If you have a range hood in your kitchen, then you don’t need me to tell you how awesome they are for sucking up smoke and cooking odors. I can’t tell you how many times my range hood has saved me from dealing with a blaring fire alarm, and it also works wonders at eliminating lingering cooking smells from your home. On the topic of range hoods, how often (if ever) do you clean their filters? If your answer is “never,” you’re certainly not alone.

It’s important to clean your range hood filter every so often in order for it to stay in proper working order. Thankfully, the method for cleaning it is quite easy, and you likely already have the necessary ingredients. Start out by removing your range hood filter. Then, fill a large pot with water and add in some distilled vinegar right before it starts to boil.

Next, add half a tablespoon or so of baking soda to the solution. Carefully insert the filter in the solution and let it sit for about six minutes. Remove the filter using tongs and use a toothbrush to scrub the filter clean. Rinse with cold water, and your range hood filter should look sparkling clean again. If you want to see this great cleaning method in action, click on the video below!