Grease Filters: Clean, Exchange or Replace?
Grease filters are the first line of defence in any commercial kitchen exhaust system. They trap airborne grease before it enters the ductwork — but only if they are properly maintained. So should you clean them, exchange them, or replace them? Here is how to decide.
Why grease filter maintenance matters
Clogged or damaged filters cause three serious problems:
- Fire risk — grease-laden filters are fuel sitting directly above your cooking line
- Poor ventilation — blocked filters restrict airflow, making the kitchen hotter and smokier
- Compliance — AS 1851 and your insurer both expect filters to be maintained on a documented schedule
Option 1: Cleaning your filters
Stainless steel baffle filters are designed to be cleaned and reused. In a busy kitchen they may need cleaning weekly or even daily — either in-house or by a professional service.
Best for: kitchens with quality baffle filters and the staff time to clean them properly.
Watch out for: cleaning that only removes surface grease. Filters need degreasing right through the baffles, and in-house cleaning often slips down the priority list during busy service periods.
Option 2: A filter exchange program
With an exchange program, a technician arrives on a set schedule with freshly cleaned filters and swaps them for your dirty ones. Your kitchen never waits for filters to be cleaned, and the schedule is documented automatically.
Best for: busy restaurants, pubs, clubs and food courts where consistency and compliance records matter.
Watch out for: making sure the exchange frequency actually matches your cooking volume — a monthly swap is not enough for a high-output chargrill kitchen.
Clean Air Filtration runs a scheduled grease filter exchange service across Melbourne, with every visit logged for your insurance and compliance records.
Option 3: Replacing filters entirely
Filters do not last forever. Replace them when you see:
- Bent, warped or damaged frames that no longer seal in the canopy
- Corrosion or holes in the mesh or baffles
- Grease bypassing the filter and coating the duct behind it
- Filters that no longer fit after canopy modifications
A damaged filter with gaps around the edges lets grease straight into the ductwork — the most dangerous place for it to accumulate, and the hardest to clean.
So which is right for your kitchen?
For most commercial kitchens, the answer is a combination: quality baffle filters on a professional exchange or cleaning schedule, with replacement when filters reach the end of their life. What matters most is that whichever approach you choose happens on a fixed, documented schedule — not when someone notices the filters are dripping.
Filter maintenance also works hand-in-hand with full canopy and kitchen exhaust cleaning: clean filters slow grease build-up in the duct, and a clean duct keeps the whole system safe between services.
Want a filter program that runs itself? Get in touch or call (03) 9303 9661 and we will recommend a schedule based on your kitchen’s actual cooking load.