Give your kitchen chimney a post-Sadya cleaning this weekend

Whipping up the perfect Onam Sadya is no piece of cake (or payasam). But then again, if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already mastered the Sadya, and have cooked your guests a lip-smacking meal. Now, we get to the next part – post-Onam cleaning. While you likely have a dishwasher to take care of your plates and cutlery, there’s one appliance that is no doubt overworked and needs a bit of TLC – the chimney. Let’s begin with the fundamentals of cleaning your chimney. 

How often do I need to clean my chimney

There are parts of a kitchen chimney that users can themselves clean on a daily basis to minimise long-term buildup of dust. However, deeper areas of the chimney will need a more thorough cleaning every 2-3 weeks. A thorough internal cleaning is also recommended every 3-4 months by a trained technician.  

Nikhil Birari, Lead Value Added Service, Service Delivery at Croma explains that how often your chimney needs cleaning also comes down to the cooking style and frequency followed in your household. “Daily cleaning may not always be possible for chimneys,” he explains, adding that a thorough cleaning also requires time.  

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He further says that the internal components of a chimney can be tricky to clean and easy to damage. This is why one should leave these areas to trained technicians. That said, there are two key components of a chimney that users can clean and maintain themselves – the external surface and the filters.   

How to clean a kitchen chimney

Here’s a detailed guide on how to clean various parts of your electric kitchen chimney along with some tips to get things right and make your cleaning session more efficient.  

Cleaning the external surface (Once a day)

Use a damp cloth to clean the outer parts of your kitchen chimney. This is a quick and effective method of getting rid of any dust on the chimney and also maintaining its aesthetics. It is recommended to use a damp cloth cleaning routine every day to keep your chimney looking great.  

Cleaning the filters (Once in 2-3 weeks)

Most chimneys these days will come with mesh or baffle filters that you can dismantle and separate from the rest of the chimney for deeper, more thorough cleaning. However, different chimneys may have different kinds of filters. Get a trained technician to show you how to safely remove the filters on your chimney, and how to reattach them. You can then remove these chimneys whenever you want for cleaning. Use some mild detergent and water to wash the filters and allow them to dry before you reattach them.  

Deep cleaning your chimney (Once in 4 months)

“Chimneys have a structure that narrows upwards, and along with the air these devices suck in, there’s also a lot of moisture,” says Birari. Basically, apart from the hot air in the kitchen, evaporated oil can also be sucked into a chimney and settle on its inner walls over time. “Use chimneys only when you’re not frying anything,” Birari adds. When preparing fried food, leave your window open instead.  

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That said, small amounts of oil we use can still often get trapped in the inner components of a chimney over time. Birari suggests this is when you should call a technician for a thorough inspection and deep cleaning, something you should do once every four months, or thrice a year. Failing to keep the internals of a chimney clean can lead to the accumulation of oil and other materials, which can even attract pests like cockroaches.  

This process can also take between two to three hours, so prepare to cook ahead of time or get ready to order food on the day of the cleaning. Post cleaning, the technician should give you any required tips on how to maintain your chimney better based on his inspection. 

Those are some easy tips to follow to keep your electric kitchen chimney fresh, clean, and functioning at its optimum capacity. Happy cleaning!