Baking Soda Paste Cleans Grease Right | Generated by AI
You are right to try using baking soda! It is a great cleaner, but the way you apply it makes a huge difference.
Here is why your method didn’t work and how to fix it:
1. Why putting dry powder + water didn’t work
When you put dry baking soda into an oily lid and then just rinse it with water, the water runs off the oil.
- The Problem: Baking soda needs friction to scrub the grease, and it needs time to react. If you just pour it in and rinse, the powder doesn’t really touch the grease because it is sitting on top of the water, or the water beads up on the oil.
2. Should you saturate it first?
Yes, but not with just water.
To clean heavy grease (like on a range hood / 抽油烟机), you need to make a paste.
- How to make it: Mix the baking soda with a tiny amount of water. You want a thick paste, like toothpaste or wet sand. It should not be runny; it should stick to the side of the lid.
- Why this works: The paste sticks to the vertical surfaces of the oil lid. The grit of the baking soda scrubs the grease, and the moisture helps activate its mild cleaning properties.
3. The Best Method for an Oil Lid (Step-by-Step)
Since the dry method didn’t work, try this:
- Remove the Lid: Take the oil lid (the filter or the cover) off the range hood.
- Hot Water Soak (Optional but helpful): If the grease is very thick, soak the lid in the hottest water possible for 5 minutes just to melt the soft grease.
- Make the Paste:
- Put some dry baking soda in a small bowl.
- Add just a few drops of water at a time.
- Mix until it looks like frosting or toothpaste.
- Apply and Wait:
- Spread this paste all over the greasy parts of the lid.
- Let it sit for 15–20 minutes. This gives the baking soda time to break down the grease.
- Scrub:
- Use a scrub brush, an old toothbrush, or the rough (scratchy) side of a sponge.
- Scrub the lid with the paste still on it. The paste acts as the scrubber.
- Rinse: Wash it off with hot water.
4. A Secret Weapon: Vinegar or Dish Soap
Baking soda is good, but for range hood oil, it works even better with a partner:
- If you have white vinegar: After you scrub with the paste, pour a little vinegar over it. It will fizz (bubble up). This chemical reaction helps lift the dirt. Then rinse immediately.
- If you have dish soap: Add a squeeze of dish soap to your baking soda paste. Soap is designed to cut grease, and the baking soda provides the scrubbing power. This is usually the most effective combination.
Summary: The powder alone is useless if it just washes away. Make a paste, let it sit, and scrub.