cleaning contractor for a quote.

Sureclean covers the rest of the kitchen and home. Our published starting prices, all before GST, are:

• Spring cleaning / deep cleaning (one-time): from $600*, with most jobs $700–$800*.
• Move-in / move-out cleaning: from $370*, with most jobs $475–$525*.
• Post-renovation cleaning: from $350*; a 4-room HDB is $525*.
• Disinfection: from $265*, typically $370–$475* per session.

First-time customers get a 10% discount. See our full list of cleaning prices in Singapore for every service.

When should you call a professional for your kitchen?

Call a professional when the job is bigger than the filter. Common situations in Singapore homes:

• You are moving out of a rental and the whole kitchen must be handed back clean, including cabinet fronts, tiles and the hood exterior. See our move-in / move-out cleaning.
• Years of cooking have left grease on the walls, cabinets and floor tiles, not just the hood.
• You want a one-time top-to-bottom clean before Chinese New Year, Hari Raya or Deepavali. See our one-time cleaning service.

Sureclean’s spring cleaning is done by our own trained crews, who bring their own equipment. We are NEA-licensed (NEA240120/6509C/C3/N01), carry S$1,000,000 public liability insurance and have a 4.9-star Google rating across 1,500+ reviews. In the kitchen, the team cleans reachable surfaces and the outside of the hood. The hood interior, motor and ducting stay with the manufacturer or a specialist. Confirm the exact kitchen scope when you book. If something is missed, we return to re-clean.

What does Sureclean charge for kitchen-related cleaning?

Hood interior degreasing is not a Sureclean service. These are our published prices for the home cleaning services that include the kitchen. All prices are before GST, and first-time customers get 10% off.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a kitchen hood filter in the dishwasher?

Often yes, if the manual says the filter is dishwasher-safe. Stainless steel baffle filters usually cope well. Aluminium mesh can darken with strong dishwasher detergent, so washing by hand is safer. Never wash charcoal filters. If you would rather have the wider kitchen handled, Sureclean’s one-time spring cleaning starts from $600*. It does not include degreasing inside the hood.

Does Sureclean clean kitchen hoods?

We clean the outside of the hood as part of a kitchen clean, but we do not take apart or degrease hood interiors, motors or ducting. For that, contact the hood manufacturer or a specialist contractor. Our spring cleaning starts from $600*, with most jobs $700–$800*, and covers the home’s reachable surfaces. First-time customers get 10% off.

What removes baked-on grease from a hood filter?

A hot-water soak with dishwashing liquid and baking soda, repeated two or three times, removes most baked-on grease. Scrub gently with a soft brush between soaks, never steel wool. If the filter is bent or still clogged after that, replacing it is usually easier. If grease has spread to tiles and cabinets too, a professional spring clean from $600* may save you a weekend.

How much does a full kitchen deep clean cost in Singapore?

Sureclean cleans the kitchen as part of a whole-home spring clean, which starts from $600* before GST, with most jobs $700–$800*. If you are moving out, our move-in / move-out cleaning starts from $370*, with most jobs $475–$525*. Neither includes degreasing inside the hood. First-time customers get a 10% discount.

How often should I replace a charcoal hood filter?

Follow the replacement interval in your hood manual. In practice, replace the filter when cooking smells stop clearing. Charcoal cannot be washed or restored with water. Replacement filters come from the hood brand or its stockists. For wider kitchen hygiene, Sureclean’s disinfection service starts from $265*, typically $370–$475* per session.

Related guides

• Spring Cleaning Singapore
• Cleaning prices in Singapore
• Professional spring cleaning

Main service page: Spring Cleaning Singapore — from $600*

*All prices shown are “from” prices for guidance only and are subject to change without notice. Final pricing depends on unit size, condition and site access — we confirm an exact written quote on WhatsApp (+65 6983 9523) before any booking is confirmed.

Alvin Tan

Founder & Managing Director, Sureclean

Alvin founded Sureclean in 2013 to bring reliable, professional cleaning standards to homes and businesses across Singapore. Today, Sureclean is NEA Class 3-licensed (NEA240120/6509C/C3/N01), rated 4.9★ across 1,553+ Google reviews, and has served over 50,000 homes across Singapore — backed by S$1,000,000 in public liability insurance and a 400-hour training standard for every crew member.