The fastest way to remove fresh kitchen grease is hot water with a few drops of dish soap, left for two to three minutes before wiping. Older, sticky grease needs a baking soda paste, and thick, baked-on layers need a proper degreaser.
The biggest time-saver is simple: clean grease while it is fresh. Every day it sits, it gets harder to shift.
Why old grease is so hard to remove
Stir-frying, deep-frying and wok cooking send a fine oil mist into the air. It settles on the hob, the cooker hood, tiles, cabinet doors and even the ceiling. At first it wipes off easily. Over days and weeks, heat and air turn it into a sticky film that traps dust, and eventually into a hard, varnish-like layer.
Match the method to the type of grease and you will save a lot of scrubbing.
What you need
- Dish soap
- Hot water
- Baking soda
- Spray bottle
- Microfibre cloths
- Non-scratch scrub pad
- Plastic scraper and an old toothbrush
- Rubber gloves
- A kitchen degreaser for heavy build-up (optional)
Fresh grease: soap and hot water
- Let the hob cool until it is warm but safe to touch. Grease softens with gentle warmth.
- Mix hot water and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle or bowl.
- Spray or wipe the solution onto the greasy surface.
- Leave it for two to three minutes so the soap can break down the oil.
- Wipe with a microfibre cloth, rinsing the cloth often.
- Wipe again with a cloth dampened in plain water, then dry the surface.
Repeat on any stubborn patches.
Sticky grease: baking soda paste
- Mix three parts baking soda with one part water into a thick paste.
- Spread it over the sticky area.
- Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Scrub gently with a non-scratch pad or toothbrush.
- Wipe off with a damp cloth and repeat if needed.
Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so test it on a small area of glossy or painted surfaces first.
Baked-on grease: degreaser
For thick, hardened layers, use a kitchen degreaser made for the surface you are cleaning.
- Wear gloves, and eye protection if the label advises it.
- Open windows and run the hood fan for ventilation.
- Follow the label for dilution and contact time.
- Test on a hidden area first. Strong alkaline degreasers can damage aluminium, painted finishes and some plastics.
- Rinse food-contact surfaces thoroughly with clean water afterwards.
Never mix a degreaser with other cleaners, and never combine bleach with ammonia or acid-based products, as this releases toxic gas.
Where vinegar fits
Vinegar is often recommended for grease, but on its own it is a weak degreaser. It works better as a final wipe to remove soap film and streaks from glass and tiles. Do not use it on marble, limestone or other natural stone, which acid can etch.
Area-by-area tips
Gas hob and burners
Remove the grates and burner caps once cool and soak them in hot, soapy water for 15 to 20 minutes before scrubbing. Clear blocked burner holes with a toothpick, not a metal pin that could widen them. Keep the ignition point dry, and make sure every part is completely dry before you relight the hob.
Cooker hood and filters
Grease builds up fastest here. Soak aluminium mesh filters in hot water with dish soap and a spoonful of baking soda, then brush them gently. Avoid strong caustic degreasers on aluminium. Some stainless steel baffle filters can go in the dishwasher; check the manual. If you cook daily, clean the filters about once a month.
Tiles and backsplash
Wipe with the soap solution, then work grout lines with a toothbrush. Rinse and dry so residue does not attract new grease.
Cabinet doors and handles
Use the mildest method that works: soap and warm water for laminate and painted doors, and a barely damp cloth for wood, dried straight away.
How to keep grease from building up
- Run the cooker hood while you cook and for a few minutes afterwards.
- Wipe the hob and backsplash after each cooking session while they are still slightly warm.
- Wipe cabinet handles and the hood surface weekly.
- Clean or check hood filters monthly.
Our kitchen cleaning checklist puts these into a daily, weekly and monthly routine. If a home kitchen already has months of build-up, KleanSG’s deep cleaning covers kitchen cleaning and appliance exteriors within an agreed scope. Heavy grease needs separate discussion, so send photos of the hob, hood and cabinets and the team can confirm what is included.
Grease in commercial kitchens
Restaurant and canteen kitchens produce far more grease, and build-up in exhaust hoods and ducts is a fire risk as well as a hygiene problem. Most food businesses need a daily closing clean of hobs, counters and floors, plus scheduled degreasing of walls, hoods and equipment.
KleanSG’s commercial kitchen cleaning is done after operating hours and quoted on the kitchen size, equipment and grease level. Send photos first, especially of heavy grease, hood exteriors, exhaust ducts or grease traps, so the team can confirm what can be handled safely.
