What Is Included in a Hood Cleaning Service?

Two quotes for a "hood cleaning" can describe very different jobs. One may cover only the canopy and filters. Another may cover the whole exhaust system, from the hood to the fan. This guide explains what a complete hood cleaning service includes, what is easy to miss, and what to ask before you book.

What does a kitchen hood cleaning service include?

A complete service cleans the hood canopy, the grease filters, the exhaust duct, the exhaust fan and any ESP unit, then gives you a summary of the work done. A hood-only service covers just the canopy and, usually, the filters.

At HoodEx, the complete exhaust system service covers:

• Hood: canopy interior and exterior surfaces, grease channels and capture edges
• Filters: every baffle or mesh filter panel degreased, descaled and dried
• Duct: full internal duct runs, including sections that need mechanical brush access
• ESP unit: collector cells and housing, where one is fitted
• Exhaust fan: blades, housing and motor compartment
• A clear summary of the work completed, for your own records

Each part can also be booked on its own. See the complete exhaust system cleaning service for how the pieces fit together.

Is the duct included in a hood cleaning?

Only if the quote says so. The duct is the part that is out of sight, so it is easy for a quote to leave it out without you noticing.

It matters because grease does not stop at the hood. It passes the filters and collects in the duct and the fan. Cleaning only the hood and filters leaves that grease behind. Our exhaust duct cleaning uses a rotary brush machine, fed through the duct from a control unit, to reach sections that hand-cleaning cannot.

What happens before the cleaning starts?

A good provider inspects the system first, so the quote matches what is actually there. We inspect before we quote.

The inspection shows how much grease has built up, which parts the system has (for example, whether there is an ESP unit), and what access is needed to the duct and the fan.

Are the exhaust fan and ESP unit included?

Not always. Ask whether the exhaust fan is part of the quote, and whether the kitchen has an ESP unit that needs cleaning. Not every kitchen has an ESP unit, so it only applies where one is fitted.

What should you receive afterwards?

You should receive a clear summary of the work completed, so you have a record of what was cleaned. Keep it with your kitchen's maintenance records.

How can you compare hood cleaning quotes?

Put the quotes side by side and ask each provider the same questions:

1. Which parts are included: canopy, filters, duct, fan and ESP unit?
2. Is the system inspected before the quote is given?
3. How is the duct cleaned: by machine along its full length, or only by hand at the access points?
4. What will you receive afterwards?
5. Can the work be arranged outside your kitchen's operating hours?

A lower price often means fewer parts are included. The questions above show what you are really comparing.

How can you prepare your kitchen?

Ask your provider what they need. Usually that means clear space around the hood and the equipment below it, access to the duct access panels, and access to the roof or ceiling void where the fan sits. Where possible, we arrange the work around your kitchen's operating hours.

Frequently asked questions