Surrey · Kitchen extract cleaning
Kitchen Extract Cleaning in Merle Common
TR19 grease cleaning of complete kitchen extract systems, from canopy to discharge for businesses, landlords and public buildings in Merle Common. CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and fully insured.
- A kitchen with no current TR19 certificate
- Grease dripping from the canopy or filters
- Years of baked-on grease in the ducts
About our kitchen extract cleaning in Merle Common
The part of the system nobody sees is often the dirtiest. Access panels let us into the duct runs and risers, scraping heavy deposits by hand before degreasing. Any section we can’t reach is recorded on the report and extra access panels can be added. The work covers horizontal duct runs, plenums and filters and canopies and hoods, and people most often call us about a kitchen with no current TR19 certificate and proof of cleaning requested by an insurer. Need a TR19 duct cleaning contractor for Merle Common? Duct Doctor has covered London and the South East since 2009, as a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member.
A kitchen running fryers and chargrills all day builds up grease much faster than one that mostly steams and boils, so the interval is set by what you cook as well as how long.
Work in a small place like Merle Common starts with a call to agree access and timings, and the clean covers the whole system, as it would anywhere: canopy to discharge, then a TR19® certificate and a photo report.
Accreditations are easy to claim and worth checking. We’re a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, and we hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we are fully insured.
- Place
- Merle Common (RH8)
- Region
- Surrey
- Paperwork
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Quote
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Nights, weekends or holidays to suit you
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
How the visit works
Before we leave, we walk the area with whoever is on site. We point out anything that couldn’t be reached or needs a follow-up, and it goes on the report too. The visit takes a few hours for a small kitchen, longer for a large system. Seeing the system in photos first means the trip to Merle Common can be planned properly.
- You send photos or we visit, and the system is surveyed from canopy to discharge.
- Grease thickness is measured and the price is fixed before work starts.
- The kitchen is closed, the equipment cooled and everything nearby protected.
- Filters, canopy and plenum are cleaned, then the ducts, risers, fan and discharge.
- We re-test, photograph and send your certificate and photo report.
Before we arrive
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
- Move anything stored near the system
- Let us know when the site is closed or quiet
Getting a quote
Photos are enough for some jobs, while others need a look on site. Big or complicated sites, and systems that are hard to see in photos, get a survey first. Either way, you get a fixed price before work begins.
Read more
Aftercare tips
Good habits slow the build-up between visits. Our tips:
- Book the next clean before the date on the report
- Give the canopy a daily wipe
- Flag any change in how the extract sounds or works
- Clean the grease filters regularly between TR19 cleans
Any section without access is marked on the report. A TR19 report should record what wasn’t cleaned as well as what was, and we can fit access panels so it’s reached next time.
Tell whoever looks after the system when something changes. Grease dripping from the canopy, a burning smell or a fan that sounds rough are all signs of build-up, and a grease thickness test can confirm it.
Grease, kitchens and Merle Common
There are about 3 restaurants, cafés and canteens within about 1.5 miles of central Merle Common, according to the Food Standards Agency’s register. Each one that cooks under a canopy has an extract system that collects grease and needs regular cleaning. Environmental health officers from Tandridge council inspect food businesses in Merle Common. The cleanliness of the kitchen and its equipment, extraction included, is part of what they check. Before-and-after pictures from each clean are a simple way to show the extract is in hand. Fire safety in Merle Common falls to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. The Fire Safety Order puts the duty on whoever runs a kitchen to control its fire risk, and a greasy duct is fuel.
Chartwell, about 3.3 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses near Merle Common; if you run event catering at a venue like that, cleans can be booked between functions. A hospital like Tandridge Priory, about 2.1 miles north, is the kind of site where a kitchen may cook for patients, staff and visitors all day.
Merle Common is about 6 miles south-east of Caterham, in Surrey. Whether your site is in the middle of Merle Common or further out, kitchen extract cleaning is available to all kinds of commercial premises, from a single unit to a large public building. 395 places in Surrey are on our list, large and small. London is in our area too, about 19 miles from Merle Common.
