Duct Doctor · London and the South East
Kitchen canopy and hood cleaning
Kitchen canopies and hoods cleaned inside and out, along with the plenum behind the filters and the filters themselves, as part of a full TR19® Grease clean or between cleans.
- Sticky grease on the canopy inside and out
- Grease dripping from the canopy edge
- Filters clogged and hard to clean
What canopy and hood cleaning involves
The canopy is the first part of the extract that grease reaches. It catches cooking vapour above the range, the filters trap some of the fat, and the rest carries on into the plenum, the void behind the filters, and up into the duct. A canopy that looks clean on the outside can hide a plenum coated in grease. We take the filters out, scrape and degrease the inside of the canopy and the plenum, clear the grease gutters and clean the outside so it’s ready for an EHO visit. Canopy cleaning is part of every full TR19® Grease clean we carry out. On its own it helps hygiene and airflow, but it doesn’t make the rest of the system safe, so we’ll always tell you what we can see of the duct beyond. Our article on canopy-only cleaning versus a full clean explains the difference.
We cover London and the South East, and have done since 2009. We’re a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, we hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we’re fully insured.
Problems we put right
- Sticky grease on the canopy inside and out
- Grease dripping from the canopy edge
- Filters clogged and hard to clean
- A blackened plenum behind the filters
- Smoke and heat hanging in the kitchen
What we work on
- Wall canopies
- Island canopies
- Plenum chambers
- Baffle filters
- Grease gutters
- Canopy light fittings
How it works
- We look at the canopy, plenum and filters and agree whether you need a canopy clean or a full system clean.
- The cooking equipment is switched off and left to cool, and the area below is sheeted.
- The filters come out and the plenum and canopy interior are scraped and degreased.
- Grease gutters and drain points are cleared and the outside of the canopy is cleaned.
- The filters are cleaned or swapped, refitted the right way round, and we photograph the result.
Canopy only, or a full clean?
A canopy clean is useful between full cleans, or when a kitchen is preparing for an inspection. It isn’t a TR19 clean of the system, because the grease that gets past the filters ends up in the plenum, the duct and the fan. If your canopy is heavily coated, the duct behind it usually is too. We’ll give you an honest view of what we see when we survey, and quote for whichever you need.
Filters are the first line of defence
Baffle filters catch grease before it reaches the duct, but only when they’re clean and fitted properly. Clogged filters slow the airflow and let more grease through. Gaps where filters are missing or damaged let it straight past. Wash them often, or use our grease filter exchange so clean filters arrive on a schedule. Either way, check every filter is in place and the right way round before each service.
Why it’s worth doing now
The canopy sits right above the flames, so it’s where a flare-up meets grease first. A coated plenum or clogged filters let more grease into the duct, slow the airflow and leave the kitchen hot and smoky. Grease dripping from the canopy edge is a hygiene problem that EHOs notice. A clean canopy also makes daily wiping down far quicker for your team. If it’s been a while, it’s worth getting the canopy looked at now, and finding out what state the duct behind it is in.
What affects the quote
We don’t publish set prices, because no two systems are the same. Send us a few details and photos, or book a survey, and we’ll give you a fixed price before any work starts. The main things that change it are:
- The size of the system: number of canopies, length of ductwork, risers and fans
- How much grease or dirt has built up since the last clean
- Access: roof-level fans, ceiling voids, risers and how many access panels there are
- When the work can happen: overnight, weekends or school holidays
- Whether extras are needed, such as new access panels, filter exchange or damper testing
- How many sites you want covered on one schedule
What a good quote includes
- A survey or clear photos before the price is given
- Exactly which parts of the system will be cleaned or tested
- How areas that can't be reached will be recorded
- A certificate or written report with before-and-after photos
- Proof of insurance and accreditations you can check
- The recommended date for the next visit
Afterwards
We leave you photos of the canopy and plenum before and after, and tell you what we saw of the rest of the system. Wipe the outside of the canopy daily, keep the filters clean and fitted, and empty grease gutters regularly. Book the full TR19 clean at the frequency BESA sets for your hours of cooking, and we’ll clean the canopy again as part of it.
Kitchen canopy and hood cleaning: common questions
Is a canopy clean enough for TR19?
No. TR19® Grease covers the whole extract route, from the canopy to the discharge. A canopy-only clean helps hygiene and airflow, but it won’t give you a TR19 certificate for the system.
How often should the canopy be cleaned?
The canopy is cleaned on every full system clean, at the frequency BESA sets for your hours of cooking. Most kitchens also wipe the outside down daily and clean the filters often between visits.
Can you clean the canopy during the day?
Only if the cooking equipment under it is off and cool. Most canopy cleans happen early, late, overnight or at weekends so the kitchen keeps running.
Do you clean the filters too?
Yes. The filters are taken out and cleaned, or swapped for clean ones if you use our grease filter exchange.
What is the plenum?
The plenum is the chamber behind the filters where the canopy joins the duct. Grease that gets past the filters coats it, and it’s easy to miss unless the filters come out.
Do you give a fixed price before you start?
Yes. Send a few details and photos, or book a survey, and we’ll give you a fixed quote, usually within one working day.
Do you work out of hours?
Yes. We work evenings, overnight and at weekends so your kitchen or building doesn’t lose a day, and there’s a 24/7 line for emergencies.
Page updated 30 October 2026
Near you
We cover London and the South East. Find canopy and hood cleaning in your town:
- London
- Brighton
- Southampton
- Portsmouth
- Reading
- Oxford
- Milton Keynes
- Guildford
- Chelmsford
- Maidstone
- Woking
- Crawley
- Croydon
- St Albans
- Canterbury
- Basingstoke
- Slough
- High Wycombe