How to clean a range hood filter

Updated October 10, 2026. By the OakTend team.

Stainless steel range hood above a gas cooktop on a white kitchen island

A range hood, or a microwave mounted over the range, catches cooking grease in a metal mesh or baffle filter. Hoods that blow air back into the kitchen also have a charcoal filter for odors, which gets replaced instead of washed.

How often: Monthly for an over-the-range microwave (Whirlpool), every 3 to 6 months for a hood (Broan), sooner with heavy cooking. Charcoal filters get replaced about every 6 months.
What you need: Dish soap or a degreasing detergent, Soft brush, Sink or dishwasher, Replacement charcoal filter, if your hood uses one

Why it matters

The EPA's advice for cutting indoor particle pollution is to run the range hood whenever you cook, vented outdoors if possible, and a hood only works if air can get through its filter. Broan also notes that a clogged filter can raise the fire risk during high-heat cooking.

Steps

Turn the hood off.
Unlatch or slide out the metal grease filter. On a microwave hood it is on the underside.
Soak it in hot water with dish soap or a degreaser, scrub gently with a soft brush and rinse.
Or run it through the dishwasher, if your manual says it is dishwasher safe.
Let it dry and put it back.
If your hood has a charcoal filter, replace it with the part your manual lists. On many over-the-range microwaves it sits behind the vent grille at the top front.

When to call a pro

Call an appliance repair technician if the fan is still weak with a clean filter, grinds or rattles, or the fan or light stops working.

Safety

Let the filter cool before you touch it; a hot metal filter and hot grease can burn.

General information, not professional advice. Your equipment's manual comes first when it says something different.

Sources

Whirlpool: cleaning the filters on an over-the-range microwave
Clean the grease filter monthly with mild soap and water, or in the dishwasher if the manual allows; the charcoal filter cannot be cleaned and is replaced about every 6 months; it sits behind the vent grille.
Whirlpool: cleaning or replacing the filters in a vent hood
Turn the hood off and let it cool first; wash the grease filter in the sink or dishwasher; the charcoal filter is not washable and lasts up to 6 months.
Broan-NuTone: range hood filter guide
Clean aluminum or baffle filters every 3 to 6 months by soaking in hot water with degreasing soap, or on a low-temperature dishwasher cycle; replace charcoal filters every 6 months; a clogged filter can increase fire risk during high-heat cooking.
EPA: sources of indoor particulate matter
Use the range hood whenever you cook, and vent it to the outdoors if possible.