A Range Hood Is a Kitchen Must-Have, And You Need to Use It For These Reasons

The kitchen requires daily cleaning, significantly when the area is where people acquire their everyday needs. If not cleaned, bacteria will develop in your food, utensils, tools, appliances, floors, and countertops. Food preparation would be completely unsanitary — which comes with illnesses or poisoning. Maintaining kitchen cleanliness is extremely important when you have kids at home. Children habitually touch surfaces and then wipe their mouths with those hands, exposing them to health risks and infections. You better grab your cleaning tools before and after using the kitchen. Sanitation is a huge factor in keeping your family healthy.

Photo: Unsplash/Rune Enstad

Aside from your cleaning essentials, a range hood offers a lot of help keeping everything spick and span. You need to take advantage of the benefits you’ll get from the appliance. The range hood is an excellent kitchen cleaning assistant — you’re already tidying things up while cooking. However, people tend to ignore or forget the importance of having an exhaust fan. You need to make it a good habit to turn on the range hood before you start cooking. In a Reddit post by Sirwired, he explained the benefits of using the equipment, which included how it’s environmentally beneficial. It was invented for convenience and not just for interior design purposes.

Photo: Unsplash/Malte Helmhold

Sirwired pointed out the following reasons why you should use or install a kitchen range hood:

Reduces Indoor Air Pollution

OP explained that cooking pollutes the air due to steam, soot, aerosolized grease, and particulate matter. Gas stoves also produce combustion byproducts such as Nitrogen Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide. Ventilation hoods have the ability to extinguish those particles because of its excellent filtration system. Pollutants can touch surfaces, and with proper ventilation, such byproducts won’t stay long.

Photo: Pexels/Curtis Adams

Grease Removal

The filters installed in the range hood prevent grease buildup on kitchen surfaces. Grease from oil or butter can contaminate the air, which can enter your lungs. It is also flammable — placing your house at high risk. Once you get used to turning on the exhaust fan before cooking, you must also build a habit of cleaning its grease traps. It’s recommended to do it every two to three months, depending on how often you use the range hood. You can use a dishwasher or soak it with water and baking soda.

Photo: Pexels/Curtis Adams

Sirwired also shared a range hood cleaning tip. He wrote, “After a month or so, you might be surprised at the amount of grease caught in the filter that would otherwise be coating your house. Externally-venting hoods should have a mesh filter you can wash; use a degreaser like Simple Green to clean it if the dishwasher doesn’t do a good-enough job. The interior of the hood itself, including the fan blades, will need cleaning once a year or so (this will take some vigorous scrubbing with an abrasive pad and strong soap.)”

Turning on the ventilation hood can undoubtedly provide a lot of changes to your kitchen environment. Having proper air flow and zero grease buildup creates a fresher cooking area. It eliminates odor, humidity, and health risks you might get exposed to. A spotless kitchen does not always ensure a danger-free place — most of the hazards exist in the air and are not seen by the naked eye. Sirwired has certainly shared a commendable life pro tip that helps people who spend most of their time in the kitchen. Redditors have already asked questions in the comment section. You can also join the discussion below OP’s post if you have some inquiries or additional tips.

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