Have you looked at the filter of your kitchen exhaust fan lately? If you are like most of us, chances are probably pretty good that you haven’t. But because of moisture in the kitchen – not to mention occasional splatters hitting lower hanging exhaust fans – it can be an icky breeding ground of bacteria.
Most filters are held in by a couple of tabs on either side, simply turn and pop the filter off (no, we won’t tell if you have to use gloves to deal with the grossness!) Most modern filters are made of some variety of metal and meant to be washed… you don’t need to do the whole handwash in hot soapy water thing, just pop it into the dishwasher, making sure you remove it at the end of the cycle so it doesn’t sit wet (which can happen if you do not use the heated dry cycle and then forget to unload dishes for a couple of days). Then pop the filter back into the exhaust fan, and it will be good as new.
Some types of exhaust fans need to be replaced. If yours is one that needs to be replaced, it should clearly be marked and include relevant numbers for ordering. Some can be gently cleaned, even if they are replaceable, so you can clean them yourself carefully.
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