If warm, soapy water doesn't cut through the grease, put on rubber gloves and add baking soda or vinegar to the water. For especially stubborn deposits, use a degreaser, such as Formula 409 cleaner or Simple Green, Olsen said. If your hood is painted, be careful not to use anything abrasive, he said.

3. Clean the fan without removing the motor. Attach a crevice to a vacuum cleaner and remove the dust from the fan without detaching it from the motor. Then switch to a brush attachment for the fan motor components to remove any cakey grease and dirt.

The general rule of thumb for kitchen hood cleaning is every three months but this depends on several factors our experts can help you access. Some commercial/restaurant exhaust systems that use wood or charcoal-burning stoves need to be inspected/cleaned monthly.