Work in RH8 is surveyed, quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around Merle Common: Crowhurst (1 mile south-west), Troy Town (2 miles south-east), Hurst Green (2 miles north-west), Pains-Hill (2 miles north) and Crowhurst Lane End (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Epsom (14 miles north-west), Horley (8 miles west), Redhill (8 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-west), Reigate (9 miles west) and Caterham (6 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Merle Common
Around Merle Common, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Oxted School. The closest station to Merle Common is Hurst Green station, about 1.4 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Tandridge Priory (2.1 miles north) and Haxted Watermill Museum (2.5 miles south). Not far away are Botley Hill and Bay Pond.
What we are called out for in Merle Common
The reason for all this is fire. A flare-up on the range can be drawn up into the canopy and duct, and once grease in the duct catches, fire can spread through the building’s ductwork. For a kitchen in Merle Common, keeping that fuel under control is part of the fire risk assessment.
These are the problems we see most often:
- An inspection that picked up a dirty extract
- Missing paperwork after a change of operator
- Cleaning needed before an insurance renewal or survey
- A smoky, hot kitchen with weak extraction
School kitchens, at schools like Holland Junior School for example, are normally cleaned in the holidays so no lunches are lost.
What your quote should include
- When they can work, and whether that is outside your opening hours
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
- Whether the quote shows VAT
- Whether the figure could change on the day
Also near Merle Common
What else we do in Merle Common
Multi-site and managed buildings
For anyone managing more than one site, we can plan visits across the whole estate and price them together. Each site gets its own report and photos, so each one has its own record.
Where a tenant occupies the premises but the landlord owns the building, the lease normally sets out who maintains what. We’re happy to deal with either side and send the paperwork to whoever needs it.
When something else is needed
Kitchen extract cleaning can’t fix everything, and we’d rather say so up front. It does not solve:
- Damaged duct sections that need replacing
- A fan motor or bearings that have failed (that needs a fan repair or replacement)
- A damper that sticks or has a damaged link
If in doubt, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and we will say what we think before you book.
What we work on in Merle Common
- Extract fans
- Plenums and filters
- Horizontal duct runs
- Discharge points
- Canopies and hoods
- Vertical risers
How we price kitchen extract cleaning
The price is fixed before any work begins. It takes into account:
- How big the system is
- When the work can happen, such as evenings, overnight or weekends
- One-off work versus a regular cycle
- The condition of the system
What you pay depends on the size of the system, the condition it’s in and access to every part of it. You get a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises.
Helping us quote
When you call or email, it’s useful to have:
- Any previous report or certificate
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
- Your opening hours and when the area is out of use
- Problems your staff have spotted
We do not publish a price list, because every site is different. Instead, we look at your site first, from photos or a survey, then send a fixed quote. To get going, call 0345 646 2711 or send us an email.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Day-to-day cleaning is something your team can do: wiping down canopy surfaces, cleaning filters and keeping a simple log. What they can’t safely do is clean inside the ductwork, the fan or the risers, which is where we come in.
Staff cleaning and specialist work are not the same thing. Wiping filters daily and washing them weekly keeps the visible parts in order, but grease that has passed the filters is out of reach. That part needs specialist access and equipment.
Your questions about kitchen extract cleaning in Merle Common
Which council inspects kitchens in Merle Common?
That’s Tandridge council, whose environmental health officers carry out food hygiene inspections in Merle Common. An officer may look up into the canopy, so clean filters on the day and a recent certificate on file both help.
Who enforces fire safety at workplaces in Merle Common?
Fire safety enforcement in Merle Common is handled by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. TR19® is not law, but it’s the benchmark many fire officers and insurers look to when they ask how often the extract is cleaned.
Can we book visits on a schedule?
Yes. Plans on a 3, 6 or 12-monthly cycle are available, to suit the system and how it’s used.
What does TR19 mean?
A BESA specification, with two parts that matter most here: TR19® Grease for kitchen extract systems and TR19® Air for general ventilation. It isn’t legislation, but it’s the standard people check against.
What does kitchen extract cleaning cost?
There’s no set price, as it depends on the job: the size of the system, its condition, access and when we can work. We fix the price before work begins.
How long does it take to clean a kitchen extract system?
It takes one visit for most kitchens, while large or complex systems may need more than one. The survey tells us how long your system will need.
Can one contract cover all our sites?
Yes. You deal with one contact for every site in our area, and visits can be set on a regular cycle.
What do you need from me for a quote?
Some pictures and a quick description of the system, with the address and opening hours. If we need more, we’ll ask.