Hero Section
H1: Commercial kitchen deep clean and extraction cleaning
A pub kitchen off Gloucester Road called us on a Wednesday afternoon last year. They’d had an EHO visit that morning and been told their extraction canopy was a fire risk. Grease had built up inside the ductwork to the point where the filters weren’t doing anything. The inspector gave them two weeks to sort it, or they’d face enforcement action.
We were on site Thursday morning. Canopy stripped, ductwork cleaned back to bare metal, grease trap emptied, filters replaced, full photographic report for the inspector. They passed the re-inspection with no issues.
That’s typical of the calls we get. Something’s gone wrong, or someone’s realised it’s about to.
If you’ve got an EHO inspection coming and your kitchen isn’t ready, call us on 07985 505061. We can usually get there within 48 hours.
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Trust Bar
25 years’ experience | £2M insured (AXA) | IICRC certified | EHO compliance specialists
Why Commercial Kitchens Need Specialist Cleaning
Your kitchen staff clean every day. That’s not the issue. The issue is what daily cleaning can’t reach.
Grease vapour rises from fryers and grills, passes through the extraction canopy filters, and deposits inside the ductwork. Over months, it builds up into a thick, sticky residue that’s both a hygiene hazard and a fire risk. Your chef can’t get at it with a spray bottle and a cloth. Nobody can without specialist equipment.
Grease traps fill up. Floor drains clog. Tile grout absorbs fat and bacteria. The gaps behind cooking equipment collect food debris that regular mopping misses completely. Wall cladding develops a greasy film. Ceiling tiles above the cooking line discolour and harbour bacteria.
An Environmental Health Officer will spot all of this. Quickly.
Personally, I think most kitchen operators don’t ignore this stuff on purpose. They just don’t see it building up because it happens gradually. By the time someone notices the canopy filters are caked, the ductwork behind them is usually worse.
A commercial kitchen deep clean strips everything back. It’s not a tidy-up. It’s a reset to the standard your kitchen was at when it was first commissioned.
What We Clean
We clean every part of a commercial kitchen, but extraction systems are where we really earn our money. Here’s the full scope.
Extraction System
Canopy cleaning. We degrease the full canopy, inside and out. That includes baffle filters, mesh filters, UV-C units (if fitted), and the canopy interior where grease collects above the filter line. We use food-safe alkaline degreasers heated to 60-80°C for heavy carbonised buildup.
Ductwork cleaning. This is the part you can’t see and can’t reach. We access the ductwork through inspection hatches (or cut new ones if needed) and clean the interior back to bare metal. For long runs, we use rotary brush systems. For shorter sections or bends, it’s hand scraping and chemical treatment. We photograph the ductwork before and after so you’ve got evidence for your EHO file.
Fan units. The extraction fan itself collects grease on the impeller blades, the motor housing, and inside the fan casing. A grease-clogged fan runs slower, extracts less, and works harder. We strip it down, degrease every component, and reassemble. If the belt or bearings need replacing, we’ll flag it.
Grease trap cleaning. We empty, clean and flush the grease trap. Grease traps that aren’t maintained overflow into the drainage system, which causes blockages and can result in fines from Wessex Water. We can set you up on a regular schedule so it never gets to that point.
Kitchen Surfaces and Equipment
Floors. Industrial scrubbing, degreasing of quarry tiles, vinyl and resin floors. We get into the grout lines where fat and bacteria accumulate. Anti-slip treatments available on request.
Walls and ceiling. Degreasing of all wall cladding, tiles, and stainless steel panels. Ceiling tiles cleaned or flagged for replacement if they’re beyond saving. Some kitchens in older Bristol buildings (we’ve worked in a few around King Street and St Nicholas Market) have painted ceilings rather than tiles. We clean those too, but they often need repainting afterwards.
Cooking equipment. Ovens, fryers, grills, salamanders, bain-maries, hot cupboards. External surfaces and internal cleaning where accessible. We don’t service gas appliances (that’s a Gas Safe job), but we clean everything that doesn’t require a gas engineer.
Refrigeration. External surfaces, door seals, condenser coils (dust and grease on condenser coils reduce efficiency and increase energy costs). We clean shelf racks and interior surfaces with food-safe sanitiser.
Prep surfaces and sinks. Stainless steel worktops descaled and sanitised. Sink bowls, drainer areas, tap bases, and mixer nozzles. Hand wash stations and soap dispensers.
Storage areas. Dry stores, walk-in fridges, walk-in freezers. Shelving units pulled out and cleaned behind. Floor drains cleared.
EHO Compliance Cleaning
Environmental Health Officers in Bristol are thorough. We’ve seen kitchens get written up for things the operator genuinely hadn’t noticed: grease inside a canopy that looked clean from below, mould behind a dishwasher, a grease trap that hadn’t been emptied in six months.
Here’s what matters for compliance:
HACCP documentation. Your cleaning records need to show that extraction systems are cleaned regularly by a competent contractor. “We wiped the canopy down” doesn’t cut it. We provide a dated certificate after every clean, with before and after photographs, that you can file as part of your HACCP records.
Fire safety. A grease-laden extraction system is a fire risk. Bristol & Avon Fire and Rescue take this seriously, and so do insurers. If your duct catches fire and your cleaning records don’t show regular maintenance, your insurance claim may not pay out. We’ve seen it happen.
