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Kitchen extraction cleaning - records
An extraction clean isn't finished when the cleaner packs up - it's finished when you have the paperwork that proves what was done. After every visit, you should get a report, before-and-after photographs of the hidden parts, and a certificate to TR19 Grease. Here is the paperwork to demand after every extraction clean, and why each piece matters. This is general commentary on cleaning records.
The short answer
It's easy to think an extraction clean is done when the cleaner finishes and leaves. But for your purposes - fire safety, insurance, being able to prove the work - the clean isn't complete until you have the paperwork. And since much of the work is hidden, the paperwork is how you know (and show) it was actually done. Here's what to demand after every visit. This is general commentary. Why the paperwork matters. The extraction clean removes grease you mostly can't see (the hidden ductwork and fan). So the paperwork is your evidence that the clean happened and was done properly - both for your own assurance (you can't easily verify the hidden work yourself) and to demonstrate it to others (your fire risk assessment, your insurer, an inspector). A clean without the paperwork is a clean you can't prove - and can't rely on. So demand the paperwork after every visit, not just occasionally. The three pieces to demand. 1. A report. A report describing what was cleaned - confirming the scope (the whole system: canopy, filters, ductwork throughout, fan), the work done, and any findings or recommendations (e.g. filters needing replacement, access issues). The report tells you (and shows) what the clean covered. 2. Before-and-after photographs. Photographs showing the system - crucially the hidden ductwork and fan - before and after cleaning: the grease before, the clean surface after. This is the key evidence, because the important parts are out of sight - the photographs are how you (and your fire risk assessment and insurer) can see that the hidden ductwork and fan were actually cleaned. No before-and-after photographs of the hidden parts is a serious gap. 3. A certificate to TR19 Grease. A certificate stating the clean was done to the recognised TR19 Grease standard, with the date, the system covered, and the details (ideally including the grease-deposit measurements or verification that the required cleanliness was achieved). The certificate is the formal record that the clean met the standard - and is what insurers and fire risk assessments typically look for. What to do with it. Demand these after every visit, and: check they're complete (all three, covering the whole system) and that they match the work (the photographs show your system, the scope matches what was agreed); and keep them (filed together, building an ongoing record of your extraction cleaning over time). This gives you a complete, current evidence trail. Why it's non-negotiable. This paperwork isn't a nicety - it's essential evidence. Your fire risk assessment should reference the cleaning (demonstrating the fire risk is managed), and your insurer typically requires proof the extraction is cleaned to standard (a claim can turn on it). So the paperwork is what turns 'we cleaned it' into 'here's the proof we cleaned it to standard' - which is what you actually need. So demand the report, before-and-after photographs and TR19 Grease certificate after every extraction clean, check and keep them - because a clean you can't prove doesn't fully protect you. So the clean isn't done till the paperwork's in your hands. This is general commentary on cleaning records.
Key points
The clean isn't done without it
The starting point is that, for your purposes, an extraction clean isn't finished when the cleaner leaves - it's finished when you have the paperwork that proves what was done. This is because much of the work is hidden: the extraction clean removes grease from parts you mostly can't see (the ductwork and fan, out of sight). So you can't easily verify the clean yourself just by looking - the paperwork is your evidence that it happened and was done properly.
And the paperwork isn't just for your own assurance - it's what lets you demonstrate the clean to others who need to know it was done: your fire risk assessment (which should show the extraction fire risk is managed), your insurer (who typically requires proof the extraction is cleaned to standard), and an inspector or fire authority if ever asked. So a clean without the paperwork is a clean you can't prove - and one that doesn't fully serve its purpose (managing and demonstrating the fire risk). So the paperwork is essential, not optional - which is why you should demand it after every visit. So the clean isn't done without it - paperwork is the proof. The next sections cover the three pieces to demand. So the paperwork proves the clean. This is general commentary.
The report and photographs
The first two pieces of paperwork to demand are the report and the before-and-after photographs - together telling you what was done and proving the hidden parts were cleaned. The report: a report describing what was cleaned - confirming the scope (the whole system: canopy, filters, ductwork throughout, fan), the work carried out, and any findings or recommendations (such as filters needing replacement, or access issues found). The report tells you, and records, what the clean actually covered - so you can check it did the whole system, and note anything flagged.
