How much does kitchen hood cleaning cost in NYC and Boston?
Short answer: one NYC company posts $350 to $500 per cleaning for 1 to 2 hoods, and a published NYC cost guide estimates $150 to $600 per visit. No Boston company we checked posts prices; a competing directory estimates $400 to $600 per service in Boston, and the only survey we found is from 2018. NYC requires at least four cleanings a year. Last verified:
Prices and estimates we found (labelled by source type)
| City | Source (type) | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| NYC | Empire Hoods (NYC hood cleaning company), pricing page (source type: company's posted price) | $350 to $500 per cleaning for 1 to 2 hoods; $500 to $800 for 3 to 4 hoods; $800 to $1,200+ for 5 or more. Exhaust fan service $150 to $400. Recurring-service discounts of 5% to 15%. |
| NYC | commercialhoodcleaningnyc.com (hood cleaning service website; operator not named on the page), cost guide updated June 2026 (source type: published estimate, not a company price list) | Estimate: $150 to $600 per visit; quarterly full service $200 to $400; a first-time cleaning can cost 20% to 50% more. |
| Boston | findhoodcleaner.com (a competing directory site), Boston page (source type: competitor's estimate) | Estimate: $400 to $600 per service; $800 or more for high-volume kitchens. Not a price posted by any Boston company. |
| Boston | ProMatcher (contractor-matching site), Boston cost report (source type: 2018 survey, out of date) | Survey average from 2018: $130.08 per hour for a two-person crew (range $113.57 to $146.58). Eight years old; prices today are likely higher. |
Prices as shown on each page on October 9, 2026. We do not set, check or guarantee any price; ask for a written quote. We are not paid by any source listed here.
What a year costs: the frequency rule
NYC: the exhaust system must be inspected and cleaned at least every 3 months (FDNY). At the posted $350 to $500 per cleaning for 1 to 2 hoods, four cleanings come to $1,400 to $2,000 a year before any recurring discount (our arithmetic from the posted range).
Massachusetts: inspection is monthly (solid fuel), quarterly (high volume), semi-annually (moderate) or annually (low volume), and the inspection decides whether cleaning is needed (Mass. DFS). A fire department must order a kitchen to stop cooking if it has not had an inspection within twelve months (same source).
What changes the price
- Number of hoods and length of ductwork (Empire Hoods tiers by hood count).
- Exhaust fan service, often priced separately ($150 to $400 at Empire Hoods).
- First cleaning after a long gap: 20% to 50% more (commercialhoodcleaningnyc.com).
- A recurring contract: 5% to 15% off (Empire Hoods).
Before you accept a quote
- NYC: confirm the company and its list number on the FDNY-approved list, and ask to see the crew’s Certificates of Fitness.
- Boston: confirm the crew’s registered cleaners on the Boston Fire Department list.
- Ask whether the price covers the hood, the ductwork and the fan: see companies that state all three.
Questions
How much does kitchen hood cleaning cost in NYC?
One NYC company posts $350 to $500 per cleaning for 1 to 2 hoods. A published NYC cost guide (operator not named) estimates $150 to $600 per visit (both seen October 9, 2026).
How much does hood cleaning cost in Boston?
We found no Boston company that posts its prices. A directory site estimates $400 to $600 per service, and an older contractor survey puts the rate at about $130 per hour for a two-person crew.
Why does the number of cleanings per year matter?
NYC requires cleaning at least every 3 months, so the yearly cost is at least four visits. In Massachusetts, inspection frequency depends on cooking volume and the inspection decides whether cleaning is needed.
What makes a quote higher?
The sources above list more hoods, exhaust fan service and a first-time cleaning (20% to 50% more on one NYC guide). Recurring service can bring discounts (5% to 15% at one NYC company).
Should I pick the cheapest quote?
Check the company is on the official list first: in NYC only FDNY-approved companies may clean, and in Boston each cleaner must be registered with the Boston Fire Department.
How much does hood cleaning cost per year in NYC?
At least four cleanings a year, because NYC requires cleaning at least every 3 months (FDNY notice to owners). At one NYC company’s posted price of $350 to $500 per cleaning for 1 to 2 hoods (Empire Hoods), that is $1,400 to $2,000 a year before fan service or extras.
Does exhaust fan cleaning cost extra?
Sometimes. One NYC company lists exhaust fan service separately at $150 to $400 (Empire Hoods pricing page). Ask whether the fan is included in the quote, because NYC rules include exhaust fans in the parts that must be cleaned (FDNY).
Is a first-time hood cleaning more expensive?
Often. One NYC cost guide says a first-time cleaning costs 20% to 50% more than a routine visit (commercialhoodcleaningnyc.com), and the same guide lists quarterly service at $200 to $400 a visit.
Is a very cheap hood cleaning quote a red flag?
Not by itself, but check what it covers. In NYC the hoods, filters, ducts and exhaust fans must all be cleaned to bare metal (FDNY notice), so ask the quote to name the duct and the fan, and ask for time-stamped before-and-after photos and a checklist of the work, which the FDNY tells owners to insist on (FDNY safety guide).