| The first item is a good razor sharp scraper. Every | | | | can be difficult to find a plug inside a restaurant to |
| good hood cleaner worth his salt has a number of | | | | handle the power. If you are farther away from a |
| different scrapers in his toolbox. When a grease duct | | | | plug than the pressure washer's original power cord, |
| has inches worth of solid grease built up, the quickest | | | | then use only 10 gauge extension cords. |
| way to remove it is with a scraper. Many things can | | | | The other type of motor is gas powered. The gas |
| be used for scrapers such as putty knives, flat-head | | | | powered offers many benefits as well like not having |
| screwdrivers, straight razors, and even spoons. As | | | | to plug it in. The gas powered motor is also capable |
| long as it's sharp, it can serve a purpose. | | | | of using much higher volumes of water than electric |
| The next important item in your toolbox should be a | | | | which is a huge advantage when it comes to cleaning. |
| good grease removing chemical. Some hood cleaners | | | | The higher gallons per minute (or GPM), the faster |
| prefer mixing their own chemicals to remove the | | | | you will clean. The drawbacks to the gas powered |
| grease for the hood and duct system because it can | | | | motor is the noise and the cost of fueling it. |
| save a little money. For this, most use caustic beads | | | | Now it's not the pressure washer only that makes a |
| or liquid. Although it will work, it will not be as | | | | good hood cleaner, but how they use it makes all the |
| effective as a manufactured chemical that has | | | | difference. Some kitchen exhaust systems have duct |
| surfactants, rinsing agents and other goodies that will | | | | work that is nearly impossible to access. All the |
| help with the grease removal process. My advice is | | | | scrapers in the world do not help. The best chemical |
| to leave the chemical mixing to the professional | | | | in the world does nothing if it can't be applied to the |
| chemists for obvious safety reasons. | | | | surface of the grease. How do you clean those |
| The third tool would be a good quality pressure | | | | inaccessible areas? |
| washer. There are 2 types: electric and gas powered | | | | Well, I saved the best tool for last and no kitchen |
| motors. The electric motor has the benefits of being | | | | duct cleaning equipment tool bag is complete without |
| quiet and fairly mobile. However it does have some | | | | a duct spinner. They can be found all over the |
| drawbacks as well. It has to be plugged in and it pulls | | | | internet starting at $230 and up. Or, you can make |
| a lot of amperage when under load so sometimes it | | | | your own for under $50. |