Whole-system kitchen exhaust cleaning for Melbourne restaurants and cafés — canopy, filters, duct and fan, to AS 1851, scheduled around service with certification.
8 min read FreshDuct Melbourne Melbourne, Victoria
For restaurants, cafés and any food venue, the kitchen exhaust system is a fire-safety and compliance priority — cooking coats the canopy, filters, ducts and fan with flammable grease, and the system must be cleaned to standard (AS 1851) with records kept. FreshDuct cleans commercial kitchen exhaust across Melbourne’s food venues, the whole system not just the filters, scheduled around your trading and delivered with the certification your compliance and insurer require.
Fire SafetyGrease removed from canopy, filters, duct & fan
AS 1851Cleaned to standard, with certification
Out of HoursScheduled around service, no closure
A commercial kitchen exhaust clean covers the whole system — canopy, grease filters, ductwork and fan — because flammable grease accumulates throughout, not just on the filters.
Why Restaurant Exhaust Cleaning Matters
Every service, grease-laden vapour is drawn through the kitchen exhaust, coating the system with flammable grease. Uncleaned, this is a serious fire hazard — commercial kitchen fires frequently start in or spread through greasy exhaust — and a breach of the maintenance your insurer and building compliance require. It also chokes the exhaust, leaving the kitchen hot, smoky and smelly. Regular, whole-system cleaning removes the grease, keeping the kitchen fire-safe, properly ventilated, compliant and insured. For a food business, it is non-negotiable maintenance.
The Whole Exhaust System
Grease does not stay on the filters — it travels through the entire exhaust system, coating the canopy interior, the ductwork and the fan. Cleaning only the filters leaves the real fire risk in the ducts and fan untouched. A proper clean addresses the whole accessible system: canopy, filters, ductwork and fan. This whole-system approach is what genuine fire safety and AS 1851 compliance require, and what we deliver. See our detailed canopy cleaning guide.
Compliance & Insurance
Commercial kitchen exhaust falls under AS 1851, and clean, documented exhaust is typically a condition of your insurance because grease build-up is a leading cause of kitchen fires. An uncleaned or undocumented system can jeopardise a claim and breach building compliance. We clean to the standard and provide the certification and records that demonstrate compliance and satisfy your insurer — the paperwork being as important as the cleaning. Keeping both current protects the business.
How Often
AS 1851 sets the cleaning frequency by grease production: heavy, high-volume or char-grill kitchens need it frequently (often monthly to quarterly), standard restaurants and cafés periodically, and light-use kitchens less often. We assess your cooking volume and type, recommend the correct interval, and schedule it as a recurring service so it is never missed and your records stay current. See the frequency detail in our canopy cleaning guide.
What the Service Includes
We clean the canopy, the grease filters (cleaned or replaced), the accessible exhaust ductwork and the exhaust fan — degreasing the full system — and provide the AS 1851 documentation and certification. The work is scheduled outside service hours so trading is not interrupted, and the kitchen is left ready to cook. The scope and frequency are confirmed after assessing your kitchen.
Getting a Quote
We quote to your kitchen after assessing the system, cooking volume and access. For ongoing compliance we schedule the cleaning at the correct AS 1851 frequency as a recurring service. Call 0431 918 137 or request a site assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do restaurants and cafés need their exhaust cleaned?
Cooking produces grease-laden vapour that is drawn through the kitchen exhaust system, coating the canopy, filters, ductwork and fan with flammable grease. Left uncleaned, this is a serious fire hazard and a breach of the maintenance your insurer and building compliance require. It also lets the exhaust underperform, leaving the kitchen hot, smoky and smelly. Regular cleaning removes the grease, keeps the kitchen fire-safe and ventilating properly, and keeps you compliant and insured. For any food business it is essential, regulated maintenance — see our kitchen canopy guide.
Is restaurant exhaust cleaning required for insurance?
Insurers for food businesses typically require the kitchen exhaust system to be cleaned and maintained to the relevant standard (AS 1851), with records kept, because grease build-up is a leading cause of commercial kitchen fires. An uncleaned, undocumented exhaust system can jeopardise a claim. So beyond fire safety, regular documented cleaning is usually a condition of your insurance. We clean to standard and provide the certification and records your insurer and building compliance require.
What parts of the exhaust system get cleaned?
A proper clean covers the whole accessible system, not just the filters: the canopy (hood), the grease filters (cleaned or replaced), the exhaust ductwork as far as accessible, and the exhaust fan. Grease accumulates throughout, so cleaning only the filters leaves the fire risk in the ducts and fan. We degrease the full accessible system and document the work. This whole-system approach is what genuine fire safety and compliance require — see our canopy cleaning guide for the AS 1851 detail.
How often does a café or restaurant need exhaust cleaning?
Under AS 1851 the frequency depends on how much grease the kitchen produces — heavy, high-volume or char-grill kitchens need frequent cleaning (often monthly to quarterly), moderate-use restaurants and cafés periodically, and light-use kitchens less often. We assess your cooking volume and type, recommend the correct interval, and schedule it so you stay compliant. Setting it as a recurring service means it is never missed and your records stay current.
Can you clean exhaust without closing the kitchen?
Yes — we schedule restaurant and café exhaust cleaning outside service hours, typically overnight or before opening, so it does not interrupt trading. We work efficiently and leave the kitchen ready for the next service. For venues with continuous operation we find the available window. Scheduling around your trading is standard, and we plan it with you so the kitchen is clean, compliant and ready to cook.
Commercial or Strata Property? Request a Site Assessment
Scoped, scheduled and documented — across Melbourne. Call or request a quote.
