Clean metal range hood filters about once a month, and every two weeks if you fry, stir-fry, or sear most days. That's in line with Broan-NuTone's guidance, which says roughly monthly and more often for heavy grease cooking. Charcoal filters in recirculating hoods can't be washed. Replace them about every six months.
If you cook once or twice a week and mostly boil and roast, every two or three months is fine. The filter will tell you: hold it up to a light, and if you can't see through the mesh, it's due.
Quick reference#
| Filter type |
What it looks like |
How often |
How to clean |
| Aluminum mesh |
Layers of fine silver mesh in a frame |
Monthly; every 2 weeks with frequent frying |
Sink soak or dishwasher |
| Stainless baffle |
Heavy, angled steel slats |
Monthly |
Sink soak or dishwasher |
| Charcoal (carbon) |
Black, fibrous pad or a cartridge behind the grease filter |
Replace about every 6 months |
Can't be cleaned |
Some hoods have both: a metal grease filter in front and a charcoal filter behind it for odors. That's a recirculating (ductless) hood, the kind that blows air back into the kitchen. Washing the metal one does nothing for the charcoal one.
How to clean a range hood filter#
- Turn the hood off and let the cooktop and hood cool. Whirlpool's instructions make that the first step.
- Release the filter. Most have a spring latch or a finger pull. Keep a hand under it so it doesn't drop onto the stove; they're heavier with grease than you'd think.
- Fill the sink or a large tub with the hottest water from your tap and a good squirt of grease-cutting dish soap.
- Soak the filter for 10 to 15 minutes. You'll see a film of grease float off.
- Scrub both sides with a soft nylon brush, working in the direction of the mesh. Skip steel wool, which tears aluminum mesh.
- Rinse with hot water and hold it up to the light. If the mesh is still cloudy, soak and scrub once more.
- Shake it out and let it dry completely before you put it back.
While the filter's out, wipe the inside of the hood. The underside around the filter opening has the same sticky amber film, and so does the light cover. Use the same soapy water on a cloth, wring it well, and keep liquid away from the switches, lights, and motor housing.
Can range hood filters go in the dishwasher?#
Most metal ones can. Whirlpool says to clean the filter in the sink with warm water and detergent or in the dishwasher, and Broan-NuTone says all-metal filters can go in the dishwasher with a non-phosphate detergent.
The trade-off is color. Broan-NuTone notes that aluminum filters can discolor in the dishwasher, from phosphate detergents or local water conditions, and suggests hand washing in the sink to avoid it. The dulling is cosmetic, but if your filters are on display, wash them by hand. Run the dishwasher without other dishes when you do put them in, so loosened grease doesn't land on your plates.
Charcoal filters never go in water. Whirlpool says plainly that its charcoal filter isn't washable and should last up to six months with normal use. Write down the part number when you first take it out, because hunting for it later is the slowest part of the job.
Signs your range hood filter is overdue#
- You can't see light through the mesh.
- The filter feels tacky or leaves residue on your fingers.
- Grease drips from the hood onto the stovetop.
- The fan is noisier but pulls less smoke and steam.
- Cooking smells hang around for hours (on a recirculating hood, that usually means the charcoal is spent).
- The cabinets next to the hood get a sticky film quickly after you clean them.
If extraction stays weak after a clean filter goes back in, the problem is further along: a blocked duct, a stuck backdraft damper on the outside wall, or a failing fan. That's a job for an appliance technician.
Why grease on the hood is worth keeping down#
Cooking is a leading cause of home fires. According to the NFPA, kitchen and cooking equipment was involved in an estimated 48% of home structure fires from 2020 to 2024, and two-thirds of home cooking fires start when food or cooking materials ignite. A filter and hood soaked in old grease sit directly above the burners.
If a pan does catch fire, NFPA's advice is to slide a lid over it, turn off the burner, and leave the lid on until the pan has completely cooled. Never throw water on a grease fire. If the fire doesn't go out, or you aren't comfortable getting close, get everyone out and call the fire department from outside.
Make it routine#
Pair the filter with the jobs that share its grease. Clean the filter the same week you wipe the cabinets around the stove, and add it to your oven cleaning routine. A monthly reminder in ChoreLists.com, or a two-week one if you fry a lot, keeps it from becoming a scraping job. The bathroom exhaust fan is due less often, but it's the same idea.