How to Clean a Chimney: 5 Tips Everyone Should Know

The chimneys in Indian kitchens are the ones that are exposed most to the types of cooking we Indians do. This equipment is a must-have in every household as it keeps the kitchen free of dust and smoke produced by cooking, but it is also the primary cause of chimney clogging, leaving it oily, sticky, and greasy.

The preparation of Indian food is all about spices and oils used in frying, seasoning, and tempering (adding tadka) in almost every dish we eat. In this kind of cooking environment, it is impossible for chimneys to stay clean and hygienic all of the time, which is why they are the ones that need maintenance the most.

Therefore, it gets difficult to find simple ways to clean a chimney, but don't worry, we have listed a few easy hacks that you should try the next time you clean your chimney, as these basic methods will effortlessly clean up your greased chimney.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is an all-purpose cleaner used to clean almost anything, including stained clothes, walls, upholstery, and everything else in the house. It's a key ingredient in many of the DIYs and hacks we try at home, and baking soda never fails to deliver positive results in our cleaning experiments.
To clean your chimney with baking soda, mix it with a few drops of water to make a thick paste, then apply it to the surface of the chimney and let it settle for a few minutes before wiping away the grease and grime with a damp cloth.

Dishwashing Liquid

Dishwashing liquid has powerful cleaning properties and can effectively remove grease and oils from chimney filters. In order to use it to clean your chimney, fill a bucket with hot water, mix in some liquid soap, dip the filters into the water, and leave them in the bucket for at least 2 hours. After which, you can remove the grease with a sponge or a scrub, rinse it, and let it dry completely.

Vinegar

Vinegar is one of those ingredients that is always present in our kitchen cabinets. Vinegar, like baking soda, is used as a powerful DIY hack. It's a versatile ingredient widely used in cooking, cleaning, stain removal, and other things. As a result, try this hack to remove grease and stickiness from your chimney. A simple way to use it as a cleaning agent is to dip a damp cloth in a vinegar solution and apply it over the chimney hood and filters; after a few minutes, use a clean cloth to wipe the solution off the chimney.

Detergent Powder

Yes! You read that correctly: a detergent powder can help you eliminate pesky stains and oiliness on your chimney. Boil water in a large utensil with two to three tablespoons of detergent powder, dip the chimney filters into the solution, and continue boiling for a few minutes until the grease and oil separate from the filters after which wash the chimney filters with plain water. The process is similar to dishwashing liquid.

Paint Thinner

It is possible to clean greased chimney hoods and filters with paint thinners. Cleaning chimneys with them is easy. Soak a cloth or cotton pad in paint thinner and rub it over your hood and filters; you'll quickly see the results as all the oiliness and grease from the chimney comes out. As an alternative, you can also use nail polish remover as it has the same cleansing properties like paint thinner and can help you achieve the same results.

Call A Professional Home

Make sure to seek professional assistance to deep clean your chimney at least once a year, as experts will know exactly what to do because they will have all the required materials and equipment to clean your chimney professionally. At Hometriangle, we help you gain hands-on experience with all cleaning-related services.

Read More: HomeTriangle Guides: Chimney Cleaning - Everything One Needs to Know