Hobs and hoods, by virtue of their proximity to cooking activity, accumulate grease, oil, food debris, and a variety of other undesirable residues that, beyond fostering germs and bad smells, can significantly affect their performance and longevity.

Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to maintain your hob and hood. Here are some ways you can care for your hob and hood, without the need for any specialised tools and items. 

Caring for Your Cooker Hood

Cooker hoods are systems designed to keep the air in your kitchen clean by removing grease, smoke and odours, either by absorbing/filtering them or channeling them outdoors. Usually, cooker hoods come with two types of filters, a metallic grease filter and a charcoal filter for odours. Here are a few tips on how to clean and maintain your hood.

1. Remove And Clean the Grease Filter

The first step you can take is to check your manual for instructions on how to remove the grease filter from your hood. It should come off easily, by pressing a button or flipping a catch. Do note that some hoods have more than one filter layer, so you should be careful to take them all out. 

Since grease filters are the first line of filtration in the hood system, you can expect it to be clogged with smoke, oil, food particles and more. Use oil removing cleaners like dishwashing detergent and warm water to clean them and air-dry them afterwards. 

Mayer’s 90cm Slimline Hood is perfect for smaller kitchens without much head space. Cleaning will also be a breeze due to its compact design. 

2. Clean the Hood Interior and Exterior

While your grease filters are drying, it’s a good idea to clean the interior and exterior of the hood. Avoid using an abrasive sponge to avoid scratching your hood’s surfaces. A soft sponge or cloth will do. The first round of cleaning should be done with warm, soapy water, followed by another round or two of plain, clean water to rinse away the soap, dirt and grease. 

Remember to avoid strong abrasive cleaning agents in order to ensure the longevity and usability of your hood. A mild degreasing soap or dishwashing liquid will suffice. 

3. Replace Your Charcoal Filter Regularly

Cooker hoods that function on air recirculation (a ductless system) will also come with a charcoal filter that functions to remove odour, grease and smoke particles. These filters cannot be cleaned and can only be replaced. Make sure you order new charcoal filters and replace them every 3-6 months, depending on your cooking frequency. 

4. Checking Your Exhaust Ducts

For hoods that employ the exhaust extraction method, there will be a duct that connects outside attached to either your kitchen wall or window. You should check on this duct every 6 months or so as dirt can build up. It’s also important to ensure that nothing is blocking the duct so that airflow can continue unimpeded. 

Recommended Models

90cm Slimline Hood Features Gun metal finish Charcoal filter Re-circulation system Long LED light bar In-built oil tray	Flat Hood Gun Metal Features: Double suction Aluminium grease filter Heat cleaning Built-in ioniser Gun metal or black finish
Semi-integrated Hood with Oil Tray - Rotguss Features: Ultra slim hood With oil cup and oil tray 3x charcoal filters Re-circulation system Grey glass panel with stainless steel strip	90cm Chimney Hood Features: Stainless steel and aluminium chassis Oil tray and oil cup Stainless steel baffle filter with safety wire Charcoal filter Two modes; ducted and re-circulation systems

Caring For Your Hob

Cooker hobs are the main surface on which cooking takes place, usually featuring two or more stoves on which you can steam, fry, grill and more. Hobs face direct exposure from food spillage, including oil splashes, liquid spills and bits of food. 

5. Be Careful as You Cook

It’s always a good idea to be gentle and careful as you cook, so that you can minimise splashes and spills. This includes stirring pots and pans gently, not filling pots to their brim and using the right heat intensity so that your pots don’t overboil. 

When removing pots and pans, use oven mitts or pot holders so that you don’t burn your fingers and drop the food. Also, try to lift pots and pans when removing them, rather than dragging them across the hob surface to avoid scratches. 

Mayer’s 86cm 3-burner Gun Metal Gas Hob-Rotguss is a good pick if you want a stainless steel surface that’s hardy and durable. 

6. Clean Immediately After Cooking

Doing some light cleaning after cooking makes things easier for you, especially in the long run. Food spills and particles are harder to clean the longer you leave them, as they dry out, harden and may leave stubborn stains. The sooner they’re removed, the better. 

Wait until your hob has cooled down completely before wiping it down with a soft cloth or sponge and soapy water. Go through the hob a second time with clean water to remove the layer of soap and let air dry. 

7. Deep Clean Once or Twice Month

Depending on your cooking frequency, you may want to consider deep cleaning your hob every month or every fortnight. Remove the metal pan supports and wash them with soap and water. Dry them before putting them back. Burner caps and control knobs can be cleaned with a quick wipe down using a damp cloth. 

Avoid scrubbing your hob vigorously with an abrasive scrubber, especially those made with metal. If you have to remove stubborn crusts or stains, use fibre cloths or soft sponges. Scouring pads may scratch and damage your hob, especially those made from glass or ceramic. 

8. Household Items Come That Come in Handy

In most cases, basic cleaning of your hob can be done with a few drops of dishwashing liquid in water. For more stubborn stains, you can consider a paste made from baking soda and water. Lemon juice or distilled vinegar can also be used to replace the baking soda. Specialised hob cleaning detergents can also be used. 

For stains that have hardened and crusted over, there are specialised hob scrapers that you can purchase. Avoid using a razor blade or knife to try and remove these stains, as you can risk damaging your hob or hurting yourself. 

Finally, for protein based stains (i.e. from meats or eggs), rub some laundry detergent on them and allow the enzymes to break down the protein in these stains before wiping it off with a damp cloth. 

Recommended Models

75cm 3 Burner Glass Gas Hob Features Three types of burners Tempered glass Flame failure safety devices Top Air system Enameled trivets	86cm 3 Burner Stainless Steel Hob Features: Stainless steel gun metal finish 3x gas burners Flame failure safety devices Battery ignition Front control knobs
75cm 2 Zone Hybrid Hob with Slider Features: 2X induction cookers with 9 heating levels Touch sensor control panel with slider SCHOTT CERAN® Glass EGO Double Circle heating element Intelligent cooking function	30cm 2 Burner Domino Gas Hob Features: Tempered glass top Rapid burner and semi-rapid burner Front control knobs Flame failure safety device Battery ignition

Final Thoughts

These simple maintenance tips can help your hob and hood last longer, and function at their best. With a little consistency and effort, your hobs and hoods can serve you for many years to come. 

At Mayer, we have a wide selection of both hobs and hoods for your kitchen. Our high performance hobs and hoods are designed to make your daily cooking experience a joyful convenience, meeting the needs of the modern cook in terms of quality and performance. Speak to us today to learn more about our products.