Kitchen Extract Cleaning in Sheffield
At Swiftclean, we provide professional kitchen extract cleaning that helps to create a safer, more efficient environment while ensuring your business meets regulatory requirements and maintains valid insurance coverage.
Kitchen Extract System Cleaning and Fire Risk Control
It is recorded that as many as 70% of fires in commercial kitchens can be traced back to a poorly maintained, unclean kitchen extract or ventilation systems where grease has been left to build up to unsafe levels. Despite this alarming statistic, many business owners still fail to ensure that these crucial systems undergo the proper cleaning that they require.
Not keeping on top of your kitchen extract cleaning can have severe and even deadly consequences for everyone involved. If a fire were to break out in the ductwork, it can be very difficult to stop, putting the lives of those inside the premises at risk and leading to a loss of equipment and goods as well as damage to the property.
At Swiftclean, our dedicated and experienced specialists are on hand to deliver professional, reliable and cost-effective kitchen extract cleaning services in Sheffield to ensure that they are clean, safe and compliant with the necessary rules and regulations.
The Importance of Kitchen Extract Cleaning
Extraction systems serve as the unsung heroes of commercial kitchens, helping to remove heat, smoke, grease, and odours that accumulate during daily operations. They are widely used by many different businesses and premises across various sectors and industries, from hotels, restaurants, hospitals and schools to shopping centres, food production facilities and many more.
For those who own, manage or are responsible for the safety of such businesses, fire prevention is a crucial part of that and understanding how to minimise the risks is key. Here are just some of the many reasons why regular kitchen extract cleaning is so important.
Read more
- Grease buildup within extraction ducts creates a serious fire hazard that can quickly spread through the building.
- Dirty systems become breeding grounds for bacteria, mould, and allergens that can cause respiratory problems for staff who spend long hours in the kitchen.
- Extraction cleaning is legally mandated – under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which states that employers must provide safe working environments. The TR19® Grease specification, established by the Building Engineering Services Association, sets the industry standard for cleaning protocols.
- Failure to comply with the relevant laws, legislation and regulations can result in large fines, invalidation of your fire insurance policy and even legal action.
- Grease buildup over time can damage kitchen systems and equipment, including key parts like hoods, filters, and ductwork. Regular cleaning can help to extend their lifespan, reducing the need for costly repairs or replacements over time.
- Hoods, filters and ductwork that are dirty and clogged with grease can’t remove smoke, steam, and cooking byproducts effectively. Regular cleaning ensures the optimal function of these vital systems, helping to reduce energy consumption and maintain a comfortable, efficient kitchen.
Cleaning frequency depends on your kitchen’s usage pattern:
- Heavy use (12-16 hours daily) – Clean every 3 months
- Moderate use (6-12 hours daily) – Clean every 6 months
- Light use (2-6 hours daily) – Clean annually
For businesses that use fat frying or wood or charcoal cooking methods, these may require more frequent cleaning.
At Swiftclean, we provide professional kitchen extract cleaning that helps to create a safer, more efficient environment while ensuring your business meets regulatory requirements and maintains valid insurance coverage.
Receive a Free Quote
Swiftclean commitment:
- FREE quotation/technical advice – Nationwide – call 0800 243 471
- Complete satisfaction or your money back guaranteed
- Inspections to ensure compliance with current Health & Safety regulations
- Rapid response to your needs
- Inspection methods in line with BESA TR19®Grease specification
- Full inspection reports provided and benchmarked to recognised levels.
Common Extract Cleaning Mistakes
Many business owners approach kitchen extract cleaning as a mere tick-box exercise rather than a critical safety measure. In a lot of cases, including those where a kitchen fire occurs, it happens not only as a result of no cleaning of an extraction system but also inadequate cleaning that was not done thoroughly or to the required specification.
Unfortunately, cost-cutting measures often lead businesses to take dangerous shortcuts. Fire Investigation Teams have clearly stated that “by far the most common problem and cause of ducting fires is the lack of proper cleaning and maintenance”.
