Genius £2 item banishes years of grease from sticky extractor fans in minutes

When it comes to kitchen cleaning, the extractor fan can often get overlooked. When you eventually come round to it, the appliance can be caked in grease.

Leaving it to get this bad affects the efficiency of the appliance but can also lead to festering germs and mould. A recent viral hack claimed to banish grime in minutes by using soda crystals, which retail for around £2, and tin foil. Everyone is going insane for it.

Soda crystals are said to be a game-changer in tackling the often-forgotten (or ignored) extractor fan. A user on the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tips page sparked a conversation about this very issue.

They said: "Please can you Hinchers help me on how clean our extractor fan filters?" Among the many responses, one stood out. It suggested lining a sink with tin foil—shiny side up—adding warm water and soda crystals, then soaking the fan vents for five minutes.

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The hack suggests that the grease would transfer to the foil, leaving the vents spotless, with no scrubbing required, Does it work, you ask? Maria Anderson, a cleaning expert at Henfield Storage, seems to think so. She added that “using soda crystals, also known as washing soda, and hot water is an effective method for fighting this task.”

However, kitchen hygiene expert Steve Horner from Cladding Monkey raised a red flag about using tin foil. Whilst the expert gave a thumbs up to soda crystals being used at home, he added that combined with foil they make a small reaction as soda crystals contain sodium carbonate. He explains aluminium - what tin foil is made from - combined with sodium crystals may produce hydrogen gas.

He did clarify that the reaction isn’t particularly dangerous but added it can be corrosive to certain materials, including aluminium—the very material your extractor fan vents are likely made from. Steve also asked those who use soda crystals to exercise an abundance of caution adding: “Soda crystals are a particularly harsh cleaning solution that can result in dryness and irritation to exposed skin, so it's very important to wear gloves when handling this solution.”

If you are kicking the viral hack to the side, then what’s the best way to clean the extractor? Well, soda crystals are still a good choice according to experts, just don’t add foil into the mix. Dissolve about one cup of soda crystals in a gallon of hot water, soaking the filters for at least 30 minutes, and then gently scrubbing with a soft brush to effectively remove built-up grease.

Another way for those who aren’t keen on soda crystals is to use white vinegar another tried-and-true approach. This will help get rid of dirt and grime and all you need to do is add the vents in the solution for up to 10 minutes and then wipe down to remove stains.