What’s the worst item in your kitchen to clean? For me, three items top my list: my oven, baking sheets and extractor fan filters.
You can shut your oven door and pretend for a while that all is good, and if all else fails, you can replace your baking sheets, but there’s no getting away from a dirty extractor fan. It’s in plain sight above your cooktop and can’t be disguised.
Beyond looking unsightly, a clogged extractor doesn’t work as effectively to remove steam, grease and unwanted odors while you cook.
But extractor fans aren’t that easy to clean; they are not always dishwasher-safe, and a quick wipe over with a damp cloth won’t remove the muck.
So how do you get rid of build-up grime without calling in the cleaning brigade?
According to Lynsey Crombie @lynseyqueenofcclean on Instagram, all you need are three cleaning staples: bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and water.
How to clean extractor filters the easy way
In her social video, Crombie removes the extractor filter and places it in a baking pan, then sprinkles the filter with baking soda. She then pours hot water straight from an electric kettle over it and uses a stiff scrubbing brush to lift the grease and grime.
If you don’t have baking soda to hand, she also suggests placing the dirty extractor grills in warm water before adding a little white vinegar.
Making a paste and spray will also work
Alternatively, you can make a paste with water and baking soda, using a 1:3 ratio of water to baking soda. Coat your extractor filters with the paste and leave it to work for 20 minutes.
Then spray the surface with an equal mix of white vinegar and warm water, and let it fizz. Once the fizzing stops, scrub the filters to remove any residue, then rinse clean.
Allow your filters to dry before replacing them.
Top tip
Cleaning your extractor filters regularly will save having to give them a deep degrease every time.
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