What Should a Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Report Include?

When a kitchen exhaust cleaning is finished, what do you actually get? Often it is an invoice that says "hood cleaning" and nothing else. A proper report tells you what was cleaned, what the technician found and what to do next. This guide explains what a good report includes and how to use it.

What is a kitchen exhaust cleaning report?

A report is a written record of one cleaning visit. It is different from an invoice, which only records the payment. A good report lets you, your landlord or your insurer see what was done, on which date and by which company, and it gives you a basis for planning the next clean.

What should a kitchen exhaust cleaning report include?

1. The date, the site and the name of the company that did the work, attested by the company so it is clear who stands behind it
2. Every part that was cleaned: hood, filters, duct, exhaust fan and any ESP unit
3. Before and after photos of each part, labelled so you can tell what you are looking at
4. What the technician found: how much grease had built up, and any damage, missing access panels or worn parts
5. Any part that could not be reached or was not cleaned, and why
6. Recommendations: repairs to make and when the next cleaning is due
7. A contact for questions about the report

Why do before and after photos matter?

Most of an exhaust system is out of sight. The duct runs behind walls and above ceilings, and the fan is often on the roof. Photos are the simplest way to see the condition of those parts before the work and the result afterwards.

Photos also make reports easy to compare. If the same section of duct looks worse every time, that points to your cooking volume, your filters or the gap between cleanings.

What does NFPA 96 say about reports?

NFPA 96 is the U.S. standard that many kitchens use as a benchmark. Fire-code guidance that cites it expects the cleaning contractor to give the owner a written report that names any areas that could not be reached or were not cleaned, and to leave a record of the date and who did the work.

NFPA 96 is a U.S. standard. Your landlord, your insurer and the authority that inspects your premises may ask for different records, so check what they need.

Invoice or report: how can you tell the difference?

What do you get from HoodEx?

At HoodEx, every job ends with a company-attested report that includes before and after photos and recommendations. That applies whether you book kitchen hood cleaning, exhaust duct cleaning or the complete exhaust system service.

Whichever company you use, check its report against the list above. You can also read how our visit works on the process page.

How do you use the report?

• Keep it with your kitchen's maintenance records
• Compare it with the previous report to see what has changed
• Act on the recommendations before the next visit
• Show it to your landlord, insurer or inspector if they ask
• Use the next-clean date to book ahead. Our guide on how often to clean a commercial kitchen exhaust explains how to choose the interval

Need a cleaning that ends with a proper report? Contact HoodEx and we will arrange an inspection.

Frequently asked questions