Jill asked: How do I remove grease from a stainless steel cooker hood? The hood is sticky with grease. It has a matt finish. What can I used to clean it without damaging the finish?
Stainless 
steel can tolerate a lot of cleaning, as long as the methods are not abrasive. Fortunately, there are simple household items that will cut through the grease and allow it to be removed. The methods below start with the simplest cleaning methods and continue to cleaning methods for severe build-up. Once your build-up is removed, there is no need to continue with the remaining cleaning methods.
You Will Need:
- Dawn dish soap (bleach free)
- Ammonia
- Warm water
- Bucket
- Soft cloths
- Baby oil
- Baking soda
Steps to Remove the Grease Buildup:
- Begin by mixing a grease-fighting dish soap, such as Dawn or Dawn Power Dissolver, with warm water in a bucket or bowl. This is the easiest and most mild solution, so try it first. If the grease is fairly fresh, this will be enough to remove it.
- Moisten a soft cloth with the sudsy water and wipe the grease away.
- For tougher areas, apply a thin layer of the soap directly to the greasy surface and massage it into the buildup with your fingers.
- Wash thoroughly with water and wipe away the loosened grease with a cloth. If the surface is vertical and you don’t want water on the floor, use a damp cloth to wipe/rinse instead of fully washing the surface.
- Ammonia is another common cleaning product that can cut through the grease. Mix a small amount of ammonia with warm water in a bucket.
- Moisten a soft cloth with the mixture and use it to wipe away the grease.
- If any grease remains, moisten a soft cloth with baby oil.
- Rub the baby oil over the grease buildup. The oil will ‘freshen’ the grease so it can be removed.
- Continue applying and removing the baby oil until the grease buildup is gone.
- If the grease buildup is thick and/or old, it may require a light abrasive to remove it. While abrasives are not recommended for stainless steel, baking soda does not scratch the surface and is usually safe to use. If you are concerned that it may leave unwanted marks, test a hidden area first to check the effects.
- If the test area goes well, mix a small amount of water and baking soda to make a paste.
- Use a soft cloth to gently rub the paste over the greasy areas.
- Repeat with a clean cloth and more paste until the grease is removed. It will take some elbow grease, but the grease will come off.
- Once the grease is removed, clean the area thoroughly with soap and water.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Dry with a towel or soft cloth.
Additional Tips and Advice
- There are special cleaning products designed for stainless steel appliances. These can be found at many department, hardware and home improvement stores.
- Regular cleaning will make maintaining the oven hood or stainless steel surface more manageable. Add it to your weekly or bi-weekly cleaning schedule to keep the grease from building up and baking onto the surface.
I tried all kinds of caustic cleaners, including automotive brake cleaner, to remove the grease buildup from my stainless steel stove black splash… Nothing worked better than wiping it with vinegar and then a quick scrub with baking soda.
Thanks to the tip!!!
None of these worked on hot oil spots on stove top. Maybe you can recommend someone with knowledge of steel.
I use Scrub Buddies/nail guard sponges & Totally Awesome multi-purpose cleaner concentrated formula.
Comes in a 22 Fl. oz spray. It melts the grease after going over the area with the green side of the sponge with concentrate applied and takes the majority off. Probably have to do this a couple of times depending on the build up. Ase a wash cloth or piece of towel again with the liquid applied; it comes out clean and shiny.
Thank you so much for the tip about removing grease from the hood of a stainless steel fan with a matte finish. The Dawn/water/elbow grease technique worked magically. I would’ve thought that it would further smeared the grease around.
Great advice!