The before-and-after photographs: this is the crucial evidence. Photographs showing the system - especially the hidden ductwork and fan - before and after cleaning (the grease before, the clean surface after). Because the important parts of the clean are out of sight, the photographs are how you (and your fire risk assessment and insurer) can actually see that the hidden ductwork and fan were cleaned - not just take it on trust. So the before-and-after photographs of the hidden parts are the key proof that the whole system was done. No such photographs (or only photos of the visible canopy) is a serious gap - it means the hidden, important parts aren't evidenced. So demand the report (what was done) and the before-and-after photographs (proof of the hidden parts) after every visit. So the report and photographs - what was done, and proof of the hidden parts. So demand the report and photographs. This is general commentary.
The certificate
The third piece to demand is the certificate to the TR19 Grease standard - the formal record that the clean met the recognised standard. A certificate stating that the extraction was cleaned to the TR19 Grease standard, with the date, the system covered, and the details - ideally including the grease-deposit measurements or verification confirming the required cleanliness was achieved. The certificate is the formal, standard-referencing record of the clean: not just that cleaning happened, but that it was done to the recognised standard.
This matters because 'to standard' is what your fire risk assessment and insurer look for - a clean 'to TR19 Grease' is a proper, benchmarked clean, whereas a vague 'we cleaned it' isn't. So the certificate is the piece of paperwork that formally evidences the standard was met - the one insurers and fire risk assessments typically require (and you can verify it's genuine, as covered in verifying a TR19 certificate). So demand the certificate after every visit, alongside the report and photographs. Together, the three - the report (what was done), the photographs (proof of the hidden parts), and the certificate (proof it was to standard) - make up the complete evidence of the clean. So the certificate - proof it was done to standard - completes the paperwork to demand. So demand the TR19 Grease certificate too. This is general commentary.
Check it and keep it
Getting the paperwork isn't quite enough - you should also check it and keep it, so it's genuinely useful evidence. Check it's complete: all three pieces (report, before-and-after photographs, certificate), covering the whole system (not just the visible parts). A missing piece (especially no photographs of the hidden parts) is a gap to raise with the cleaner. Check it matches the work: the photographs should show your system (your actual ductwork and fan), the report's scope should match what was agreed and done (the whole system), and the certificate should reference the correct system and date. This is a quick audit that the paperwork genuinely evidences your clean (as covered in auditing the work) - catching, for instance, generic paperwork not specific to your job.
Keep it: file the paperwork from each clean together, building an ongoing, dated record of your extraction cleaning over time. This accumulating evidence trail (each clean's report, photographs and certificate, kept together and current) is what demonstrates, at any point, that your extraction is being cleaned to standard at the appropriate frequency - which is what your fire risk assessment and insurer rely on. So don't just receive the paperwork and forget it - check it's complete and matches, and keep it filed. So check it and keep it - complete, matching, and filed - turns the paperwork into a usable evidence trail. So verify and retain the paperwork. This is general commentary.
Non-negotiable evidence
So the paperwork to demand after every extraction clean - a report, before-and-after photographs of the hidden parts, and a certificate to TR19 Grease - is non-negotiable evidence: it's how you know (and show) the clean was done properly, for your fire safety, your insurance, and your own assurance. Demand it every time, check and keep it, and you build the evidence trail that protects you. So demand it every time - keep the trail.
The reason it's non-negotiable is what's at stake: your fire risk assessment should reference the cleaning (to demonstrate the fire risk is managed), and your insurer typically requires proof the extraction is cleaned to standard (a fire claim can turn on it). So the paperwork is what turns 'the cleaner came and cleaned it' into 'here's the documented proof it was cleaned to standard, on this date' - which is what you actually need to rely on and to show. A clean without the paperwork doesn't give you that - it leaves you unable to prove the work, and exposed (with your insurer, your fire risk assessment, an inspector). So insist on the report, photographs and certificate after every visit; a reputable cleaner provides them as a matter of course (a cleaner who can't or won't is a warning sign). Demand the paperwork, check it, keep it - and the clean is genuinely, provably done. So demand the paperwork every time and keep the trail. So it's non-negotiable evidence - demand it every time. This is general commentary on cleaning records.
Questions
A report of what was cleaned (the whole system), before-and-after photographs of the hidden ductwork and fan, and a certificate to the TR19 Grease standard - the three pieces that prove the clean was done properly. After every extraction clean, demand three key pieces of paperwork: (1) a report describing what was cleaned - confirming the whole system (canopy, filters, ductwork, fan) was covered, and any findings; (2) before-and-after photographs showing the system, especially the hidden ductwork and fan, before and after cleaning - the crucial proof that the hidden, important parts were actually done; and (3) a certificate to the TR19 Grease standard - the formal record that the clean met the recognised standard, with the date and details. Together, these prove the clean happened and was done to standard - which you need for your fire risk assessment and insurer. So get the report, photographs and certificate every time. So the report, photographs and certificate. This is general commentary on cleaning records.