Common mistakes that put businesses at serious risk include:
Read more
- Incorrect cleaning frequency – Many establishments fail to adjust cleaning schedules based on cooking methods. Kitchens producing fried or chargrilled food generate substantially more grease than those using less intensive cooking methods like baking.
- Using unqualified contractors – These individuals often lack proper training and equipment, consequently providing substandard cleaning that leaves behind fire hazards. According to industry experts, inadequate cleaning frequently results in invalid compliance certificates and potential regulatory penalties.
- Neglecting post-clean verification – After cleaning, contractors should provide detailed reports including pre/post clean measurements, photographic evidence, and certification summarising completed work. Without this documentation, businesses cannot prove compliance.
- Overlooking hidden areas – Many focus solely on visible components like hoods while neglecting internal ductwork, where grease can accumulate to dangerous levels. As one expert notes, “the external hood may appear clean, but underneath it could be a very different story”.
- Ignoring insurance requirements – Commercial liability/property insurance policies typically contain specific conditions regarding extract cleaning frequency. Failure to meet these requirements can invalidate insurance policies, leaving businesses financially vulnerable if fires occur.
Essentially, a proper maintenance regime includes regular professional cleaning scheduled according to usage patterns rather than when systems appear visibly dirty – which is often too late. Our experts are able to assess your system and discuss its usage as well as your unique requirements to create a cleaning plan that is tailored to your needs.
The Benefits of Professional Extract Cleaning Services
Our professional kitchen extract cleaning services represent an investment that pays dividends in safety, efficiency, and compliance. Our team of specialists are a valuable asset, with years of experience, training and knowledge that makes them capable of detecting potential hazards before they become serious problems.
Unlike basic in-house cleaning, our kitchen extract cleaning services utilise specialised equipment, including high-pressure cleaning systems and industrial-grade degreasers specifically designed to tackle stubborn grease deposits. This thorough approach reaches areas often missed by untrained staff, particularly in hard-to-access ductwork where dangerous buildup occurs.
The comprehensive benefits of our professional extraction cleaning include:
- Improved air quality – Professional cleaning removes dust, allergens, mould and other contaminants that circulate throughout premises, potentially causing respiratory issues
- Significant fire risk reduction – By eliminating flammable materials from ventilation systems, professional cleaning helps prevent fire outbreaks
- Regulatory compliance – Professional cleaners stay current with the latest regulations, providing documentation that serves as evidence during inspections
- System efficiency – When extraction systems are professionally cleaned, they function optimally, removing smoke and cooking byproducts effectively
- Extended equipment lifespan – Regular professional maintenance can prevent damage to hoods, filters and ductwork, avoiding costly repairs
Find Out More
Proper extraction cleaning remains the primary defence against kitchen fires, helping not only to satisfy inspectors – it protects your staff, customers, property, and business continuity.
If you have any questions about Sheffield kitchen extract cleaning or would like to find out more about the services, we provide then please get in touch and one of our friendly team will be happy to help.
More resources and best practice
Your legal responsibilities
The Health & Safety Executive and industry and insurance guidance and regulations stipulate that kitchen extract systems should be kept clean to minimise fire and other risks. And the BESA specification TR19® Grease provides specific guidance on methods of measuring and defining cleanliness as a bench mark for good practice. As well as cleaning, Swiftclean conducts kitchen grease extract risk assessments in line with TR19® Grease.
It is your responsibility to ensure that kitchen grease extract systems (canopies, filters, ductwork, risers and fans) in all commercial kitchens and the like are inspected as required by your buildings insurance policy, in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations. Find out now if your kitchen extract is compliant with the new TR19® Grease specification with the Swiftclean Kitchen Extract compliance checker.
Building managers are required to:
- Identify and assess the sources of risk
- Prepare a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk
- Appoint a person to be managerially responsible
- Implement and manage precautions
- Keep records of the precautions implemented
Call for a FREE quote
Please call us or email info@swiftclean.co.uk for further advice and a free quote.
