Frequently asked questions about air duct cleaning

Duct cleaning questions: what does it cost?

What does cleaning air ducts cost? For homes, Dutch price comparison sites quote an average of €150 to €250 for ventilation ducts (Werkspot) or €100 to €300 (Homedeal). Commercial work is different: a cleaning firm such as Hamster Cleaning works with a tailored price after inspection, depending on building type, duct length, contamination and accessibility.

If you buy equipment yourself, the calculation changes: a one off purchase against repeated outsourcing. Everything about air duct cleaning cost for cleaning contractors is in the cost guide.

Questions about frequency: how often should you clean?

There is no general statutory frequency. Milieu Centraal (Dutch public information centre) advises having the ducts of mechanical ventilation in homes cleaned at least once every 8 years. For hospitality, Rabobank advises at least once a year, and twice for a restaurant that fries a lot. In buildings with humidification, VDI 6022 sets a hygiene inspection every 2 years, and every 3 years without humidification.

The overview per building type is available under duct cleaning frequency for businesses.

Ventilation duct questions: clean them yourself or not?

Can you clean ventilation ducts yourself? Grilles and valves, yes: Milieu Centraal advises cleaning grilles yourself at least once a year. According to Milieu Centraal, the ventilation box with its motor is not a job for a homeowner. Companies with their own facilities team can clean ducts themselves with professional equipment, provided they seal off and extract.

The trade off is worked out under DIY ventilation duct cleaning.

Questions about standards and rules

The most important European standard is EN 15780. The 2025 version replaces the one from 2011 and now also covers kitchen extraction. In the Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit), ventilation is covered in article 6.2: installations must always be in good working order and supply enough uncontaminated air. In Germany and in many care institutions, VDI 6022 is the guideline for hygiene.

An explanation per standard is available under NVRL quality mark for cleaning contractors.

Questions about sectors: hospitality, care and more

Every sector has its own points of attention. In hospitality it is all about grease and fire risk: KHN (Royal Dutch Hospitality Association) reports that the frequency is not set by law, but that fire insurers do require regular maintenance. In healthcare, the guideline for operating theatres requires an air management plan with technical management and periodic checks.

Choose your sector via duct cleaning by industry, or go straight to kitchen extract duct cleaning for businesses.

Ductwork cleaning FAQ: equipment and methods

The three common routes are a rotating brush on a shaft, compressed air and, in large ducts, a robot. They always go together with extraction under negative pressure, so loosened dirt does not travel through the building. Which method fits depends on diameter, length, bends and the type of contamination.

You can ventilation duct cleaning tools explained from Lamers on the equipment page. All in depth articles are collected in the guides on ductwork cleaning.

Is your question not listed?

Then put it directly to Lamers. Through the contact page you can duct cleaner quotation for businesses, request a quote or ask for a callback. Mention your duct type, diameter, length, type of contamination and sector. The more of those details you include, the more specific the answer can be: a question about a 400 mm office duct with two bends gets a different reply than one about a short bathroom extract.