Kitchen Canopy and Exhaust Cleaning Frequency: What Determines the Plan?
Commercial kitchens do not all accumulate grease at the same rate. A useful maintenance plan separates inspection, filter care and full-system cleaning, and reviews the condition found at each visit.
| Predicted Grease Aerosols | Cleaning Intervals (months) | ||
| < 8 hours cooking / day | Between 8 and 14 hours cooking / day | > 14 hours cooking / day | |
| Low | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| Medium | 12 | 6 | 3 |
| High | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Predicted Grease Aerosols | Cleaning Intervals (months) | ||
| < 8 hours cooking/day | Between 8 and 14 hours cooking / day | > 14 hours cooking / day | |
| Low | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Medium | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| High | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Start with applicable requirements
AS 1851 provides the relevant routine-service framework for kitchen exhaust maintenance. The applicable requirements, inspection findings, cooking load and any insurer or building-specific conditions should inform the service plan. Do not assume one annual booking is suitable for every kitchen. Confirm the applicable provisions with the responsible maintenance professional and check your insurer’s specific conditions.
Consider cooking load and the installation
Operating hours, cooking methods, food type, fuel, filter performance and duct layout can influence deposits. A busy cooking line or changed menu may warrant a review of the existing plan; a generic online table cannot establish your site’s obligations.
Inspect between booked cleans
Report grease dripping, unusual odours, visible deposits, damaged filters or changes in extraction. These observations need assessment and are not a reason to wait for the next calendar date.
Keep filter maintenance separate
Filters need their own inspection and cleaning arrangements. Filter exchange does not remove deposits in the plenum, ducts or fan. Record both tasks so a filter visit is not mistaken for a full-system service.
Use findings to review the interval
Inspection photographs, deposit observations and access limitations should inform recommendations. Ask the provider to explain any measurements and the criteria used; this guide does not prescribe an unsupported grease-thickness threshold.
Retain the evidence
Keep the agreed scope, service date, before-and-after photographs, PDF report, inaccessible sections and recommended follow-up together. A service report documents the work completed; the insurer, auditor or relevant authority determines whether it meets their requirements. For a shorter overview, see commercial canopy cleaning frequency.
Arrange a commercial service
Clean Air Filtration provides commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning in Melbourne and Victoria. Tell us your site location, system details, access restrictions and operating hours so we can discuss the cleaning scope. Call (03) 9303 9661 or email sales@cleanair.com.au.
Every client receives a client portal, including one-off services. Completed-service PDF reports and job photos are available there. See our service records guide for what to keep with your maintenance history.
Cover image: AI-generated editorial illustration of representative equipment or premises, not a client-site photograph.