The range hood and other forms of ventilation in your kitchen play a critical role in enhancing the quality of your kitchen. In addition to improving air quality, the ventilation will also keep surfaces in the room from getting too greasy.

Of course, this benefit means that portions of the range itself can get rather dirty. Cleaning the ventilation components every now and then will keep them working efficiently and prevent your range from becoming a greasy mess.

One purpose of kitchen ventilation is to remove steam, smoke, and grease particles from the room. Anne Reagan, writing for the home improvement site Porch.com, says the ventilation system will also suck up any trace chemicals, such as carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide, which can be produced when you cook with natural gas.

The buildup of grease on the range can lead to hazardous or unpleasant conditions in the kitchen. The ventilation will be less effective, leading to poorer air quality in the room. Greasy surfaces will not only look ugly, but also provide a medium for the growth of bacteria and mold. Excess grease also increases the chance of a cooking fire.

Many ranges will have mesh filters to trap grease, and these should be cleaned periodically. Cambria Bold, writing for the cooking site The Kitchn, says filters are typically designed to be easily removed. Check the manufacturer's instructions for assistance if your range is more complicated.

Some filters can be safely washed in the dishwasher, but this process is not always beneficial. The appliance may not be able to remove a thick coat of grime, or it might leave a greasy film on the inside of the dishwasher.

To give mesh filters a thorough cleaning, fill a sink with very hot water. You might even want to boil a pot of water and transfer it to the sink. Be careful when handling this water, and warn others in the home not to reach into the sink.

Mix one-quarter of a cup of baking soda and some dish soap into the water. Put the filters in to soak and leave them there for about 10 minutes. Scrub the filters and let them dry before reinstalling them in the range.

While the filters are out, check the inside of the range hood to see if it needs cleaning. Jon Nunan, writing for the home improvement site HomeAdvisor, says you can wipe down the interior of the range with a simple degreaser. Make sure you don't spray any cleaners onto a light bulb or its socket.

The exterior of the range hood can be polished up with a standard cleaner. It's easy to include this work in your regular cleaning of the kitchen.

How often you clean the kitchen ventilation components depends on how often you cook food that will produce a lot of particulate matter. Reagan recommends cleaning the filters at least every three months, or once every month if you do a lot of greasy cooking.

Some hoods use disposable charcoal filters to recirculate the air, and these need to be replaced whenever the charcoal is not effective anymore. Charcoal filters typically need to be replaced every six to 12 months.

Every now and then, it is a good idea to have the kitchen ventilation inspected by a professional. Nunan says you should consider hiring someone to service the system if the grease buildup is particularly bad or if it is causing certain parts, such as the fan, to malfunction. You should also have the vent professionally cleaned if you see that grease is building up on the inside of the vent cover leading outside.