Food hygiene rating. Your rating depends partly on the structural condition and cleanliness of your kitchen. A dirty extraction system, greasy walls, or blocked floor drains will cost you points. Going from a 5 to a 4 (or worse) hits trade. Customers check.
Emergency deep cleans. If you’ve had a bad EHO visit, or you know one’s coming and your kitchen isn’t where it should be, call us. We’ve turned kitchens around in 24 to 48 hours. It’s not cheap, but it’s cheaper than enforcement action or a ratings drop.
If you just need a single piece of equipment cleaned rather than a full kitchen deep clean, we’re probably not the most cost-effective option. A local oven cleaning company would suit you better for that.
Our Process
Step 1: Site survey
We visit your kitchen and assess the extraction system, equipment, surfaces, and overall condition. Every kitchen is different. A fish and chip shop on Fishponds Road has different cleaning needs to a hotel kitchen in Clifton Village. We scope the work based on what we actually see, not a generic checklist.
Step 2: Schedule and access
Commercial kitchens can’t usually close during service. We work around you. Most deep cleans happen overnight, on closing days, or during quiet periods. We agree the schedule before we start and stick to it. For restaurants running seven days, we can split the work across two or three nights.
Step 3: Extraction system strip-down
We start with the extraction system because it’s the most involved part of the job. Filters removed and soaked in heated degreaser tanks. Canopy interior hand-cleaned. Ductwork accessed and cleaned section by section. Fan unit stripped and degreased. This alone can take four to eight hours depending on the system length and how long since it was last done.
Step 4: Deep clean, top to bottom
Ceiling first, then walls, then equipment, then surfaces, then floors. Same principle as domestic deep cleaning but with industrial chemicals and equipment. We use hot water pressure washing on tiled areas, chemical degreasing on stainless steel, and steam cleaning where appropriate.
Step 5: Grease trap and drains
Grease trap emptied and flushed. Floor drains and gullies cleared and treated. Waste collected and disposed of properly. We hold a waste carrier’s licence.
Step 6: Documentation and handover
Every job gets a written report with photographs. Before and after shots of the extraction system, the canopy interior, and any areas of concern. This goes straight into your compliance file. We also flag anything that needs attention but falls outside our scope: worn floor tiles, damaged wall cladding, faulty extraction components.
Before and After
[Before/after image slider - real commercial kitchen cleaning jobs]
Photos from actual BCH commercial kitchen cleans. No stock images.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a commercial kitchen deep clean cost?
It depends on the kitchen size, the extraction system length, and how long since the last deep clean. As a rough guide: a small takeaway or cafe kitchen with a short extraction run might be £400 to £800. A mid-sized restaurant kitchen, typically £800 to £1,500. A large hotel or institutional kitchen with long duct runs, £1,500 to £3,000 or more. We quote after the site survey. No surprises.
How often should extraction systems be cleaned?
The industry guidance (from TR/19 and the HVCA) depends on usage. High-volume cooking (fish and chips, wok cooking, charcoal grills): every 3 to 6 months. Standard restaurant cooking: every 6 to 12 months. Light-use kitchens (reheating, sandwich prep): every 12 to 24 months. We can set you up on a maintenance schedule that fits your operation.
Will I need to close my kitchen?
Not necessarily. We do most deep cleans outside of service hours. Overnight work is common. If your kitchen runs seven days, we can phase the work across multiple visits. The extraction system work usually needs the kitchen to be cold and switched off, so that part happens when you’re closed.
Can you help before an EHO inspection?
Yes. This is one of the most common reasons people call us. If you know an inspection is coming and your kitchen needs work, phone us on 07985 505061. We can usually get on site within 48 hours, sometimes next day. We’ll prioritise the areas an inspector focuses on: extraction system, food contact surfaces, grease traps, and structural cleanliness.
Do you provide cleaning certificates for compliance?
Every job comes with a dated certificate and a photographic report. Before and after images of the extraction system interior, canopy, grease trap, and any other areas of concern. This evidence sits in your HACCP file and satisfies both EHO and fire safety requirements.
Is extraction duct cleaning a legal requirement?
There’s no single law that says “you must clean your ducts every X months.” But the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires you to reduce fire risk, and a grease-laden duct is a known fire risk. Your insurer will also expect regular maintenance. If a fire starts in an uncleaned duct, you’re exposed on both the legal and insurance side. TR/19 sets the standard that most inspectors and insurers reference.
What areas of Bristol do you cover?
We’re based on Southmead Road in BS10. We cover all of Bristol, from Avonmouth to Brislington, Henbury to Knowle. We also work across Bath, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset. For larger commercial contracts, we’ve travelled further.
Related Services
- Industrial Cleaning - Factory floors, warehouses, and commercial premises
- Deep Cleaning - Specialist deep cleaning and disinfection for any property
- Hospitality Sector - Cleaning services designed for pubs, hotels and restaurants
Book Your Commercial Kitchen Deep Clean
Grease doesn’t clean itself. And it doesn’t stop building up because you’re busy. If your extraction system hasn’t been cleaned in the last six months, or your EHO inspection is on the calendar, it’s time.
We’re based on Southmead Road in BS10, about 15 minutes from Bristol city centre. We’ve cleaned kitchens across BS1 through BS16 and out into Bath and South Gloucestershire.
Phone: 07985 505061 Email: hello@bristolcleaningheroes.co.uk Address: 290-294 Southmead Rd, Bristol BS10 5EN
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