Because the important parts of the clean (the hidden ductwork and fan) are out of sight - the photographs are how you and your insurer can actually see they were cleaned, rather than take it on trust. Much of the extraction clean happens where you can't see it - the hidden ductwork and fan. So how do you know they were actually cleaned? The before-and-after photographs are the answer: they show those hidden parts before cleaning (grease-laden) and after (clean surface), proving the work was done. This is the crucial evidence, because without it there's no way for you (or your fire risk assessment, or your insurer) to verify the hidden, important parts were cleaned - you'd just be taking it on trust. So no before-and-after photographs of the hidden ductwork and fan is a serious gap (and a warning sign of a possible partial clean). A reputable cleaner provides them as a matter of course. So they're important because they prove the hidden parts were cleaned. So they evidence the hidden work. This is general commentary.
That the extraction was cleaned to the TR19 Grease standard, with the date, the system covered, and ideally the grease-deposit measurements or verification confirming the required cleanliness was achieved. The certificate is the formal record that the clean met the recognised standard, so it should state: that the extraction was cleaned to the TR19 Grease standard (the recognised benchmark); the date of the clean; the system or premises covered (identifying your extraction); and the details of the clean. Ideally it also includes the grease-deposit measurements or verification confirming the required cleanliness was achieved (evidence the standard was actually met, not just claimed). This certificate is what your fire risk assessment and insurer typically look for as proof the extraction is cleaned to standard - and you can verify it's genuine (as covered in verifying a TR19 certificate). So the certificate should confirm the clean was to TR19 Grease, with the date, system and verification. So it should confirm the standard, date and system. This is general commentary.
Insist on it - a reputable cleaner provides the report, photographs and certificate as a matter of course; a cleaner who can't or won't is a warning sign, possibly of a partial or sub-standard clean. The paperwork (report, before-and-after photographs, certificate) is essential evidence, and a reputable extraction cleaner provides it routinely - they do the whole system properly and document it. So if a cleaner doesn't provide the paperwork, insist on it (it should be part of the service). And treat reluctance or inability to provide it as a warning sign: a cleaner who can't show before-and-after photographs of the hidden parts, or won't give a proper certificate, may not have cleaned the whole system properly - so the missing paperwork can signal a missing or sub-standard clean. So demand the paperwork, and if it can't be provided, question whether the clean was properly done - and consider a cleaner who does document their work. So insist on it; its absence is a warning sign. So insist, and treat absence as a red flag. This is general commentary.
Check it's complete and matches the work, then keep it filed - building an ongoing, dated record of your extraction cleaning that evidences the fire risk is managed over time. After each clean, do two things with the paperwork. Check it: that all three pieces are there (report, before-and-after photographs, certificate), cover the whole system, and match the work (the photographs show your system, the scope matches what was agreed) - a quick audit that it genuinely evidences your clean. Keep it: file the paperwork from each clean together, building an ongoing, dated record of your extraction cleaning over time. This accumulating evidence trail is what demonstrates, at any point, that your extraction is cleaned to standard at the appropriate frequency - which is what your fire risk assessment and insurer rely on. So check each set of paperwork and keep it filed, maintaining a complete, current record. So check it and file it, building the trail. So verify and retain it. This is general commentary.
No - the clean controls the fire risk, but the paperwork proves it was done to standard, which your fire risk assessment and insurer require; without proof, you can't demonstrate the risk is managed. The clean itself controls the fire risk (removing the grease) - but for your fire safety and insurance obligations, doing the clean isn't enough; you have to be able to prove it. Your fire risk assessment should reference the cleaning (demonstrating the extraction fire risk is managed), and your insurer typically requires evidence the extraction is cleaned to standard (a fire claim can turn on it). So without the paperwork, you can't demonstrate the risk is being managed - even if the clean was done. The paperwork turns 'we cleaned it' into 'here's the proof it was cleaned to standard' - which is what you actually need to satisfy your obligations and protect yourself. So the clean and the proof both matter: the clean controls the risk, the paperwork demonstrates it. So no - you need the proof as well as the clean. So the paperwork proves the risk is managed. This is general commentary.
We provide the paperwork every clean deserves - a report of the whole system, before-and-after photographs of the hidden ductwork and fan, and a certificate to TR19 Grease - so you can prove the clean for your fire safety and insurance. Ask us for a clean that comes fully documented. This is general commentary on cleaning records.
